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OK, I know this has been discussed here MANY times, but, who supplies the correct 455 blue engine paint? I heard people use Bill Hirsch, Eastwood, and The Parts Place also has a paint.
Who, in your opinions, has the best match?
I read a post that used the Eastwood ceramic paint and they said it was a "dead on" match. I'm leaning this way but looking for options.
Has anyone used The Parts Place paint?
My engine should be done in a couple weeks, so I would like to line up the paint before its done.
I like that color vette442. It looks very close to the Eastwood color as well.
How many cans did it take you to do the engine?
What do you think would be better, a spray can coat or Eastwoods ceramic brush on coat?
I used Bill Hirsch paint and I think it looks awesome. I did a combination of brush and spray. I brushed the block, intake, etc and sprayed the valve covers and pan, then sprayed a top coat over everything after it was all together. I think the coverage was great and it's very smooth. Took lots of prep work but it was worth it. This is the most recent pic I have online. I wish it was a bit more "aqua" but it still looks great.
I bought one quart for brushing and I think I used 3 cans for all the spraying. I have plenty leftover in the quart and some of the cans left too.
I like that color vette442. It looks very close to the Eastwood color as well.
How many cans did it take you to do the engine?
What do you think would be better, a spray can coat or Eastwoods ceramic brush on coat?
It was just under 4 cans per engine with several coats over high-heat engine primer. I would get 5 can per engine next time to avoid the "last can's almost out!" stress.
The Eastwood color does look correct on their website - have you seen pics of it on an engine yet? The color does have metallic in it and Eastwood recommends spraying metallics.
Its hard to tell exactly from the pics, but The Parts Place looks really close to the Bill Hirsch color. The Parts Place is a little light I guess, but that's with only 2 cans. Another couple cans it might be darker.
Bill Hirsch is $17 a can
The Parts Place is $14 a can
Fusick is $16.50 a can
Eastwood ceramic is $34.99
I'm unsure if the Eastwood paint will cover the whole engine
Bill Hirsch is $17 a can
The Parts Place is $14 a can
Fusick is $16.50 a can
Eastwood ceramic is $34.99
But bear in mind, as I mentioned in another thread, the Bill Hirsch paint is 16 ounces, while the Fusick paint, in the same size can, is only 11 ounces (though their web site falsely says it's 16).
But bear in mind, as I mentioned in another thread, the Bill Hirsch paint is 16 ounces, while the Fusick paint, in the same size can, is only 11 ounces (though their web site falsely says it's
- Eric
Those sneaky bastards!
The parts place can shows 12oz.
Eastwood is a quart and it covers 40 square feet.
I've used ALL of the available Olds rattle can blue, Supercars Unlimited is the closest to OEM IMHO.
They don't say how many ounces the can is but they do say it takes 3-4 cans. It also only has a 500 degree temp rating, all others are 650. Have you had any issues with blistering or color change?
vette442 - Does your 3,500 miles car have all of the factory hoses?. Noticed the stripe on the rad hose, which I always thought was correct, but I have never found a repo hoses with the stripe.
GM factory hoses that came through the replacement parts supply chain were different from the hoses that were installed from the factory, but a lot of "original" "restoration" parts places don't know that, and reproduce the hoses that you could buy at the dealer, not the ones that the factory installed.
They don't say how many ounces the can is but they do say it takes 3-4 cans. It also only has a 500 degree temp rating, all others are 650. Have you had any issues with blistering or color change?
I've had no issues with the paint.
I purchased a quart of high temp olds-Gold paint (POR-15 ENGINE ENAMEL, Pint, Olds Gold, good color match for a 1971) and applied it to the engine.
Heads, Intake manifold and other common areas (except exhaust headers).
After 1,000 miles, the paint on the intake manifold had cooked away (exhaust port cross over area).
On the Heads, the sections where the exhaust exits the heads into the exhaust manifold had cooked off.
The spark-plug ports were still Gold.
The cooler parts of the engine still look ok, Valve covers, water chamber sections of the Intake Manifold, Water pump, etc.
I would like to see some pictures of 1,000+ mile paint jobs using off-the-shelf products (Blue and Gold).
Thanks, Miles
Last edited by Miles71; August 21st, 2013 at 12:51 PM.
The burning pattern you describe was normal for factory paint, but I've heard from some on here that their paint had not burned off.
I used Hirsch gold on my engine and it had the usual burn pattern after a few thousand miles.
I tried to apply the paint as directed, which, if I recall, involved not laying it on too thickly, so now my intake has begun to rust in non-rust places as well, after a out 6 months (I sandblasted it thoroughly).
Putting miles on the engine is the real test isn't it. I haven't even started my engine yet since painting but it will be over the next few days. I'm hoping it's going to hold up a very long time. This detailing has been taking me a really long time and a ton of work. I don't want to have to do it again.
According to the guy on the phone at Bill Hirsch, their paint stands the test of time. He told me that engines painted 20 years ago look like recent paintjobs.....we'll see about that!
I was looking into using this paint. How many cans did you use to paint it all?
Originally Posted by vette442
It was just under 4 cans per engine with several coats over high-heat engine primer. I would get 5 can per engine next time to avoid the "last can's almost out!" stress.
The Eastwood color does look correct on their website - have you seen pics of it on an engine yet? The color does have metallic in it and Eastwood recommends spraying metallics.
Update! I ended up going with the Tamraz's paint for my engine. I was at The Parts Place and for the hell of it I picked up a can of their paint. I took some pics and here they are. The darker one is from The Parts Place. DISCLAIMER! The Parts Place paint was actually sprayed over the Tamraz's paint so it might be a little darker then usual. But it covered pretty good so it might not be the case.
Looks like a good match here are my original valve covers
To me, that pic of your original color valve covers is what I think of as Olds blue. The closest I've seen to the correct color (that is seared into my brain from my Mom's 71 Delta 88 455 4bbl.) was the Martin Senour Olds Blue. It seems to me all the aftermarket colors miss that Aqua component that the OE color had.
NAPA had an Olds Blue #7959 that was dead on years ago. We no longer have NAPAs in my area. I used some Hirsch once and felt it was too "Silvery". Cant remember who I got my last Olds Blue from (probably Fusick).
NAPA had an Olds Blue #7959 that was dead on years ago. We no longer have NAPAs in my area. I used some Hirsch once and felt it was too "Silvery". Cant remember who I got my last Olds Blue from (probably Fusick).
Joesolds71 that 7959 is the P/N for the Martin Senour paint I was talking about. I remember buying it at NAPA and I think it had a NAPA logo on it. It was exactly dead on.
Unless there are 2 different Napa Olds 455 blues, the one I used was way too light. I had a paint shop match paint to an original valve cover and it was very very close. Years later, I used Bill Hirsch and it's damn near exactly the same color as that shop matched paint but better quality. I'm very happy with their engine paint in the quart but had some (easily fixed) nozzle issues with the spray cans. I'm not nearly as impressed with their manifold paint however.
Here are my experiences with engine painting. I used the Duplicolor "Universal Gold" for my 350, thinking it would be close enough. It looked nice, but did not wear well long term and definitely not a match. Their are two metallic blues for big blocks. I found a can of paint labeled Olds Blue by an obsolete brand. It is actually Toronado Blue, lighter metallic, pretty, but not correct for the rest of the line. I have used Supercars Unlimited blue and it is a good match and has fair durability, but spotty spray can nozzles. It is just lacquer, which is not going to hold up under a hood. I am going to try Hirsch's next and spray it in my gun. There is one good trick I came up with to address the burn off around the carb and plug areas. First coat these areas with Eastwood Stainless exhaust manifold coating. Then cover it with the top coat. What happens is after the color burns away which it is going to do, you will see fresh cast iron instead of rust! I also founf the best way to clean the whole engine bay is to get a plant spray bottle and fill it with straight Simple Green. Spray everything, wires, plastic, painted, rubber, then take a soft parts washer brush and work over the areas, respraying and keeping it wet. Then hose the whole area with hot water and you will be amazed at how easy and non destructive this method is. 1976 "L" marine engine block with Ka heads, Holley Street Dominator intake, 70 W-30 cam. Ready to replace K code 350. My twins, opposite options in every way.
August 20th, 2013, 11:01 AM
