quadpack67

I am getting ready to replace my valve cover gaskets and I want to repaint the covers. They are a blue of some sort and I need to know exactly what color to keep it original. I have a 1976 Cutlass S Y76. It has the original Oldsmobile motor in it. If I can get a paint code, that would be wonderful!!!

joe_padavano

Welcome. All 1976 V8s were GM Corporate Blue. That should be readily available since Chevys used the same color. Plastikote 221 is one version.

quadpack67

My husband was under the impression that there was a distinctive blue on different models ie: Oldsmobile Blue, Pontiac Blue, Chevy Blue, etc. Any input???

joe_padavano

Again, by the 1976 model year, Oldsmobile had stopped using it's distinctive metallic blue for 455 motors (as well as the gold for 350 motors) and only used the corporate blue on every V8 it built.

joe_padavano

Here is a 1975 Olds 350, with corporate blue paint from the factory instead of Olds gold. 455 motors used the same corporate blue by then.

quadpack67

Thank you for the info. Just trying to learn the history of everything.

rob1960

I thought corporate blue didn't come out 'till 77. Back in '09 I completely went through my girlfriends '76 Salon. It was an untouched 43k car at the time,it was leaking fluids everywhere & it needed some TLC!!. It has a 350 & it was metallic blue like the big-block blue but it seemed to be more of a saffire color but it was very thinly applied!!. The engine had never been apart & it still had the "timing ok" ink stamp on the valve cover. It was definitely a metalic blue paint. I repainted the engine in Olds blue as it was the closest color.