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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Oct 2023 Posts: 327 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2023 Posts: 327 | What color were the intake and exhaust manifolds on the grey engines out of the factory? | | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 11,101 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 11,101 | I believe that the manifolds were painted engine color at the same time as the engine. But of course, the exhaust manifold soon turned black.
Last edited by klhansen; 09/03/2025 12:40 AM. Reason: spelling fix
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2023 Posts: 327 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2023 Posts: 327 | I used the Filling Station grey paint on the engine, which I believe is ALK-200. Do you think it would be OK to use on the intake manifold, or too much heat transfer from the exhaust? I'll just use a high heat black paint for the exhaust.
Last edited by RBs36; 09/03/2025 12:49 AM.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,290 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,290 | I sandblasted, treated with Ospho, sprayed with high heat primer and the dark gray paint from the Filling Station on the entire engine. The paint has held up very nicely for 12 years on everything but the exhaust manifold. 40,000 miles.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 11,101 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 11,101 | I used ALK-200 paint (from Jim Carter) on my engine (and intake manifold), and it lasted for 100 miles (which is all I had on my engine so far.) On the exhaust manifold, I just used Calyx, a black product made especially for exhaust manifolds. I applied that with a toothbrush.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 6,879 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 6,879 | I've used Calyx for many years on exhaust manifolds and other cast iron parts and it is great. I also apply it with a toothbrush and sometimes a rag on my fingertip.
You do need to touch it up periodically but it stays looking a nice metallic grey longer than paint.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,270 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,270 | Ditto on the Calyx dressing | | | | | Joined: Jan 2014 Posts: 3,690 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2014 Posts: 3,690 | I’m trying something new (to me) on a different set of exhaust manifolds (non-Stovebolt).
Graphite spray lubricant. Looks great right now, very much like raw cast…but haven’t fired this engine yet.
Supposedly very easy to touch up. I love the look of Calyx but the graphite was available locally and cheap/easy to try. Got the idea from a YouTube video.
Last edited by JW51; 09/03/2025 10:15 PM.
1951 3100
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall | | Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 | Love the calyx tko. Looks good and easy to touch up. | | |
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