original engine colour

[Summershandy 112]

I'm just curious on an original engine colour for a 1954 straight 8 cylinder. Mine is light blue mixed with rust and grease of course and don't know if it is original. POR15 makes a light blue engine enamel for 55-65 years. Buick green includes my year. I'm partial to the blue but again, just curious if someone know the definite answer because I'm not finding anywhere. Thanks!

[GARY F 276]

look up bill herish (spelling ? )  he has all original engine paint. I am not home so i cant get his phone number . Or in the smoke signals mag. there are all different year tech support guy

[Summershandy 112]

I stumbled across Hirsh website. I could give them a try for an answer. Thanks!

[Summershandy 112]

They show a Pontiac blue/green 40'-57'.....I'd like to source something in Canada. That kinda does sound a little more like the colour.

[Tinindian 1,032]

http://www.pontiacpower.org/enginecolor.htm

[Summershandy 112]

I received my paint samples from Hirsch today. Bit of a cross roads and I'm sure this wouldn't be a question to others on what colour I should really go with. The colour they say for the '54 L8 engine is blue/green. Rather dark to me. The others are light blue and turquoise. On one hand, someone said light blue was the Pontiac go to colour. I've gotten this far and would really like to have the engine the original colour even if I don't like it much. That or being at a rally and have some 80 year old say, "you know that's the wrong colour for that engine, right?" LOL. Probably over thinking like I always do. My thinking is a darker colour would also hide any oil stains and such. Nothing looks worse than a light coloured paint job all covered in dirt. 

[john hess 40]

CRHere is my recent Hirsch paint. blue/green 1940/57 except bonneville. Hopefully picture will load for you.    John

[Summershandy 112]

Most decent of you sir! Thank you & very beautiful! I like it!

[poci1957 221]

John's dark green above is correct for 1940-57, my (dusty) 1957 engine is also shown.  The dark green has become hard to find from anyone other than Bill Hirsch but I am told the same green was also used by 1940s-50s Packards and maybe some 1940s Studebakers if you want to see what those look like, good luck, Todd C

[Summershandy 112]

Thanks for the info Todd. I'll check for some pics. I'm really liking the colour tint of John's engine now. I think I've decided. I love the look of these intakes painted the same colour. 

[Summershandy 112]

I was just ending the day of engine cleaner when I sprayed a little paint stripper on one of the valve covers

I don't know if the picture does it justice but when I gave it a wipe it turned green!

I now think that yup, blue/green is the original as mentioned. Someone at sometime painted the engine with probably the most convenient paint colour available Pontiac blue. Back to original she goes!

 

[pontiac1953 124]

john hess, very nice job on your straight eight pontiac engine. 

[Eaglekiller 0]

On 12/15/2017 at 12:12 PM, john hess said:

CRHere is my recent Hirsch paint. blue/green 1940/57 except bonneville. Hopefully picture will load for you.    John

 

Did you use the Aerosol or Enamel?  If enamel did you brush or Spray?  

[Summershandy 112]

1 hour ago, Eaglekiller said:

 

Did you use the Aerosol or Enamel?  If enamel did you brush or Spray?  

I ended up brushing mine. Went on thick and leveled out nicely. No brush strokes and seems really durable. I'm really happy with the results....and the color really grew on me!

[john hess 40]

Eagle killer. I used the aerosol cans.. Truthfully I wish I would have used a brush.. I will admit I went on the fast and cheap....(2 cans)...... Spayed outside on a windy day.... Paint covered but was too thin... Now it's starting to show the thin spots... OK cause I'm gonna drive it !!    Body soon to go back on and then to paint shop.   Hope this helps you make a decision.  Good luck.   John

[Summershandy 112]

I like the finish of spray but I've been working in a garage during the winter and HATE over spray. Unless you're looking for show I would stick with brush. Hirsh seems to be a good looking quality brush on paint. Good luck also!

[Bloo 876]

Last year I saw Hirsch paint on a Buick, and it did not lay out, leaving a heavy orange peel surface. I would thin the paint a little. Apparently Hirsch told the Buick owner not to thin.

 

It made a nice thick coating, looks like it will last a long time, and was the correct color for the Buick. I will probably use Hirsch paint on my next engine, but will try to get it to lay out better.

 

For Pontiac, I do doubt the accuracy of this often-posted link. http://www.pontiacpower.org/enginecolor.htm

 

The 1930-39 color listed is aqua. I have a 1936, I look at a lot of pictures of 1936 engine compartments and I have yet to see an aqua engine. Bob Shafto's restoration of a 1936 Master 6 convertible wound up with a color about like mine has, and most online examples have, far closer to the 26-29 color in that chart. It is not bluish at all. I suppose by now they have all been repainted and maybe nobody really knows. It would be interesting to see what Hirsch would send.

[deac 25]

I have a '40 Pontiac and bought the appropriate color from Hirsch.  But I don't have solid evidence that the Hirsch specified color is correct for my '40 because I saw some light blue/aqua on the block.  But I must say that the paint from Hirsch paint does look nice, easy to work with and the rattle cans which I bought spray consistently.  I have seen the results of the paint applied by brush and have been impressed.  For engine blocks painted in the car one almost has to brush it on.

[Summershandy 112]

15 hours ago, deac said:

For engine blocks painted in the car one almost has to brush it on.

Another reason I chose brush. After I had everything stripped off it was easier than I thought. I wire wheeled the engine and cleaned thoroughly with mineral spirits until no more dirt was coming off on my rag. Brought a kit of several sized brushes to get to those "hard to reach" spaces. Patience and some good music gets the job done!  

[Eaglekiller 0]

Thanks for the feedback, was considering the aerosol option, nominee.  I am lucky enough to be doing the engine outside the car.  That intake is Cast Iron Grey, correct?  I am going with Black intake and grey exhaust for mine.

 

Has anyone used the chassis black from Bill or something else?  

 

I used KBS on my Truck but that was bare metal frame, so far stuff has been bullet proof.  First stuff I ever used that the brush strokes vanished.

[Summershandy 112]

2nd summer with many cruises and the Hirsch paint STILL looks new! No peeling or rusting and no regrets. 

 

 

 

 

 

[john hess 40]

Looks good Mark, glad to see it's holding up..... John