Danp76

I'm thinking of painting my new engine build black. I think the black will coordinate better then the typical blue used on these engines. I'm not going for matching numbers, etc. I'm not sure I'd loose any money down the road if I decided to sell the cutlass, as a result of not using the blue. I doubt it, seeing that it originally had a 350 anyway...thougths?

midrange

I think the blue is the way to go.
If it's black, it will blend in with the fender liners, frame, and firewall, core support, etc.
Also, black can be a bugger to keep looking clean, especially under the hood.

Here's mine before I got the red inner fender liners installed:
Oldsengine_zpsda57a23f.jpg

jensenracing77

I say go for it. In high school I painted the 350 in my Rallye 350 Olds blue because i loved the color. If you are happy with it go for it. If it were an original 442 W-30 it would make me want to hide my eyes but other than that it is all game to me.

Danp76

Midrange, your does look great!...you are making this decision tough!

Allan R

Black is the engine color GM went to around 1983?? and all the V8's looked the same. If it was my engine it would be getting a bath in Olds blue. IMO its a nicer looking color than any of the other division colors.

Danp76

It looks to me that the engine color is GM Lemans Blue, is this correct?

Larrys'66

Hey Dan,

The black might look great on the engine stand, but I have to agree, it might blend in too much in the car. What color paint are you planning to paint the car? Maybe matching the engine to the car would work for you.

I found the caliper paint to have a 900 degree rating, higher than the 650 degree engine paint. For me, it was a real close match to the early 455 red and the Target Red paint of the body. Hopefully it holds up well.

Larry

Allan R

No, although the Lemans blue appears to be similar, Olds blue is different and has a special formulation - as most paint products typically do. Eastwood has it in larger quantities or spray, so does Tamraz and other suppliers.

If you want the right color, go with Olds engine blue. If you just want something close, your call.

midrange

No, it's Olds blue from Hirsch:
http://www.hirschauto.com/prodinfo.a...OLDZ%20MET%20B

A bit pricey at $37 a quart, but from here on out, I won't use anything else. Very, very happy with it.
So far with a tad over 1000 miles, the paint is still holding up great on the exhaust port areas on the heads.
Went on excellent with a brush. I could have put 2 or 3 coats on, but 1 slightly heavy coat seemed to do it.

Mike77

I had my engine black for a while. I didn't like it. Open the hood and there was no "POP". Too bland. Going back to blue.


Mike

RandyS

Just to throw my 1/2 cent in, I am in agreement with the previous posters, I would go with the stock color for the motor, or body color (but it is yours, so go for it, just anything but black ).

Danp76

ok ok guys, I think I'll go blue, who has the best quality and color blue? I'm up for suggestions on the body colors.

dfire25

Here is one of my posts on Olds blue engine paint.


https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ine-paint.html

midrange

.

midrange

Hirsch.
http://www.hirschauto.com/prodinfo.a...OLDZ%20MET%20B

Rocketguy

OK, a blue 455 engine paint thread, cool.

Educated automotive painters know the difference between a themoplastic paint and a thermoset paint.

Thermoplastic paint will re-flow when heat or solvent is applied.

Thermoset paint will not re-flow when heat or solvent is applied.

Thermoplastic paint does not have a catalyst: You mix it with solvent (if required) to achieve spray viscosity, spray it, then the solvent dries out and leaves the product.

Thermoset paint has a catalyst. It is two separate products that come together to make a third product via a chemical reaction.

PPG for instance has a paint performance guarantee: But there are no thermoplastic products covered under the warranty. Basically they are telling you the stuff is going to fail.

All (with very few exceptions) of the thermoset products are covered in the warranty.

YOU CAN'T PUT A THERMOSET PRODUCT IN A SPRAY CAN.

The OCA model year advisor has a paint code for an eightysomething toyota that is a dead on match for the '65 - '69 400s. No one has ever disputed the color.

Since this is a modern paint formula it is available in all qualities of thermoset. It holds up like a current exterior auto paint job. You can dump fuel on it, dump lacquer thinner on it, acid rain, brake fluid, years of 120 degree death valley sunshine, you get the idea.

The Hursch paint produce says, "USE IT THE WAY IT COMES OUT OF THE CAN" This means thermoplastic product friends.

OK, so that was a lot to get to my question, which is has anyone come up with a exterior body color paint code that is the correct blue for the '71 455 engine? The paint will hold up vastly superior on an engine if you use a thermoset product.


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slam1918

I debated a long time with traditional Olds Gold or Blue but wound up black. From looking at photos on this site there seemed to be so many variations of Olds gold & none of them actually reminded me of the original gold from my previous 69's & 72. You can't debate black as black is black. Although it makes it a bit more challenging to find a leak it was pointed out an infrared light will make it easier. Using Royal Purple will further blend to black. where black came in very handy there was a pinhole leak at the front of the intake where it meets the block (china wall) I used black RTV and since everything was black i laid it on heavy. I was able to run another bead which cured the leak & saved R & R on the intake. water Spray 9 and a leaf blower keep the engine clean.

Danp76

I agree with you rocket guy, I'm looking for an automotive 2k paint as well. It appears that gm lemans blue looks close, but I can't be for sure. Me personally, I'd like to spray base clear, or single stage if it's not metallic for the engine in a urethane.

Rocketguy

Definitely the plan would be to use single stage-- and with a flatter. A very common mistake is to make these engines too shiny.

Danp76

I agree rocket, they were not originally very shiny. However, I'm looking to get my glossy, as it's my own personal build, and believe it will look better and clean up easier.

Larrys'66

Hey Rocket... You have some interesting routing on the coolant lines. Can you comment on the change in directional flow? I will be piping this into my new core once my heater box gasket set arrives...

Rocketguy

Run to Rund could tell you.

It looks to me like they did it that way just for clearance.

Rocketguy

I am still trying to find an exterior OEM paint code that will match the blue engine paint on a '71 455.

This site says that Pontiac used the same color on some of their engines.

I found this link today.

Judy Badgley is a pretty well respected name in the Oldsmobile community.

On that page she specifically says that 1972 blue 455 engine paint is code DQE2083 blue.

If you go here that translates to GM code WA 3962 or Le Mans blue.

This site says that it is available in catalyzed single stage enamel.

Can anyone comment on or attest to the accuracy of this information?

I hope I find something soon: I am almost ready.

MVC-489F.jpg





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bighouse01

You can take a good known part to a reputable auto paint supply who has a color matching camera and see what the known color comes up as a match for.

Example - I had a silver camaro was repainted. Needed more paint. Came up as datsun code. It matched.

I just ordered the Eastwood 2k single stage engine paint and am going to spray a panel to bring to get a base coat match on for my curiosity. I do not know how close the Eastwood is to the original but I have nothing to go on.

Give me some time and I'll post my results in a week or so.

Rocketguy

Thanks Bighouse,

So you're painting 455 engine blue then? If so I'm interested in hearing of your results.

I wish I had a part to take to the paint store to have matched but I do not.

I searched the Eastwood site for a while and I could not find any 2k single stage engine paint.

They do have a single stage urethane paint with an activator, but they do not call it engine paint and it appears to be for intended for exterior body applications. Interestingly enough I see they do have a Le Mans blue.

They do have a "ceramic engine paint" but it is a 1K system. It is called "Ceramic Engine Paint Olds 455 Blue 1966 on Qt" what ever that means. Pretty funny in the pic of the color they show what looks like a SB mopar valve cover.

bighouse01

That's the one I ordered. The ceramic. Only when u buy the kit there is a 4:1 urethane activator pictured. They do sell it without the hardener but I doupt i is an enamel. Most likely a single stage and would take forever to dry without an activator but the average tinkerer with a brush wouldn't know the difference.

Anyway we are getting buried with snow so it will not be here today, but I will post my results.

I'm going to do one test panel with the paint and another cleared when it flashes and see if there is a difference. I'll have the uncleared panel matched and see what it says. Watch it come up some Toyota color.

Whatever it comes up with I will mix a splash and shoot another panel in the base/clear. I have access to what I need.

Wish I had a nice oil pan or valve cover to match.

BlackGold

I've seen pictures of original Olds blue paint (valve covers, distrubutor, etc) next to parts newly painted with the 2083 LeMans blue, and it's pretty much perfect.

69CutlassAlex

I don't know if you've considered any other color than Black or blue but I did my block in this Gold and personally I think it goes well with pretty much anything you throw on it.

hookem horns

Olds Gold - then shock the heck out of folks thinking it's still a stock small block. Unlike Chevy, the BBO does not look much different under the hood.

bighouse01

Got the Eastwood paint. It is an alkyd enamel (ugh !) with the activator to help it out. I do not like it. Difficult to spray and achieve proper metallic flake layout. Anyway I have not made it to get an electronic match at the pain t supply house. However I broke out my old chip books and found the Eastwood paint to be a damn close match to 1969 GM code 55 olds tahetian turquois

I will figure out how to post pics. The tahetian turquoise has that green tone people have been saying the LeMans blue and others lack.


More to follow.... stay tuned

Rocketguy

Thanks for posting bighouse. Looking forward to your results.

OLDSGOLD:
My suspicion is that Le Mans blue is correct. I trust Judy Badgley. . . oh, and you : )

(Sorry Alan R : (


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Goliardi

What exactly did you use for your blue engine paint?

Goliardi

Sorry that was directed toward MIDRANGE. I believe that is the color I want.

Allan R

Hey, no problem. If I learn something new every day that helps me help someone else in the future. Very possible that Pontiac used the same Olds color on some of their engines in the late 60's. That link suggest a similar look for that era.

BTW I read the link from Judy very carefully and at no time does she state categorically that code 2083 blue engine paint is called Lemans Blue. She specifically calls it " Olds Blue PPG DQE2083". The references you drew from the color chart are yours, not hers.

Bottom line that I read in your post is you're still not sure of the information you posted yourself and are looking for someone else to validate it.

Rocketguy

Is it just me or was that a bit harsh?

What significance is it that she does not name the color?

The first three letters Judy refers to, "DQE" are a prefix referring to the quality, like:

DQE = Alkalyd Enamel
DAR = Delstar Acrylic Enamel
DBC= Deltron Base coat
DCC
BBU

You get the idea. Since DQE denotes the PPG brand if you can find a PPG paint code that indicates 2083 refers to another medium blue metallic do share.

If anyone can help I'm still looking for the correct engine color in any other high quality single stage two part catalyzed paint product.

Allan R

It's just you.

My statement is based specifically on your comment

You have to admit that she 'said' no such thing. She wrote the article about HO cars and discusses why colors can change based on, but not limited to: painting skills, time, heat, paint thickness, blends, atmospheric conditions etc. I found it to be a well written and informative blog with a nice reference chart for Olds HO engine/body/wheel colors by year. Thanks for linking it.

BUT, find me the quote you claim 'she said'. Her article simply provided a chart with reference colors for Olds HO engines by year, but made absolutely no statement that Olds Blue was 'Lemans blue'. You drew the conclusion (which I think is an entirely fair comparison BTW) based on the other color guide charts you linked. I just don't think it was fair for you to say that she 'specifically says' when she didn't.

With all due respect, it's everything. You specifically added her name to a dialogue that doesn't exist in the linked page. She likely didn't even make that chart, just included it in the blog as information. If you're going to quote someone, at least make sure the quote is right, ok?

Other than that - hope you get the right color you're after for your engine. Given the info from Judy and her descriptions of why colors can be off, I doubt it makes any difference, as long as you get it 'close'. That seems to be what is suggested by the tone of the article.
If your car is going to be a concourse trailer queen restoration, I would strongly recommend/suggest you ask a professional Olds restorer what color THEY would use on a points car, as they should know. Good luck on finding the answers! (said positively with encouragement in case you interpreted that as harsh too)

Rocketguy

Thanks for the well wishes, I appreciate it.

I quoted the color not the color name.

I think you're a bit mentally challenged if you to fail to see that she does specify the color.

Please stop the quibbling.

I have sent a note to Judy. She has replied and says, "I do not think I am offended".