The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop '57 265 Chartreuse

Does anybody have a paint code or source for the chartreuse color early '57 car engines were painted? Or does it pretty much have to be color matched? I haven't been able to find anything.

I want to paint mine that instead of gray.

chartreuse (lime green)

http://images43.fotki.com/v1439/photos/1/1190062/5211712/207-vi.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e385/55B210/Yellow57Engine.jpg

I have no idea what shade of chartreuse (lime yellow green)

You will not find Chevrolet engine paint codes, they were never published. The best you can do is look at pictures of '57 cars with the 265 and see what shade works for you.

Mike B

Thanks for the replies. I kinda figured I'd be on my own. I have both those pictures and I really like the color of the first one. Guess I can try and find some place that can color match a picture.

Is this anywhere close to the HD truck 261/265/283 engine yellow?

http://cdn.enginelabs.com/image/2015/01/on-the-cart-3.jpg

If you like it, go with it.

No one knows what shade is "correct".

From examples I have seen through the years I would say NO they are not the same color.

The 261 was yellow, kind of like this color;

http://www.crayola.com/explore-colors/unmellow-yellow.aspx

The 265 was Yellow Green, kind of like this color;

http://www.crayola.com/explore-colors/chartreuse.aspx

Put these two color pages side by side and you will see the green in chartreuse.

As Tim said, there is no right or wrong. This is just my opinion and it's not ment to stir things up, engine color mix info was never published.

Mike B

I'm not trying to stir things up or find the "one true" color. Just looking for something in the realm of close enough. I just want to paint my motor something other than gray, and would like to use a color that was used on some kind of truck engine. Thank you for the replies.

My 1962 261 was green, I used the paint on a generator mounting bracket bolt that had probably never seen the light of day. Took it to a paint supply place and they used a spectrograph to obtain a formula. They used this to mix up a quart of high temp. machine enamel. Putting that old bolt head up to the now newly painted engine my old eyes could not see a difference.
My thinking is the engine colours were set due to passenger or commercial, size of truck, what displacement and possibly what plant built it. Grey, yellow, green or orange.
Post a photo, I bet it will look great! Howie

Here is one "expert's" opinion.
http://www.1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/PPIP/PPIP-1912-1966-EngineColors.html

Note different 265 engine colors between years, and between car and truck 265s in some years.

Choose a color and go with it, and enjoy what suits your logic/taste/evidence.