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HI all. I'm going to start to detail the engine compartment on my 36 four door sedan. Can anyone guide me on the correct colors....block, firewall, radiator, ect..........Thanks you!

Engine block...silver with all added accessory items painted black. Radiator...black (using thin radiator paint for better cooling). Firewall...not positive, but I believe it would be exterior body color.

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HI all. I'm going to start to detail the engine compartment on my 36 four door sedan. Can anyone guide me on the correct colors....block, firewall, radiator, ect..........Thanks you!

You might want to check the Dodge Brothers Club's judging guidelines (I assume they have some). I am guessing that it would be pretty standard Chrysler Corp. treatment. The Plymouth version, which I am guessing would be the same or very similar, is at Plymouth Engine Compartment Paint and Color (P1 and P2 are the Plymouth engineering codes for '36 so that is the column to look under).

With respect to Keiser31's response, for Plymouth '36 has been listed both ways on firewall color. '35 and earlier the firewall should be black. '37 and later it is body color. I don't have a good authoritative reference to show which way '36 was.

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The '36 I owned was black with, of course, a black firewall so I was guessing on the other colors. Here is a 100 point 1936 DB convertible sedan restoration (aside from the fuel filter) that has a body color firewall.

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Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
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The engine should be silver.that includes the oil pan,water outlet,fan pulley,water pump,Oil fill tube ,oil pump,fuel pump and bell housing and tranny. Generator,starter,air cleaner ,fan blade,oil filler cap and spark plug wire holder and engine splash pans are black. I believe that all firewalls were painted black regardless of body color. Radiator would be painted with a thin black radiator paint. The inner fender side panels are painted body color.

Edited by jpage (see edit history)
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jpage pretty much nailed it. And on the firewall for '36... Every '36 I have seen that is still original paint has a satin black firewall and cowl. The difference on a black car is the body paint is gloss and the firewall is satin. See the attached photo as a "sample". (I guess 100 point cars aren't necessarily "correct". :o)

I have also heard that the block was fully constructed before being painted so that the silver paint covers the sides of the head gasket and (believe it or not) even the short hose that goes from the water pump to the block. Many cars don't look this way because the water pumps have been removed at some point in time and hoses replaced, etc.

post-67404-143139100056_thumb.jpg

post-67404-143139100064_thumb.jpg

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jpage pretty much nailed it. And on the firewall for '36... Every '36 I have seen that is still original paint has a satin black firewall and cowl. The difference on a black car is the body paint is gloss and the firewall is satin. See the attached photo as a "sample". (I guess 100 point cars aren't necessarily "correct". :o)

I have also heard that the block was fully constructed before being painted so that the silver paint covers the sides of the head gasket and (believe it or not) even the short hose that goes from the water pump to the block. Many cars don't look this way because the water pumps have been removed at some point in time and hoses replaced, etc.

Looks like someone updated that one with an alternator that dosent appear to have quite the right sheen to it

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Looks like someone updated that one with an alternator that dosent appear to have quite the right sheen to it

Doesn't have quite the right case size to fake a generator either! Guess I'm one of those dreaded "modifiers"! ;)

The genny is still waiting patiently on the shelf for her much needed rebuild. Someday...

Oh, and the sheen on the alternator... bugs! This is a driver! :cool:

Edited by 1936 D2 (see edit history)
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Doesn't have quite the right case size to fake a generator either! Guess I'm one of those dreaded "modifiers"! ;)

The genny is still waiting patiently on the shelf for her much needed rebuild. Someday...

Oh, and the sheen on the alternator... bugs! This is a driver! :cool:

I know you've got plenty of company. My car's engine is a 56, with all the 36 components attatched save for a 41 generator!

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jpage pretty much nailed it. And on the firewall for '36... Every '36 I have seen that is still original paint has a satin black firewall and cowl. The difference on a black car is the body paint is gloss and the firewall is satin. See the attached photo as a "sample". (I guess 100 point cars aren't necessarily "correct". :o)

I have also heard that the block was fully constructed before being painted so that the silver paint covers the sides of the head gasket and (believe it or not) even the short hose that goes from the water pump to the block. Many cars don't look this way because the water pumps have been removed at some point in time and hoses replaced, etc.

I was not aware of the black firewall on these models, can someone explain to me how this fit into the assy process, when was it done and why, also would like to know what other years followed this, I dont believe 32 did and know for sure below that was outer color so did this begin in 33 and to what year was it continued until. Thanks

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Doesn't have quite the right case size to fake a generator either! Guess I'm one of those dreaded "modifiers"! ;)

The genny is still waiting patiently on the shelf for her much needed rebuild. Someday...

Oh, and the sheen on the alternator... bugs! This is a driver! :cool:

I knew it was your car just poking some fun

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I was not aware of the black firewall on these models, can someone explain to me how this fit into the assy process, when was it done and why, also would like to know what other years followed this, I dont believe 32 did and know for sure below that was outer color so did this begin in 33 and to what year was it continued until. Thanks

On the Plymouth side of of the Chrysler product line, the firewall in the engine compartment was black for all years prior to and including 1935. Not sure about 1936 but it was probably black. 1937 and up are body color.

My assumption is that post Chrysler acquisition of Dodge, say 1929 or 30, the practice on the Dodge side would be the same as for other US built Chrysler Corporation cars.

I have no idea on how that fit into the assembly line process. Seems like painting the whole body including the firewall one color would be easiest. I am guessing that everything was painted black and then the ordered body color was painted over that. But I've never heard or read anything about the assembly process in that era for Chrysler Corporation manufactured vehicles.

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All I know at this time (still researching) is pretty much what ply33 described. I know that color firewalls seemed to appear in '37.

The black is a satin style and matched the frame paint in my '36.

The color change occurred under the cowl windlacing. You could periodically see a bit of red primer at that location that was not covered with the paint from either side. That change of color area was all covered by the windlacing.

I was able to see the base paint from the original colors as they worked on my car. There was only a red primer under the original color - no black. That primer was on the car so well they were having trouble sanding through it compared to the top color. In many places they decided to leave it on there and just primed over it because of how well the red primer was stuck! Other places it was kind of thin so they were able to get through it to bare metal. In those places of bare metal they used an etching primer.

Also, I think the "why" was an aesthetics thing. Cars had the black firewalls for a long time. People were used to it. They also didn't show color under some versions of hood side vents. Made the vents look "correct" if viewed from the right angles and not like they were blocked. This would not have been an issue in the Dodge or Plymouth but possibly was in the DeSoto and Chrysler - not sure.

Edited by 1936 D2 (see edit history)
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BTW Jason, you really HAVE to change your avatar again. People are getting the wrong idea!!! :eek:

Oh no, people are getting the wrong idea!!!

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