Original Paint Colour
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Hamilton Ontario
Original Paint Colour
Does anyone know what the original paint colour is suppose to be for a 1979 L48. I have seen blue and I've seen chevy orange. If the answer is both, can anyone tell me why that is and how to tell which mine should be. Maybe I should do the block stripes 
Cheers guys, I know I can always rely on an answer here.
Cheers guys, I know I can always rely on an answer here.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Hamilton Ontario
So why blue and not the traditional chevy orange? Don't want to look like a goof when I open the hood and gearheads see a blue motor in a vette. Don't want them walking away laughing at me.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
The tradition changed as the result of a law suit. Flint Engine changed the color of engines from Chevrolet Orange to GM Corporate Blue in September, 1976.
Someone purchased a shiny new Buick only for find a pretty orange Chevrolet small block in it. He sued. He won.
Hence, corporate blue and a disclaimer from GM that engines can come from any division of GM.
Blue is the tradition for your 79.
Someone purchased a shiny new Buick only for find a pretty orange Chevrolet small block in it. He sued. He won.
Hence, corporate blue and a disclaimer from GM that engines can come from any division of GM.
Blue is the tradition for your 79.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Feb 17, 2012 at 04:26 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Hey! Chevy can paint their engines any damn color they want, and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it!
LOL! I'm J/K, I think the whole thing is kinda weird, too. I mean, was the guy upset that his Buick had a Chevy engine, or just that it was painted orange?
Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
LOL! I'm J/K, I think the whole thing is kinda weird, too. I mean, was the guy upset that his Buick had a Chevy engine, or just that it was painted orange?
Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,593
Likes: 103
From: Southern Indiana
Oldsmobile up to 76 455/350s painted their engines "gold", try finding that on the engine paint shelf!!! But then they got smart and painted the powerful 260 blue to match the equally powerful 305 from Chevy!!!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,652
Likes: 3,110
From: Shamong, NJ
I thought it was an Oldsmobile, and not a Buick, that had a Chevy engine and caused a class action suit. GM was found to be substituting Chevy 350's, for other GM 350's, and someone got upset over it. Either way, it really comes down to the fact that somebody will always come up for an excuse to sue. I would rather have the Chevy small block anyway!
All GM engines became blue in 76, and then were switched to black in 82.
All GM engines became blue in 76, and then were switched to black in 82.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,664
Likes: 162
From: columbia city in
I thought it was an Oldsmobile, and not a Buick, that had a Chevy engine and caused a class action suit. GM was found to be substituting Chevy 350's, for other GM 350's, and someone got upset over it. Either way, it really comes down to the fact that somebody will always come up for an excuse to sue. I would rather have the Chevy small block anyway!
All GM engines became blue in 76, and then were switched to black in 82.
All GM engines became blue in 76, and then were switched to black in 82.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,652
Likes: 3,110
From: Shamong, NJ
For 1983, GM switched all engines from blue, to "corporate black".
The engine plants started painting engines black in August 82, when the normal model year change over took place. Because of the delayed release date of the new 1983 Corvette (which actually became an 84), 82 Corvette production continued past August, and into October of 82.
82 Corvettes built in August, September and October of 82, generally all have black engines, while earlier 82's have blue ones.
The engine plants started painting engines black in August 82, when the normal model year change over took place. Because of the delayed release date of the new 1983 Corvette (which actually became an 84), 82 Corvette production continued past August, and into October of 82.
82 Corvettes built in August, September and October of 82, generally all have black engines, while earlier 82's have blue ones.
Limping across the line
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,299
Likes: 109
From: Peoria Az
Nope you're wrong here. 400's were a red/orange color,455's were a metallic medium blue(not light metallic blue like Pontiacs) 350's were the Gold color
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,652
Likes: 3,110
From: Shamong, NJ
The original lawsuit did involve Oldsmobiles, with Chevy engines.
For anyone who would like to read some background on it, here's a link to some of the litigation involved.
http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/...6.78-2036.html
For anyone who would like to read some background on it, here's a link to some of the litigation involved.
http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/...6.78-2036.html