Dumb questions, bear with me please

[spl310]

I have read that the automatic 289 Cobras had 6 bolt engines while all of the manual transmission small block cars got 5 bolt engines. If that is true, were the 6 bolt engines painted blue, or black? On the subject of painting, I am aware that the valve covers were either chrome, or the aluminum versions (talking street cars here), but what exactly was painted on the engine? Was the timing cover and water pump painted? The photos I have seen suggest that is true, but they are not really clear. Thanks!

[Dan Case]

Black (Bob Mannel's book calls it Ford satin black.) all over except where preformed masks kept paint off ancillary mounting points or places in shadows of the spray gun that did not get much paint or any paint. Bolt on accessories that were back were similar but different enough to tell they were different shades and glosses. Ford started using blue for 1966 production engines. The engine and transmission power units were 1965 model year Fairlane assemblies, as in what an early 1965 Fairlane ordered with HP289 (six bolt bell housing mount) and high performance C4 automatic transmission got until the engine installers made the Cobra specific ancillary part installations.

[LMH]

Dan,
Was there aluminum cylinder heads available on the Cobra?
If there were, were they painted like the block or left bare?
Larry

[Nedsel]

No 289 Cobras came with alloy cylinder heads.

[spl310]

Thanks! Just what I needed to know!