Well, let's think about this for a minute. If a customer wanted the LAT
intake put on their car before they picked it up from the dealer, it's my
understanding that it would have been installed "post build;" i.e. after the
car reached the U.S. They were not installed on the Rootes production line.
So, that means that the original intake would have been removed from the car
and the new aluminum intake installed. The original piece, along with it's
thermostat housing, would have been painted either blue or black, depending
upon which batch of engines that particular motor came from. It seems highly
unlikely to me that someone would have taken the time to repaint the
thermostat housing to match the intake. Consequently, my money would be on
the thermostat housing remaining the same color as the rest of the motor. The
only exception to that, however, could be if the LAT intake was supplied with
a new, natural-colored thermostat housing. Maybe someone on the list could
shed some light on that possibility.
Personally, in light of the fact that options such as these were installed
after the factory build, I'd be willing to bet that some had original color
housings and some had natural housings. Therefore, when striving for
originality, I don't think either one should have points taken off in a
concours situation, simply because the car was subject to which mechanic
installed the option and how much time he had to do it. It could be that
simple...
My .02 worth,
Andy Walker
Edmond, OK
B382001600LRXFE
TAC #740
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