His engine paint burns and flakes off
Question:
My 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air is equipped with the 265 V-8 and Powerglide and is restored to show quality. The problem is, if I drive the car very much, the paint on the intake manifold burns and flakes off in the center up by the carburetor. Do you know of a paint source that can supply the correct color enamel for my one-year-only 1956 Chevrolet V-8 that will not burn off?
Answer:
My favorite source for engine enamel is Bill Hirsch Automotive. Hirsch’s engine enamels can sustain temperatures of 700 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to hold up well. I have a 1940 Packard that I restored in 1983. I coated its engine with Hirsch’s engine enamel at the time and it has held up for over 30 years without burning, discoloring of flaking.
The paint he offers is actually a form of aircraft engine enamel and is nearly impervious to heat, cold, moisture, solvents, etc. He also sells the correct one-year-only Chevrolet small-block cherry red for your engine.
As extra insurance with your hot intake manifold, you also can use a little of Hirsch’s silver enamel on the hottest hot spots to help insulate the final color coat. I did this on my 1957 Chevrolet 283 engine a few years ago and have had no problem with burning. You can reach Hirsch at:
