engine colors
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: South Dakota
engine colors
Someone told me that Chevrolet changed the engine colors to blue to signal the use of metric components/fasteners. Can you guys expand or challenge that? What year did this happen?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
we had the somewhat dubious honor of owning a bamboo green 79 camaro with 305" 5.0L ... it was fugly and just as scrawny. Blue V8 motor had both SAE & Metric fasteners. IIRC, the primary fasteners were SAE while some of the bracketry etc had Metric.
Team Owner
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From: Ontario
Around 1975 some buyers of new Oldsmobiles were distressed to find a Chevy Orange Chevrolet 350cid V8 under the hood rather than an Oldsmobile Rocket engine. This was at a time of cost efficiencies and rationalization of engine production: a cut in the number of engine types being produced.
There was a lawsuit against GM and and the owners won. If I remember correctly they were compensated for the cost of their cars plus other costs.
GM reaction was to order that all engines become "corporate" blue. With Corvette that occurred in mid-1977. As well, fine print was added to window stickers noting that engines can or are sourced from various GM Divisions. In other words, Pontiac, Olds, and Buick vehicles could have Chevrolet engines under the hood.
There was a lawsuit against GM and and the owners won. If I remember correctly they were compensated for the cost of their cars plus other costs.
GM reaction was to order that all engines become "corporate" blue. With Corvette that occurred in mid-1977. As well, fine print was added to window stickers noting that engines can or are sourced from various GM Divisions. In other words, Pontiac, Olds, and Buick vehicles could have Chevrolet engines under the hood.
Team Owner
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Cruise-In II Veteran
Around 1975 some buyers of new Oldsmobiles were distressed to find a Chevy Orange Chevrolet 350cid V8 under the hood rather than an Oldsmobile Rocket engine. This was at a time of cost efficiencies and rationalization of engine production: a cut in the number of engine types being produced.
There was a lawsuit against GM and and the owners won. If I remember correctly they were compensated for the cost of their cars plus other costs.
GM reaction was to order that all engines become "corporate" blue. With Corvette that occurred in mid-1977. As well, fine print was added to window stickers noting that engines can or are sourced from various GM Divisions. In other words, Pontiac, Olds, and Buick vehicles could have Chevrolet engines under the hood.
There was a lawsuit against GM and and the owners won. If I remember correctly they were compensated for the cost of their cars plus other costs.
GM reaction was to order that all engines become "corporate" blue. With Corvette that occurred in mid-1977. As well, fine print was added to window stickers noting that engines can or are sourced from various GM Divisions. In other words, Pontiac, Olds, and Buick vehicles could have Chevrolet engines under the hood.
Bingo!! There's the correct answer for corporate blue.
Team Owner
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From: Ontario
I very much enjoyed meeting you and Deb! The weather was not cooperative (despite what is shown in the pic) but what the heck. A lot of nice people and cars there.
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
....but I think the Orange engined '77s were only like 4 or 5 days of productiion if I'm remembering correctly. Maybe it was more like a week or two.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Ontario
I believe you are correct (see note on dates at bottom of link). Age does not improve my memory.
http://1-4u-computer-graphics.com/77-specs.htm
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
....I also remember working on a neighbor's '77 or '78 Pontiac Ventura II and it had a blue painted Chevrolet 307ci or 350ci engine in it.
....sure wasn't a Pontiac motor in it.
....sure wasn't a Pontiac motor in it.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: South Dakota
