Chevy Guys

cbxjeff

I'm so old that I remember factory orange engines. They changed to blue sometime. Anyone know when? I'm building a 355 to put in a mild custom '88 - C1500 & want to use the correct engine color.

Thanks guys,

cbxjeff

on a sbc, that needs starter shim, I have not dealt with this problem before. what can you tell me about it.

76k20

I believe that mid seventies Chevy stopped painting the engines orange and went blue. Probably around 1975, I remember seeing orange 74 engines and blue engines in 76's.

However, for your 1988 project I am pretty certain the correct engine color is black. I have had several late 80's and 90's trucks and all the engines were black. Hope this helps!

btk

Every factory engine I remember being painted was orange. It seems that they quit painting them all together at some point.

Old-Colts

When they stopped painting them racing orange, they stopped being Chevy! [;)][}:)][:D]

select-fire

goodwrench counter replacement engines were blue. Ist year I recalls seeing a blue engine was around 1980-81 in a corvette.

btk

quote:Originally posted by 76k20
I believe that mid seventies Chevy stopped painting the engines orange and went blue. Probably around 1975, I remember seeing orange 74 engines and blue engines in 76's.

However, for your 1988 project I am pretty certain the correct engine color is black. I have had several late 80's and 90's trucks and all the engines were black. Hope this helps!


Maybe they were black recently. It seems like my '97 was gray

savage170

I'm pretty certain it was 1977 when they went to blue my dad was working at the corvette factory in St. Louis when they changed over.
I worked at the Corvette Factory in 1980 and they was still blue then

76k20

quote:Originally posted by btk
quote:Originally posted by 76k20
I believe that mid seventies Chevy stopped painting the engines orange and went blue. Probably around 1975, I remember seeing orange 74 engines and blue engines in 76's.

However, for your 1988 project I am pretty certain the correct engine color is black. I have had several late 80's and 90's trucks and all the engines were black. Hope this helps!


Maybe they were black recently. It seems like my '97 was gray


I have had '87, '95, '97, and 2000 full size Chevy trucks; all engines were black.

*Edit*

btk,

The intake manifold on your '97 would have been aluminum, and that part of the engine is gray.

grumpygy

How about this for an answer.

quote:Chevy Engine Spray Paint, Orange, 1955, 1957-1972
Exact Match To Original Small Block Engine Orange
High Temperature/High Gloss
12 Oz. Spray
This Chevy engine orange spray enamel paint matches the original Chevrolet color used on small block Chevy engines. Use this paint for in-car touch ups or complete removal and repaints where a spray gun cannot be used. After the engine surface is clean and free of old paint flakes and grease, the paint can be applied directly to the engine casting. A spray primer surfacer is recommended when painting steel items like valve covers and timing chain covers. For overall engine repaints, 4 cans are recommended to complete the job. Make it look original with Chevy engine orange spray paint.

JnRockwall

I had an 88 chevy 1500 w/350 engine and I can tell you the engine was not painted. Raw metal. Cast iron block w aluminium heads. Truck ran like a scalded cat. Wish I had a $1 for every 5.0 I put away in that truck.

jwb267

i bought a brand new 77 (350ci) pickup, the engine was blue.
i'm not 100% sure, but i think my dad's 73 6 cylinder was blue

grumpygy

So nobody has read my post above they were Orange

quote:1955, 1957-1972

bull300wsm

I had a 1974 Vega and the engine was an oily color....[:I][V]

LesWVa

quote:Originally posted by jwb267
i bought a brand new 77 (350ci) pickup, the engine was blue.
i'm not 100% sure, but i think my dad's 73 6 cylinder was blue


My Dad also bought a 73 and a new 74, 6 cylinder trucks. Both engines were blue in color and Blew at around 75,000 miles.

1974.. The last year my Dad bought a Chevy and the last year that he bought a quart of Valvoline oil.

OleDuk

I can damned well tell you that the engine in my 1962 Corvette 327-300 was painted Orange.

OleDuk[8D][8D]

JustC

1980

Captplaid

'75 was orange.
'77 was blue.

This I know.

Horse Plains Drifter

quote:Originally posted by Old-Colts
When they stopped painting them racing orange, they stopped being Chevy! [;)][}:)][:D]
I never heard it called that before, I always heard it called distress orange.