Topic: 68 Water Pump Bolts painted?

[Sunlitgold68]

On the water pump for a 289/302 for 68, no A/C, trying to determine which bolts were painted engine blue and which were left zinc.

[TLea]

All the bolts that hold the pump to the engine are blue. Anything (accessory/bracket) that attaches to the pump, no.

[baflstangobx]

The only bolts excluded from paint were bolts that served another use such as PS bracket, AC bracket, ALT bracket, etc.  They were application specific therefore not painted.

[CharlesTurner]

This has been a topic I've never been completely clear on.  I agree with Bill that there are certain bolts that are longer and/or specific to accessories installed.  I have to wonder if the basic bolts were always installed and then painted along with the basic engine assembly.  If options installed, bolts were swapped out?

[Sunlitgold68]

If I had to guess, I would say the water pump was held on by 5 primary bolts that were painted blue, the other 4 or 5 bolts that go through the water pump and secure the alternator and PS pump brackets were either phosphate or zinc and were not handled until the brackets were secured.

The blue bolt head against the black bracket just didn't look right to me. 

[baflstangobx]

The majority of original, unmolested engines I have observered had all bolts painted.  I have seen a couple of new assembly line engines and they had all their bolts installed and they were painted block color.  Remember the '66 lower fuel line bracket.  The bracket was common to most all 289 engines therefore it was installed and painted with the engine.  The clip was left off only to be installed when the pump to carb fuel line was installed.

[midlife]

Remember the '66 lower fuel line bracket.  The bracket was common to most all 289 engines therefore it was installed and painted with the engine.  The clip was left off only to be installed when the pump to carb fuel line was installed.

Aren't you referring to the lower bracket of the upper fuel line?

[J_Speegle]

Looking at some pictures of original 68 small block engines I have the bolts that hold the alternator and the power steering brackets to the engine had engine color on them. The 66 fuel line clamp has no relevance IMHO to the question

Here are some samples

[Sunlitgold68]

There is some actual proof. Were the engines painted at each separate factory?

I'm just assuming Jeff's photos are of a San Jose engine and Metuchen engines might be different? 

[J_Speegle]

There is some actual proof. Were the engines painted at each separate factory?

I'm just assuming Jeff's photos are of a San Jose engine and Metuchen engines might be different?

Engines were painted at the engine assy plants so the finish IMHO on those parts would be consistent no matter where the car was built. There would be different finishes possibly based on when the engines were assembled

[J_Speegle]

I was looking at Bob Perkins 52 mile Mach1 in Feb.2010 issue of Mustang Monthly.The alternator bracket bolt looks to be silver cadmium and the P/S bracket bolt is painted black. Then,,look at the 66 Mustang with 56 miles on it thats in the March 2010 issue of Mustang Monthly and the alternator bracket bolt is engine color. both cars are in their original untouched condition as far as the article is saying.....So, who's to say what is right and what is wrong. ..........

Well the first issue IMHO is that your comparing apples and oranges so to speak. Different engines from different years so its very  possible 68's different from either the 66 or 69.

Believe it would be fine for a judge who has investigated their specific year to deduct for incorrectly painted bolts as long as they had done their homework.  Just have to put in the time and effort

As a side note the alternator mounting bolt paint( Bob Perkins 52 mile Mach1)  may have been on there - just chipped or fallen off. Not a perfect picture but it looks like there is still some paint remaining on the upper. It's possible IMHO that like other places the paint did not stick as well to zinc plated parts (especially once a wrench is used to remove and tighten) as it did on others

[J_Speegle]

...................Because NOT one of us on this forum know what was right or wrong for any given year or engine size between one assembly plant to another. Doesn't matter if it is a '65 or a '73 or anything in between. IMHO,I think that is taking things a little too far......Just like I said," NOT one of us on this forum knows within a shadow of a doubt what is right or wrong, no matter how much "homework" they did. And that's my 2 cents worth.  ..........

Guess you have finally found that you can determine what others limitations are. Would suggest that there are plenty of examples where owners and judges have taken on the task of researching and have done some great work.  Just my experiences and my faith in the hobby and many of the people involved.

BTW - Thanks for providing a perfect example of how far we have slipped in maintaining a standard - guess I have difficulty understanding how a Concours Judge would not dedicate themselves to finding out, as best possible, how the cars they were judging were built so that they would well prepared for the task. 

But the discussion was not about how many points to deduct if any, but about how there were originally finished. My 2 cents

,,,,,,,..hmmmm,,where'd you get your picture? Go back and look at the picture in the magazine.

Don't have the magazine - saw the car in person (as well as the others) and took my own pictures last fall.


Added : I apologize to others viewing that we've gotten off thread.   Now back to having fun and helping others

[st9mach1]

I apologize too..But still believe in my heart and will stick with what I've said," NOT one of us on this forum,NOT one, know within a shadow of a doubt what is right and what is wrong the way it was done 40+ years ago in certain areas like colors of water pump bolts or the like.