Oil cap and dipstick color - 851 SC Speedster

By the way, here is some discussion on the coil:
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I have a CE4001G coil that is battleship grey (not repainted, original)
There is an old pix of a speedster with a light colored coil. That being said, the coil on my cars are black. But if you see a grey one don't knock him.
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The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
Cheers
Curt
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For Coil I used Dupli-Color Acrylic Enamel, Machinery Gray DA1612 (and it looks GREAT !).

JMM

The original photograph of the supercharged Speedster shows the exhaust manifold in silver, as well as the exposed portion of the exhaust pipes. The 4 "donut" retainers on the pipes look dark colored (perhaps black). The 8 bolts we have determined are copper plated and have a heavy washer under the head - I believe have a 30 marked on the head.

I would like to see more homework on the finish of the two intake manifolds on an Supercharged car (and I only say this as I had a pair in s/c intake manifolds in my hand that looked to be almost porcelain black, though were probably baked on black paint - and a finish as old as the hills, though I was persuaded to paint them green). That being said, the "engine from under a porch" purchased by a club member dedicated to authenticity was a time capsule and I believed the manifolds were researched to be silver.

My understanding is the intake manifold on a non-supercharged is painted engine color (6 and 8 cars) and I agree with the silver on the exhaust manifold.

Curt Schulze wrote:

ilikescars wrote: I'd have to agree with Curt on the dipstick, but I think it should be plated anyway to keep it from rusting. The stick inside the engine can't be painted.

I spoke with a knowledgeable restorer this afternoon on this particular subject. It seems that there is a possibility the factory put a plug in the dipstick hole prior to painting. Further research is being done. When the jury comes back and a decision is made I will post the results.

Randy has dutifully researched this topic, as far as possible at this time. After studying factory records reference to the finish of the 'oil gage' more commonly known as the dip stick is steel. How ever I would heavily lean toward cadmium plating due to a good picture on an early engine.

A couple of other facts came to light the intake and exhaust manifolds are silver and contrary to popular belief the head bolts are dark parkerize not cadmium.

We must beware of coming to conclusions based on two pictures and one car. More than likely none of these items were static during production.
CORDially Mike

ilikescars wrote: I'd have to agree with Curt on the dipstick, but I think it should be plated anyway to keep it from rusting. The stick inside the engine can't be painted.

I spoke with a knowledgeable restorer this afternoon on this particular subject. It seems that there is a possibility the factory put a plug in the dipstick hole prior to painting. Further research is being done. When the jury comes back and a decision is made I will post the results.

I'd have to agree with Curt on the dipstick, but I think it should be plated anyway to keep it from rusting. The stick inside the engine can't be painted.

I have since acquired an original 33,000 mile time capsule. The U-bolts are grey parkerized

Curt,

Do you have any period photos of the engine on this side?

Also, the U-bolts used for mounting the horns, you supply them black but they were installed CAD plated on your car at ACD last year. Which is correct in your opinion?

Peter

The oil filler tube and cap as well as the dipstick were installed in the block at the time it was painted. The reason for this is the factory did not want debris to inadvertently enter the engine. Other items
oil pan
water pump
harmonic balancer
bell housing
tach drive
oil pressure valve
water side plate (early engines)
tappet covers
were painted green as well

Ilikescars is laboriously trying to do correct cars - I would say sound judgement call.

Dipstick should be cad plated, but I don't think anyone would make a fuss if it were painted engine color.

The question you asked about 1935 851 and 1936 852 engine colors/finishes is a bag of worms and there are many such questions posted on this forum over time (and with many different answers).

Yes, two decent original 35 Boattail engine picture exists of what appears to be a brand new or near new car - You can tell a Speedster given cowl/hood/fender configuration - and it is RHD export (you can see the higher mount starter on the RH side and also see the parking lamp on top of the fender on the LH side). I posted them at one time.

Other engine pictures seem to never have surfaced - a handful of us would love to see some if they exist (and a many people have been looking for a very long time).

You cannot see the oil dipstick in the photos.

The photos show oil cap appearing painted the same color as the engine - which appears to be the dark olive green color most often seen. Equally, the oil fill tube appears the same color as the engine. The oil fill tube you often see painted black on restored cars (and see black as well on unrestored cars). Our best guess is they painted green over the black on the oil fill tube and that the green paint did not stick - thus why you see them in black.

The Club also accepts a lighter grey engine - discussion seems to point to those being factory rebuilt engines. Many grey engines exist in restored (driver to 100 point cars) and several unrestored cars.

To add controversy, the ignition coil in the photos is a light color (and one original with proper part number to parts book is known to exist and it is a blue/grey, but we do not know if that applies to all cars or ....).

The radiator neck bolted to the head is also in the photos clearly the same color as the engine block.

In the photos all nuts and bolts on the engine accessories are dark (and that finish is found to be parkerized black on unrestored cars).

And, the photo clearly shows head bolts are blackened (dark) - a point of laborious discussion.

Several of us are now doing cars to match these two photos (excepting all of us have silver cad head bolts - though there is talk of a few cars in the works to be done in parkerized black). I recently upgraded a restored 36 852 S/C Phaeton and put a bluish/grey coil on it (it was well received at 2012 ACD festival, all be it not judged).

JMM

I would like to know if anyone has a period or factory photo, of the right side of the engine in a 851 SC Speedster, showing in detail the finish of the oil cap and the dipstick.

Were these items installed before or after paint? There are various really great restorations out there but none seems to be consistent with these items. Please let me know if or post any images that may be out there. It will help us all!

Has anyone successfully found Lycoming assembly line photos showing the Auburn engines being made?

Thanks!