Searched but did not find...

Anyone know the correct color designation for duplicating the factory color in powdercoat (1985 US S).

Friend is doing a restoration and doesn't want to go red/blue/pink, just straight-up factory color match.

Failing that, a good color picture of an original manifold?

Thanks much.

 

IIRC, the factory manifolds have no finish on them from the factory. A local here did his in "chrome" powder, really a bit closer to black chrome appearance, but understated and very tasteful looking. The later manifolds (S4+) were done in Zermatt Silver, pretty much the same color that's used on the painted cup wheels. That color has a very fine almost invisible flake in it. Your cam covers were that color, so it might be appropriate to do the manifold the same if you are doing the covers at the same time.

 

Thanks.

If they weren't originally finished, then we have a funny PO trick at work - there is paint flaking off of the manifolds, cam covers, and oil filler, with gray primer underneath.

Subtracting age-yellowing and oil-staining, though, the Zermatt Silver may be a winner.

 

They were not PC from the factory, it was paint with primer underneath. Very thick paint to hide low quality castings. If you strip it you'll need to use some filling primer and/or really thick paint again. PC will show the casting imperfections quite a bit.

I think Jim B. could help you with the color, I seem to remember him chiming in on this once. I don't know the original color but in most cars it has yellowed quite a bit so a recent pic won't help much.

Also, they're magnesium, so be careful with media blasting, I think you have to use walnuts or something, sand is no good. And you have to seal them right away because bare magnesium will start to oxidize instantly. I may be getting the terms wrong, but some searches will turn up lots of info on this.

 

...and that's exactly what I needed to know and see. Thank you all.

 

OOHHHH SHINY!!!


Dude, look at all that brass hardware. That has definitely got some extra bling on there for the photo op.

 

Do yourself and anyone who is working on the car a favor. Make sure they DO NOT powder coat the mating surfaces where the intakes connect to the heads.

 

That is how ALL the new engines looked ! We have had several over the years all bright and shiney ! And yes silver is the intake color but the paint used yellows from engine heat , burn cars get even darker

 

I wonder what is up with that P/S pulley? Quite different from mine.

 

Yeah, and why tuck that coolant line back up in between the intake runners? Mine doesn't go like that. *scratches head*

How about that tube that comes down around the dipstick. What's that for?

 

Eastwood sells Argent Silver powder that is close to original but has to be clear coated.

Columbia Coatings sells Silver Polyester that looks the same but does not require clear coating.

As stated by Bob, you must pickle before coating.

 

The loose hose ends have been tucked back into the engine that PS pulley IS weird using a toothed belt like the timing belt.

 

Photo model, IMHO, so "cleaned up" for the shoot.

 

That's not brass, it's zinc plate with a yellow chromate. It's what I plate the PKsn'r brackets with. It's pretty thin, and turns silver after a while with heat.

I wondered about that PS pulley (I think that's my scan from a '86 brochure). I think it's a overrun clutch, which disengages when you lift off the throttle. They must have deleted it on production engines.

 

Sorry for the misleading misinformed post back at 2. I was thinking that we were discussing the earlier manifold rather than the one shown in Shane's picture.

That yellow on the brackets is typically cad or yellow zinc plating. You can pull all those brackets off and have them replated to restore the original look. The zinc is a sacrificial, a form of cathodic protection on the steel parts to prevent corrosion. Looks really nice when it's new like the picture shows. I thought mine looked OK until I saw that picture, now all those metal bits will have to be refurbed as part of the winter intake refurb project. And I was thinking I'd just do a quick repaint on the manifold and cam covers. Yeah right...