well, found a mistake I made during my motor clean-up project. One of those live and learn lessons I guess......
the sparkplug shielding brackets that bolt to the exhust manifolds (the brackets that the shielding pieces themselves attach to via wingnuts) were looking pretty bad when I had removed them so they were some of the batch of pieces that I glass bead blasted to clean them up. After blasting them they looked real nice so than I got the bright idea that to retain that nice clean look I would clear coat them.
Ummmm, don't do that........
It took about 3-4 minutes after I first started the car up after getting my carb back that I saw smoke pouring up from both sides of the motor. Turns out that the brackets get REAL hot (yeah, big surprise huh, they are bolted to the exhaust manifolds. DUH!) and the heat just cooked the clear coat paint right off them immediately and that's what was smoking.
So now, instead of nice, clean-looking, shiney and bright brackets, they are a nice yelowish color from the discolored clearcoat.
Well, it's not really that big of a deal and unless you look carefully you wouldn't notice it but I do because I know it's there but this was a lesson learned the hard way which is pretty much typical for me.
Oh well, next time I have to order up some parts maybe I'll just get a set of new brackets and put them on to replace these now but it's no rush.
I guess I better get it done before this years Carlisle so that anyone one of you forum members that may stop by to say hello won't have to see my mistake and point it out to me.
the sparkplug shielding brackets that bolt to the exhust manifolds (the brackets that the shielding pieces themselves attach to via wingnuts) were looking pretty bad when I had removed them so they were some of the batch of pieces that I glass bead blasted to clean them up. After blasting them they looked real nice so than I got the bright idea that to retain that nice clean look I would clear coat them.
Ummmm, don't do that........
It took about 3-4 minutes after I first started the car up after getting my carb back that I saw smoke pouring up from both sides of the motor. Turns out that the brackets get REAL hot (yeah, big surprise huh, they are bolted to the exhaust manifolds. DUH!) and the heat just cooked the clear coat paint right off them immediately and that's what was smoking.
So now, instead of nice, clean-looking, shiney and bright brackets, they are a nice yelowish color from the discolored clearcoat.
Well, it's not really that big of a deal and unless you look carefully you wouldn't notice it but I do because I know it's there but this was a lesson learned the hard way which is pretty much typical for me.
Oh well, next time I have to order up some parts maybe I'll just get a set of new brackets and put them on to replace these now but it's no rush.
I guess I better get it done before this years Carlisle so that anyone one of you forum members that may stop by to say hello won't have to see my mistake and point it out to me.
