The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Looking for correct restoration finishes for 51 216

Does anyone here have a 51 216 engine bay they consider to be factory correct? Finishes, wire, hoses, routing, etc... I’d like to see pics, paint colors, etc... Thanks in advance.

Here are a couple of images of an all original 216 engine in a 1950 Chevrolet sedan. From every one I’ve seen, the truck 216 engines were the same color, - dark cast gray. Some see a hint of dark blue in the gray on the block.

The commonly accepted Chevy gray for engines is being sold by The Filling Station. Different computers and monitors will show slightly different colors. I see from getting the link that it's gotten pretty pricey but I guess all car paint is expensive these days. Below are a couple of pics of my 216 in it's new livery following it's rebuild. It's important to keep in mind that Chevy didn't buy one master batch of engine paint from one jobber. Batches were mixed by different jobbers when and where they were needed so hues will vary. Anything close will be OK.

Here's the paint I used, which is a little lighter in color than Tiny's paint. It's also slightly little less expensive.

Classic Industries Engine Paint

Excellent post/information, Tiny.

Especially: "It's important to keep in mind that Chevy didn't buy one master batch of engine paint from one jobber. Batches were mixed by different jobbers when and where they were needed so hues will vary. Anything close will be OK.

The carburetor would be finished as follows:

Cast iron throttle body - black oxide
Bowl and air horn castings - chromate (NOT di-chromate) IMPORTANT: the chemicals used require an EPA permit, and are known to be both carcinogen, and capable of causing dementia. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME! There are companies that have the capability of doing this. At the present time, I do not know who, as I have not needed them for a number of years.
Steel items (throttle arm, links, screws) - yellow zinc or yellow cad

The above is true for 1951.

Sometime in the 1955~1956 time period (yes Virginia, there is an overlap on different carburetors), Rochester changed to black oxide finish on the screws, but retained the yellow zinc/cad on the other steel items).

Jon.

The original poster suggested restoration, which means the Rochester carburetor.

For those who have upgraded to Carter carburetors, the finishes should be:

Cast iron throttle body - Parkerized, then painted with Carter special body paint (hint: use 60 percent gloss black).
Zinc castings (chromate like the Rochesters - see the caviat in the post above)
Aluminum castings - left natural.

Steel pieces, including screws: Carter was located across the street from Howard Crown Plating. When steel items came from the stampings shop, they were delivered to Howard Crown, and plated with the military protection du jour. Crown used white and yellow zinc, and white and yellow cad; all four finishes would be considered correct. The most common of these would be white zinc. I have new old stock Carter carburetors (later, in the early 1960's) that exhibit all four finishes. Would guess about 65~70 percent of the steel finishes would be white zinc.

Jon

I had a wonderful conversation with an old guy 30 years ago that was helping me restore two classics. He worked for Chevrolet division paint department. He told me the same thing that Tim said. At the time whichever jobber got the best low bid mixed the engine paint by there eye. Therefore both the blue and grey were varied. The color of grey was called dove grey according to him. Tim, I believe has an article regarding your question. The end result is it is great for us because we don't have to be ruled by an exact shade. Take it from a guy that painted his 54-3100 engine blue. Apparently the cars were blue trucks grey. Doc.

http://devestechnet.com/Home/Project1959235#sheetmetalprep

According to Deve’s article he used Medium Grey.

Anything close to a medium to dark gray will work...there has never been a Chevrolet published paint code for these engines.

Mike B

Pep boys sell grey in a rattle can for ford it’s close to stock grey

FWIW I compared some NOS parts I have and they are all dark grey pretty close to that sold by The Filling Station. The lighter grey will do if you're not restoring to be judged.
Worth while reading if you're interested in being OEM accurate.

I used "Ford Gray" in high-temp rattle can that can be found at any local auto parts store. $3.50/can. Kind of a medium/light gray color. Not the absolute best, but I don't care if my engine isn't show quality, mine is a condition 2/condition 3 driver. I would recommend a better quality paint and application method if you intend to keep your engine in show condition.

This is the color I painted the 216 in my 1950 3600 back in 2006-07. Too light probably. I don’t remember the color name or brand. Has a blue tint in person.

As Mike B posted, no one has ever posted a GM document with engine paint codes.

Here is a little musings on engine color/colors.

Thank you

Thank you very much. Going to read tonight!

Thank you!

Thank you,

Thanks again Tim for your insight.

I am going to stick my nose into a thread in which I don't have an answer, but MIGHT be able to suggest another place to look.

I confess - at far as American-made vehicles are concerned, I am a Pontiac car and Ford truck person (please forgive me for posting that on these forums).

I have collected factory Pontiac literature for 50 years, and before I started breaking up the collection; had the most complete collection of which I am aware.

Why do I post this?

Pontiac issued service bulletins. Over the years, I have managed to collect virtually a complete set from 1927 to the end. Pontiac published the paint codes for engine paint in the service bulletins!

The information was not published (to my knowledge) for most years anyplace other than the service bulletins (or the combination bulletins published as the "Service Craftsman News".

Don't know what Chevrolet may have published as far as bulletins, or whether the information might be in them, but the bulletins solved the issue for the Pontiac collectors.

Jon.

I have seen only two engines which I am certain had enough original paint on them to judge the color.
One of them I owned and another is one of a friend of mine which I am continuing efforts to own.
Both of them can be described better as light black than dark gray.
Normal engine grime protected the paint on the one that I owned. As I was removing the grime, there was little in the way of discerning the difference between the color of the normal oily grime and the engine color. Given the propensity for these engines to leak oil generously, makes me wonder if the choice in color was made intentionally to hide the leaks.
I have also run across a 55.2 with most of the original paint, including the yellow 235 script on the valve cover. We carefully cleaned the grime off, but the paint underneath was discernibly different than the oily grime. It had a blue hue in the otherwise darkish gray paint.