Topic: Starter mask detail at attaching hole

[CharlesTurner]

Have seen a few original starters with a mask/cover over one of the attaching bolt holes.  An example attached of a Fall '64 engine.  Anyone seen similar?

[Dan Case]

The barely used XF prefix road racing starter from 1964 (available from Ford for endurance racing for 260/289/302 engines for circa 1963-1971) I have was masked in that location prior to painting. (Shelby American used them in their race cars from 1963 and other race teams used them particularly in road race Mustangs.)

[J_Speegle]

Have seen a few original starters with a mask/cover over one of the attaching bolt holes.  An example attached of a Fall '64 engine.  Anyone seen similar?

Yes in some factory pictures there are starters with a sharp or taped masked ground end of the starter. Similar but not exactly the same as your picture

One example (looks like a similar or same pattern) is visible in the engine drop picture in the 68 San Jose pictures in the Assembly Line section of the site - San Jose - 68 San Jose - Engine Installation - 10307-12 First in Series

May be the supplier/factory since I've got pictures of service replacements with a taped ear or two while others like some found on original cars without the tape and just a misting of paint overall

C6 marked service example with the taped ear

[s2ms]

You've probably seen this early 65 GT350 PR photo...

[Bob Gaines]

You've probably seen this early 65 GT350 PR photo...

Other odd things in that photo too like engine block plate lack of paint and hardware holding the plate to the bell.

[CharlesTurner]

You've probably seen this early 65 GT350 PR photo...

Yep, thanks for posting.

[jwc66k]

Have seen a few original starters with a mask/cover over one of the attaching bolt holes.  An example attached of a Fall '64 engine.  Anyone seen similar?

The rhetorical question is why. It's for proper grounding.
Jim

[preaction]

Typically wouldn't more of the end of the starter housing be exposed bare metal where the painting process was purposely reduced without the use of a mask ? I cant seem to find the picture I had but it seemed about 1" of bare housing around the circumference of the housing for FE starters for example.

[Bob Gaines]

Typically wouldn't more of the end of the starter housing be exposed bare metal where the painting process was purposely reduced without the use of a mask ? I cant seem to find the picture I had but it seemed about 1" of bare housing around the circumference of the housing for FE starters for example.

Typically yes more metal is exposed . So that there is no misunderstanding the fade more typically starts at 1" but that doesn't mean it is all unpainted metal within that range. There is overspray within the 1 " space. The fade would progress to no overspray on the metal at the forward edge for the best ground. There was a basic way that it was typically done but within that basic way there was a range it could have been. Technically it is hard to find two that had the exact same spray pattern if you were looking at them with a forensic eye. Technically the masking off of all except the one bolt mounting is all that is needed. That minimal exposed metal is just not representative of the overall typical practice used on 65-70 starters IMO based on the hundreds of non rebuilt starters that I have seen over the years. That's not to say it was never done as the picture proves. Maybe a very early practice that changed . Because it is typically seen expect push back unless you can give provenance for the specific car you are working on.

[J_Speegle]

Typically wouldn't more of the end of the starter housing be exposed bare metal where the painting process was purposely reduced without the use of a mask ? I cant seem to find the picture I had but it seemed about 1" of bare housing around the circumference of the housing for FE starters for example.

Or often a light mist of black extending out to the mounting surface. They did want to try and make sure the iron was painted to guard against rusting. Remember that a percentage of the grounding contact comes from the mounting bolts while other comes from the contact of the starter to the plate. Likely a smaller percentage but Ford could use all the help they could get.

Only had small block examples converted and already uploaded but here are three examples of that. Each has been posted before


Cleaning and age has removed some of the finer spray on the one 1969 example where the paint is thinner at the lower edge and towards the bottom  of the starter opening




And one on the assembly line 1968 example. On this one there appears to have been a loose fitting mask where on others there is no evidence of the same. Kind of like the masked and unmasked starter mounting ear discussion here