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Does anyone know how long between when the engine is painted that the spark plugs go in ? Are the engines test fired on the assembly line ? I have a bunch of pics of the plugs and most have what looks like orange engine paint. Like specs. Not overspray but I am trying to imagine a painted engine being test fired before maybe puddled paint is completely dry ? I dunno but it is curious.
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Engines were hot-tested (using an adapter and natural gas for fuel and a slave ignition harness with a coil and plug wires that was part of the test stand) at the engine plant; it only ran for 30-40 seconds, just long enough to set the timing and check for leaks/noises. From hot-test it went to the paint booth (at 300 per hour), which was preceded by a masking operation, where they placed cardboard tubes over the spark plugs, put a piece of tape on the front pad, put a cardboard tube over the water pump shaft and hub, taped-off the fuel pump opening, masked the carb pad surface, put a coffee can over the distributor, and placed vacuum-formed plastic covers on aluminum intakes and aluminum valve covers.
The guys on each side in the paint booth had twelve seconds to spray it, and there was a de-masking area after the exit from the spray booth to remove the plastic covers, cardboard tubes, tape, etc. From there the engine was routed to the correct spot on the shipping dock for the designated assembly plant, racked (3 to a rack), and loaded in rail cars; the paint air-dried on the way to the dock.
Photo below taken in 1955 shows engines at the shipping dock being pulled off the conveyor and placed in racks - the engine state of dress as shown didn't change appreciably until the early 80's - Chevy V-8's were pretty "naked" when they left Flint V-8 (and Tonawanda).
