The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Paint WHAT on that 216???

Jez it’s been more than a whole month and we haven’t had anybody ask about painting a 216 engine, what’s the world coming to!

My sleeping pill comes in the form of an 8 1/2” x 11” 55 page full color glossy, in other words I read myself to sleep each night. Well I was skimming through my latest issue of the G&D and ran across that age-old question once again in the “Ask the Experts” column.

Now I gotta say right off, this is for the purists out there, so if your engine was pampered pink or baby blue or sea green, chrome covered with SS hardware when you got it and you believe it to be original then don’t waste your time reading any further.

This answer comes from long time member Gene Schneider, who’s opinion I have come to respect because of the years of exposure and research that he puts into his usual response. So here’s one more observation of the way they were delivered.

“The engines were assembled before they were painted with the exception of the fan, distributor, starter, generator, crankcase road draft tube and oil cap (on pre-1949 216 engines). These parts were black. The blue/gray parts would include the balancer, manifolds and their attaching parts (paint burnt off the exhaust manifold rapidly), the acorn nuts retaining the valve cover, oil cap on valve cover, the flywheel housing and its under pans and all bolts retaining the engine parts and the exposed edges of the gaskets. The spark plugs were even installed before painting. A little paper cap protected the insulator but the metal hex was painted. This was always the way you could tell if the engine still had its original spark plugs.”

I haven’t mentioned the actual engine “color”, this has been discussed hundreds of times around the hobby and again, the one you chose is up to you if you want to play “fool the experts” or “it looks good enough for me.”
Thanks Gene for sharing this info with us.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Ah yes Mr. Graham, but WHAT color black exactly? Was it a cool, neutral or warm black - gloss, satin, matte, semi gloss, flat or "underhood" black?

That, sir is the burning question of the ages.

That be "lamp black" Woody!!! Ya old smart ars!
I just knew when I punched the send button the someone would be askin' that question.
But for those newbies here, I think that it is universaly accepted that the satin or semi-gloss, aka, underhood black, are the proper finishs.

Denny G

darn, Denny,

Interesting post.

Why didn't you post this last week? I painted my 261 on Wednesday and I could not decide if it should be painted with sheet metal on or off; also, it is interesting to note that the clutch housing and plug-hex were also painted.

At least your post did not re-open the engine color debate. My Alpine Green 261 is just what I wanted (and exactly matches the color of a never-installed 261 that we obtained a year ago).

Tim

Denny,

I have two Chevy 235's. One for the 55 2nd and other for the 53 3100.

I painted one Chevy Blue. There are two Chevy Blues. So, the block is one and the cover (and some other parts) the other blue. This way I figures some of it will be right.

The other is gray. I call it Chevy Grey. It is really just Grey.

The 55 gets the Blue one and the 53 gets the Gray one.

It works for me. Zoom Zoom

Saw those pictures on the Chatter II Tim, nice looking engine that 261, wish I could help ya out on the casting numbers, looks like no one knows what's going on with them.

Dennis, I tain't gonna get into a color discussion, that's been beat to death. I just thought what was and wasn't painted at the factory might be of some interest since that comes up every once in a while. You got the right idea, “it looks good enough for me.” Unless your striving for originality, that's a disease some of us have, you know!
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

denny:
I have a 216 which is being rebuilt in Chicago. The macninist is after a color and I know that you can guide me to the black/grey paint source. Appreciate it.

Chris Gossett 708-341-5036

The Filling Station, www.fillingstation.com

FS-119P-Pint $35.00
FS-119-Quart $59.95
FS-359-Aerosol $16.50

The only one that seems to be generally accepted by the VCCA members. Some of the other vendors may have it but this is the only one that I have found that is "correct". Now your gonna get a dozen or so different opinions so make up your own mind.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny: Thank you, are you going to the Sandwich Fair?

I live almost across the street from the fair grounds, at the airport. If they have a car show I might take the truck over just so I can get in the fair for nothin'. It's usually to hot and at 66 I tend to seek what's most comfortable rather than the most interesting now days.
Where you located?
By the way here are a couple of pics of the commonly used engine colors. http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2043031300098611668liVlGD
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2756058800098611668rgzaXu
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2856202300098611668GESDmA
Oh, it just dawned on me, this is Doc Gossett. I haven't heard from ya for the last year. How's it going? And I remember where your from now.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Well, I'm a heretic. I used the Bill Hirsch color on MY ENGINE. I'm very pleased with the results.

Interestingly enough, everyone selling paint for this applications claims that their color is "correct" but I seem to recall that Denny found that the VCCA has granted their blessing to the Filling Station color, thereby making me a heretic.

Shooould weee burn him at the stake out in the square fellas????
Not a bad shade Woody, and you've heard the rest of the argument, what, a hundred times?
Ol' Deadass
Sandwich, IL

What’s with your server? My “big old wife” insisted we get Comcast High Speed internet so they hooked it up yesterday so my new handle is gonna be "Lightnin’ fingers" from now onnnnnnnnnnnnnnn………….......
Tried to sneak another look at your pride and joy but it’s taking a looooooong time to download.

Happens across the Internet sometimes... not sure why but sometimes things are just slow.