Vacuum-formed plastic masks were used on the aluminum valve covers and intake when the engine was painted, with varying levels of overspray around the edges. The bellhousing was also in place, and generally shows varying levels of paint coverage/overspray on about the front 2"-4", and occasionally some on the clutch fork (the rubber boot was installed later at the car assembly plant). The exhaust manifolds were installed after painting at Flint Engine beginning in 1965 or 1966; big-blocks at Tonawanda had the exhaust manifolds in place when they were painted.
