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I would say paint your engine any color you want....don't worry about any of the NCRS types, they don't judge anyone's choices with Corvettes.
Very well said,
To me a real sin is a person who doesnt build their car they way they desire because they fear what someone will think or say because what they want isnt how the factory did it,
Todays rattle can paint is pretty darn good I wouldnt worry for 2 sec about a shade driving someone away from a car they fell in love with....wont happen.
I use PlastiCoat Chevrolet Orange because that's the brand my local auto parts store stocks. Like all the others it'll fade over time but it seems to adhere well when the surface is good and clean.
A little tidbit - Chevy painted the blocks orange so to locate oil leaks better. At least that is what I was told by a friends father that was a Chevy engineer back in the day. True or not I'm not sure but he did work for Chevy so who am I to dispute it.
Hi Renzo,
Probably the best source of accurate information about engine orange is found in the Engine Section of the Assembly Instruction Manual.
The reason for this is that the parts of the engine like the carburetor, starter, some pulleys, fuel pump, some brackets, etc, were added to complete the engine in St. Louis. These parts are therefore NOT engine orange.
So if you go through the engine section, and other relevant sections, you'll gain an understanding of what WAS painted in Tonawanda on big blocks like yours, and at Flint on small block engines.
Regards,
Alan
Quite a nice bb. (Please disregard the arrow)
Hi Alan, maybe there are more brands of that manual? I have the one from Dave Graham and I am unable to find the references to the colours of the various components:
I used rattle can paint on my 69 back in 1985. Not sure of the brand but it did not last.
I painted my mopar with Hirsch’s and that lasted very well.
I went to redo my 69 with Hirsch’s but when I used it I didn’t like the color. It appeared to be too white.
I redid the 69 using VHT paint in rattle cans. I stripped the engine, washed it several times, and primered it with VHT primer before painting. I don’t remember if I put a satin clear on it too. The color was good, but the paint was attacked by antifreeze. I had a small leak at the heater hose in the intake from a loose clamp. The antifreeze partially filled the pocket in the intake manifold and stripped the paint off wherever it was in contact with the paint. The engine set for at least three weeks after painting but the VHT contact told me it didn’t dry long enough. They did refund my money though. About $20. Small consolation.
I also did the exhaust manifolds with VHT grey manifold paint. It is on about three years and I drove the car about 300 miles. The paint appears to be getting a brown tint.
I am redoing my 73 and am looking for show quality paint. I think I will use the paint that LARs is recommending.
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Originally Posted by Corbis
can anyone tell me if the small block intakes were orange? I see many big blocks with silver intakes.
I'm not trying to build an NCRS car, it has far too many differences, but I like to stay in the spirit of originality.
Thanks in advance.
Engines with aluminum intake manifolds had the manifold in the natural aluminum finish with no paint on the intake. Engines with cast iron manifolds, whether big block or small block, had the entire engine painted, including the intake.