VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Chevy Engine Gray

I know this is a hotly contested issue but...

About 25 years ago, my dad rebuilt an engine in a 1942 truck. The engine had a lot of original paint which he matched to have paint mixed.

Did the engine paint color change much between 1931 and 1942? Would the color he matched for 1942 be correct for 1931?

The color should be the same, dark blue gray. A medium gray was used on many Chevy six cylinder engines when Bill Hirsch claimed his was correct. Wasn't until several VCCA members submitted painted parts did the Filling Station have the correct color mixed. I still have a can of Chevy gray paint that has only been opened twice to get small samples.

So the paint the Filling Station sells is the correct color?

The paint my dad had matched and mixed, he was worried was too dark, but likely because he was comparing it to the Bill Hirsch paint.

Yes, The Filling Station sells the correct engine paint color for six cylinders up to 1953 passenger and later truck.

Chipper, how would YOU prep a cast iron engine to get the longest lasting paint job? Assuming starting with a freshly naked surface from blasting...

I prefer to use the hydrocarbon based engine cleaner in the aerosol can. Several companies make it. Follow with water rinse. Then light solvent like carburetor cleaner, brake cleaner, lacquer thinner to remove the last of the grease, oils, etc. Then Dawn dish soap and water. Dry with air quickly so don't get much rusting. When clean and dry give it a light coat of self etching primer (or metal conditioner wiped off when still wet) followed with a couple light coats of automotive primer. Then spray or brush on the engine color. The key to long paint life is clean metal and then primer before top coat.

Perfect. I haven't assembled my engine yet but did paint it a decade ago. The instructions for the paint I used which was designed for engines, recommended Metal Prep (dilute phosphoric acid) for an etch rather than primer and then straight to paint. This was on the cast iron block and head which were sandblasted, so lots of tooth. I'm tempted to redo it even though it looks so nice.