Engine Block Colors - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**lks dcvn** · 11-10-2007, 02:57 PM

Have a look at this pic - owner says that the engine is a Chevy 350...

Not sure why people paint engines colors other than the factory color or black -

Anybody know a good source for the Chevy engine block colors and which years they were for?

Thanks!

Old Chevy Mech · 11-10-2007, 03:26 PM

<-- color match?

Looks like the color of my Blazer when I bought it!

I believe Dupont has a listing for the colors, at least hey did last time I bought paint.

Frank

cory321 · 11-10-2007, 04:07 PM

Chevy motors are either Chevy Orange and later on they changed to blue

Pyrotechnic · 11-10-2007, 05:05 PM

I believe at first they were chevy orange, then during the crappy smog era they were blue, then black after that. I'd really like to know the specifics on the years though.

60-66 Nut · 11-11-2007, 09:34 AM

I think most of the car engines were orange in the sixties, but until the mid to late sixties the trucks had many different color engines. This is an engine color code chart from my 1964 C10-80 series owners manual:

153 L4 - Gray
230 L6 - Blue
292 L6 - Green
283 V8 - Gray
327 V8 - Green
348 V8 - Gray
409 V8 - Gray w/silver rocker covers
4-53 Diesel - Green
6V-53 Diesel - Green

Notice they show NO orange engines in the trucks for that year. My 1965 owners manual still shows the 153, 230, 292, 283 and 327 to be the same color. The 1965 manual only covers up to C30 series, so the larger truck engines are not mentioned in it. I don't have any information on the 1967 and up trucks, but I do believe they started using the Chevy orange engines sometime around there, if memory serves correctly.

60-66 Nut

cdowns · 11-11-2007, 10:29 AM

red engines run better and get great gas mileage too

60-66 Nut · 11-11-2007, 10:55 AM

Yea, I like the Chevy red-orange engine color too. Unless someone was doing a "real" restoration trying to get everything back to exact original, I doubt those original engine colors get used very much.

60-66 Nut

JAKES 68GMC · 11-11-2007, 05:20 PM

Ditto on the Chevy orange-red. I hate it when people paint their motors purple or lime green or some other odd color, it just doesnt look right.

1969k10stepside · 11-11-2007, 05:25 PM

67-72 they were Chevy orange.In 73-?? they were blue,and after that black..I don't know about colors on 66 and older ones though..I don't care about the year,I just think the orange looks great on them.

**'68OrangeSunshine** · 11-12-2007, 04:51 AM

I believe Chevy Engine Orange became standard on all L6s and SBCs in trucks in '67. I've never seen one up close, but I heard Big Blocks were painted a special red-orange, more like the Mopar Hemi color, but I could be totally off-base on that.
By the way, Duplicolor's _Chevy Engine Orange_ is an exact match for the '67-on factory L6/SBC color.

PhilaTruck · 11-12-2007, 09:29 PM

Who can forget the "Blue Flame" from 1955 (235 CI)?

Speaking of blue, there are two GM blues. One Chevy, the other GM. My block is GM blue (DupliColor 1608), the water pump is Chevy blue (1609).

And yes Virginia, that is a side-mount V8!

11-10-2007, 02:57 PM	#1
lks dcvn Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 4,338	Engine Block Colors Have a look at this pic - owner says that the engine is a Chevy 350... Not sure why people paint engines colors other than the factory color or black - Anybody know a good source for the Chevy engine block colors and which years they were for? Thanks! Attached Images

11-10-2007, 03:26 PM	#2
Old Chevy Mech Keepin it runnin! Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Deep River, CT Posts: 1,036	Re: Engine Block Colors <-- color match? Looks like the color of my Blazer when I bought it! I believe Dupont has a listing for the colors, at least hey did last time I bought paint. Frank __________________ 1970 K-5 4X4 Blazer 1970 K-20 4X4 Long Bed "Liberty Means Responsibility, that is why most men dread it" Last edited by Old Chevy Mech; 11-10-2007 at 03:30 PM.

11-10-2007, 04:07 PM	#3
cory321 Problem Child Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Kettering Ohio Posts: 1,248	Re: Engine Block Colors Chevy motors are either Chevy Orange and later on they changed to blue __________________ 1972 gmc sierra grande 350/350 a/c soon`to get a new 350 I Survived Norwood

11-10-2007, 05:05 PM	#4
Pyrotechnic Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 3,930	Re: Engine Block Colors I believe at first they were chevy orange, then during the crappy smog era they were blue, then black after that. I'd really like to know the specifics on the years though.

11-11-2007, 09:34 AM	#5
60-66 Nut Professional Beer Tester Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 453	Re: Engine Block Colors I think most of the car engines were orange in the sixties, but until the mid to late sixties the trucks had many different color engines. This is an engine color code chart from my 1964 C10-80 series owners manual: 153 L4 - Gray 230 L6 - Blue 292 L6 - Green 283 V8 - Gray 327 V8 - Green 348 V8 - Gray 409 V8 - Gray w/silver rocker covers 4-53 Diesel - Green 6V-53 Diesel - Green Notice they show NO orange engines in the trucks for that year. My 1965 owners manual still shows the 153, 230, 292, 283 and 327 to be the same color. The 1965 manual only covers up to C30 series, so the larger truck engines are not mentioned in it. I don't have any information on the 1967 and up trucks, but I do believe they started using the Chevy orange engines sometime around there, if memory serves correctly. 60-66 Nut __________________ 60 Ford F100 Custom Cab 61 Apache Short Fleetside 64 C10 Short Stepside 65 C80 409 V8 5spd(X-Firetruck) 83 GMC 350 Olds Diesel 85 GMC Short Bed 86 GMC Short Bed 90 GMC R3500 Crew Cab 92 GMC 1500

11-11-2007, 10:29 AM	#6
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	Re: Engine Block Colors red engines run better and get great gas mileage too __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

11-11-2007, 10:55 AM	#7
60-66 Nut Professional Beer Tester Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 453	Re: Engine Block Colors Yea, I like the Chevy red-orange engine color too. Unless someone was doing a "real" restoration trying to get everything back to exact original, I doubt those original engine colors get used very much. 60-66 Nut __________________ 60 Ford F100 Custom Cab 61 Apache Short Fleetside 64 C10 Short Stepside 65 C80 409 V8 5spd(X-Firetruck) 83 GMC 350 Olds Diesel 85 GMC Short Bed 86 GMC Short Bed 90 GMC R3500 Crew Cab 92 GMC 1500

11-11-2007, 05:20 PM	#8
JAKES 68GMC Aluminum slot wheels rule... Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Maine Posts: 6,212	Re: Engine Block Colors Ditto on the Chevy orange-red. I hate it when people paint their motors purple or lime green or some other odd color, it just doesnt look right.

11-11-2007, 05:25 PM	#9
1969k10stepside Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: USA Posts: 21,020	Re: Engine Block Colors 67-72 they were Chevy orange.In 73-?? they were blue,and after that black..I don't know about colors on 66 and older ones though..I don't care about the year,I just think the orange looks great on them.

11-12-2007, 04:51 AM	#10
'68OrangeSunshine Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tucson, AZ USA Posts: 7,027	Re: Engine Block Colors I believe Chevy Engine Orange became standard on all L6s and SBCs in trucks in '67. I've never seen one up close, but I heard Big Blocks were painted a special red-orange, more like the Mopar Hemi color, but I could be totally off-base on that. By the way, Duplicolor's _Chevy Engine Orange_ is an exact match for the '67-on factory L6/SBC color. __________________ Every 25 years I like to rebuild that 292, whether it needs it or not.

11-12-2007, 09:29 PM	#11
PhilaTruck Right on the line, baby! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Phila, PA 19130 Posts: 1,486	Re: Engine Block Colors Who can forget the "Blue Flame" from 1955 (235 CI)? Speaking of blue, there are two GM blues. One Chevy, the other GM. My block is GM blue (DupliColor 1608), the water pump is Chevy blue (1609). And yes Virginia, that is a side-mount V8! Attached Images __________________ 83 GMC 406 th400/3.73 Eaton Truetrac posi, headers, x pipe, & racePros. Tubular control arms, lowering rear springs, caltracs. Still ugly, but getting built right, although slowly Click and scroll down for site vendors! Subscribe here!



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