The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Correct color

What would the correct color be for a 57' 261? Mine is painted Chevy blue, but once I removed the bell housing I noticed a different blue. I'm having it rebuilt and would like the original color back on it.

Blue was the color engine shops put on many old Chevrolet rebuilt engines.

This old articles says the 261 was yellow in 1957. Maybe some has a guess/opinion for what shade of yellow? I saw a supposedly-original yellow 1955 261 several years ago.

I always paint the engine the color it was in the year the truck was made. Not sure if you have a 57 vehicle.

The yellow is pretty darn yellow. Not a creamy yellow, or greenish yellow, but a bright yellow. But dont take my word for it, get some other confirmation.

The PCV setup on my '59 235 came from a 261 and the valve cover and some miscellaneous parts had definitely been yellow when new.

Like Dave said, the yellow was YELLOW!, not Cat Yellow or School-bus Yellow, and I'll bet a "standard" Industrial Yellow would be pretty close.

Now I'm not so sure I want to go original anymore. YELLOW? I think the Chevy blue might be easier on the eyes. Thanks for the input guys.

That's why I was asking if your truck was a 57. Might be a loophole. What were the colors in 56 or 58? If its a half ton, it didn't have a 261 in it. So what was the color of the 235 in that year? There are Loopholes in your Scruples!

Deve,

The list of colors for 1912 to 1966 are at the link I posted above.

rautry,

Blue - a car engine color! - at least go with a truck engine color (a light gray for 1957 235 - some of us believe).

Yes Tim. There is a list of colors in the link you posted above. Blue sucks. And its a car color. Now he has what he needs to make an intelligent decision.

So Rautry, the closest thing I have come to that color is 7272 Ford Gray (Duplicolor) rattle can 500 degree engine paint available anywhere. Or Yellow! LOL!

incorrect number.........ford #DE1611

Ford Gray is NOT the same color as Chevrolet Gray, it's close, but not the same IMHO. I think it's a drop or two to dark.

If I had a 261 I'd want to show it off and be proud to have it yellow...separates it from all of the run of the mill 235's, makes it stand out in the crowd!

Mike B

LOL.."Correct" Engine Color is always a hot topic.

Any original 235 truck engine or parts I have ever seen are Dark Gray. The New Ford Gray is way lighter than any Chevy I've come across...

Hirsch and The Filling Station both offer a Chevy Six Gray that are really close when compared to an actual part, and what I've used recently.

Those brands are kind of expensive though, and they have to be ordered and shipped and all, so that said, Next time I do a Chevy six, (or 283) I'm going to paint it with Industrial Engine Gray Engine Enamel which is just a Dark Gray paint, is Really close to original too and I'll betcha' what Chevy used back in the day...

"LOL.."Correct" Engine Color is always a hot topic." - to say the least.

No one (not even in the VCCA) has come up with any GM-document with color codes.

The only GM statement of an engine color that I have seen is "The new engine is painted gray . . " in the 1954 Chevrolet Truck Engineering Features manual/booklet. I'll interpret that gray to be a different/lighter color compared to the darker gray-blue used on the earlier low-pressure engines.

Chevrolet gray sounds good. I wouldn't use Ford gray on a Chevy. Just like I wouldn't use Chevy gray on a Ford.

I WOULD use Chevy gray on a ford. Along with a few other psychedelic colors! LOL! My engines get Bill Hirsch's blend, but the Ford Gray is close. You have to see them side by side to tell the difference. Under the hood, pretty hard.

It's just me I guess, but I can't understand why guys drop 350 Chevys in old Fords. It's easier I'm sure, but I would go all out Ford on a Ford, and all out Chevy on a Chevy.

Just to throw in my 2 cents... I've seen online, that 261s were yellow and some green.
Digging deeper, I saw some info concerning closest shade of green (the color I'm painting my 261). It is duplicolor's Detroit Diesel Alpine Green... available in rattle can at O'Reilly's Auto Parts.
I like it, and plan on painting the "Jobmaster" logo (in Yellow) on the Oil Cover... I didn't like the decal.
Jerry