Engine colors, 1956 Senior

[Packard8]

Hi Folks,

I'm detailing and painting a 1956 374 engine and am looking for any photos or details of the correct component colors. I have the bronze paint from Hirsch, and as far as I know, pretty much everything is bronze except the fan, fan pulley "cone", and oil filter housing (all black).

I'm not sure about the oil filler tube, dipstick tube, road draft tube and main crankshaft pulley. Any links to a correctly painted engine woud be helpful.

TIA

[mrpushbutton]

all of those listed items are painted bronze. the genetator arm is also painted bronze.

the valve covers should be silver with red lettering, or optional chrome.

[Packard8]

all of those listed items are painted bronze. the genetator arm is also painted bronze.

the valve covers should be silver with red lettering, or optional chrome.

Thanks PB, in looking at photos on Kev's site the main variables I see are the fan pulley and the oil filler tube....some are bronze, some are black. Kev & Randy suggested obtaining the PI judging book, I'll call them today re ordering one.

Meanwhile I'll go with bronze on the items in question as they are both quite easy to remove and repaint if required.

Thanks again.

[mrpushbutton]

I have the PI judging book, it is pretty vague there, except for a couple of pictures, and no definitiave word on those items. I have never seen a 56 with those times you mention painted black, in 27 years of following and owning one. Those could have been done incorrectly by owners.

[Packard8]

I have the PI judging book, it is pretty vague there, except for a couple of pictures, and no definitiave word on those items. I have never seen a 56 with those times you mention painted black, in 27 years of following and owning one. Those could have been done incorrectly by owners.

Again, thanks for the info.

I'll go with bronze as you suggest. In looking at the 1956 photo archives on Kev's site, photos #93, 97 and 109 show what appear to be black oil filler tubes and photo #61 looks like a black fan pulley. I have the 1956 sales brochure and the artist's rendition of the engine has everything bronze including the exhaust manifolds. I realize that brochure renditions are just that...renditions and are sent to the printer prior to the cars appearing in the showrooms.

As you say, it is hard to determine who did what in the fifty some years since these cars left the factory.

Thanks for the info!