VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1940 216 Engine paint

I have the 216 from my 1940 Master Deluxe out of the car and would like to paint it as original as possible before setting her back in. Are there any photos of a well done restoration available? My engine is very original and these are the items that I think- ? - should not be painted black. #1- Knurled graese packing knob on distributor #2-Vacuum advance and scale #3- Engine oil fill cap #4-Oil fill stem and overflow tube assembly-? #5 Delco-remy tags on starter and gen #6 Oil fill cups and springs on starter and gen #7- Copper oil pressure line off oil distributor valve #8-Brass block drain #9- Armature end cover on gen #9-Starter button pylon on top of starter Any other items that should not be black? Thanks for your input in advance- Chevy40

Hey Chevy40,

I believe you are correct except for Item 3 and 4 which should be painted black. Chevgene will know for sure as will Dave Miner, The Toolman. I hope you send us a picture of the engine when it is completed.

The generator cover band should be black.

for what its worth I gotr my engine paint from chevs of the 40s and painted it 3 years ago and it has really held up well and has a nice sheen.
good luck

I too used Chev's of the 40's engine paint, both rattle can and quart can. I get lots of compliments on my motor's paint job.

Copper oil pressure line should be painted engine color as it was installed before the engine was painted.Everything from the water pump and balancer back to the rear of the bellhousing is gray....fan is black.Intake manifold and parts that hold it to the head including bolts are gray.Ex. manifold is natural rust color.
The oil filler and cap,distributor,starter,generator, and starter linkage rods are black as well as starter switch.Flywheel under pans gray.

I think that the exhaust manifold was dark blue-gray from the factory as well since it was installed on the engine with the intake manifold when the engine was painted. After a short period of time, due to the heat, the dark blue-gray burned off of the exhaust manifold and then if became a rusty metal color.

I'll bet most burnt off before it was loaded onto the truck.When I drove the fresh off the truck '50's the smoke from burning paint could be seen and smelled coming from under the hood.

The "as delivered" color was rust.The heat riser weight always remained painted.

For some reason the new intake manifolds sold thru parts were painted and the exhaust were raw.

Correct! But, the exhaust manifold was originally painted engine color at the factory........even though it only lasted until the car was driven off of the trailer and into the dealership.

Thanks for all the input!! When you refer to engine color --- it is the gray, right? I went to the link from the "pinstripping wheels" question and looked at the very nice engine picture. Mine should have the same color scheme ---correct? Transmission should be ? Appears to be unpainted in that picture. Also noticed front shock absorbers were not black. What should they be on my 1940? Thanks to all! I am using Chevs of the 40s spray paint. Works great!

Yes, the engine color is dark blue-gray.

It seems like we've "discussed" this before. I don't remember the 'outcome' so I'm asking.....

Does Chevrolet have a "name" for this "dark blue-gray" that Skippy (as well as some others) have 'described' in this, and similar threads????

I don't understand the "blue"-gray idea. To me it simply looks like 'dark' gray. Maybe even "medium-to-dark gray."

So, is there an 'official' Chevrolet name for this color????

Bill.

The name is "dark blue-gray". ha ha! Actually, the paint is so dark that it looks almost black...it is not a medium gray, not even close. Also, when out in the sunlight, the color has sort of a "blueish" cast to it...hence the color "dark blue-gray".

Also, Chevrolet did have a part number assigned to this color of engine paint as well.

Hey Chevy40,

Front shocks are black, and not sure on the transmission...mine was grease black after 65 years!

Ever notice in all the original 1940 Chevrolet literature that thy spelled gray "grey", even in the Dealer Showroom Book, paint chips and so on. My take on the spelling of the correct spelling of the color is "GRAY".

OK this should stir up some chatter!

the next time the issue of correct engine color crops up, send 'em here and have them scroll down to engine paint...

and bigbob, I prefer grey...gray just seems so...so...dull...


epi

The dictionary states that "gray" can be spelled either way...either "gray" or "grey" but that "gray" is the proper spelling. However, according to the dictionary, when it is spelled "grey" the word is pronounced 'gra', as in "gray". :cool2: :confused: :confused:

But if it's grey instead of gray, it isn't a color, it's a colour.

I notice that The Filling Station just lists the engine paint as gray.

Just checked the new catalog from the Filling Station and they have their 1929-52 engine paint listed as "Dark" gray.

To be authentic in 1940 "Da Judges" should demand Grey, otherwise , I'm sorry...it's a deduction!!

:confused: :confused: :confused:

JYD...
FS still has it Grey on ther web page.

I just checked their web site catalog and it is listed there as "Dark" gray also. Or...dark "grey", which is how they spell it.....but either way, they do have it listed as "Dark" and not just gray...or grey. :eek: :eek:

I thought we were discussing the spelling of the color grey, not the shade of gray/grey. My point is you said FS spelled it gray (dark gray) in their new catalog, I was pointing out they still spelled it Grey (Dark Grey) on their web page. In any event it is quality paint and I like their grey paint.

1953 Engineering book - refering to the new Power Glide engine..."Blue Flame"...The 115 horsepower engine furnished with the Power Glide transmission is finished in blue enamel instead of the usual GRAY color.

From the 1954 Truck Engineering feature book...The new 1954 truck engines are of the 235 cubic inch displacement and replace the 216 engine....."The new engine is painted Gray...."

Prior to 1953 I never saw the color of the engine refered to as the one color was used for so many years...and I guess the offical Chevrolet name for the color was "GRAY".