quick question , on a 375 hp motor is the water neck housing natural color or painted chevy orange?? mine is not painted. I have seen them around both ways and just wondering which way it came from the factory. thanks in advance

From my experience, if the engine originally had an aluminum intake the water neck isn't painted just as the intake isn't.

I've seen a few nice restos where the thermostat housing was painted and attached to an aluminum intake. That is incorrect. The housing is the same as the intake.
You didn't ask, but the same holds true for engine lift brackets. If the intake was natural, so were the brackets

thanks alot for the quick answers.