Always thought most (or all) Rocket 350's were gold. Have recently seen some that are blue, including the one I dropped in my car ('69). So can anyone enlighten me as to why some are gold and some are blue?

Thanks!

 

They changed to corporate blue in 1975 I believe, before that they were gold.

 

Hmm, would a post '75 motor still have 5 heads on it?

 

No. 5 heads were for 68-69 350's only.

 

Maybe I've got some kind of franken-motor then. It's got 5 heads, but blue valve covers and oil pan. Not sure about the block or heads and the intake has a nice rusty patina to it.

Doesn't really matter too much as it's essentially a back up motor. I've got another one disassembled awaiting a full rebuild someday and that one is a '69 motor.

Was really just wondering why there were blue motors. Now I know! Thanks!

 

The progression was small chambers and slightly dished pistons for high compression (x-70), then heavily dished pistons and small chambers for low compression (70-72), ending with slightly dished pistons and big chambers (73+). That you have a late motor with early heads means you have good compression.

Info according to the Olds faq.

 

Someone could have just repainted it.
I vastly prefer the 455 blue to the 350 gold, so I paint all my engines blue. It's purdy.

 

Gold is much more valuable than blue... what the spot price of blue vs. gold? Go with gold... it will be worth more when you sell it!

 

Not sure if you're making a joke relating to actual Gold, but if not, I really just wanted to know what the deal was with blue engines. The motor I dropped in my car for a "in the meantime" motor, is either all blue or has been fitted with blue valve covers and oil pan.

When I build the actual motor that will reside in the car for the rest of it's life, it will be either Olds Gold or something that compliments the eventual body color, though I think it'll probably be gold.

 

Blue engine came later... early 70's maybe? Someone knows the real year..

 

Gold=Leaded fuel
Blue=Unleaded fuel

 

Someone could have just snagged the tins from a mid 70s car. Also, I like the 60's bronze color, very cool, IMO.

 

Not exactly.

'72 and '73 were both unleaded motors, and they both had gold 350s (I think the first year for blue was '75).

- Eric

 

I forgot to mention I HATE the term "gold" rocket or "Blue" rocket

It's just some ghetto term, that's it

 

I never like putting the word "engine" and "blew" in the same sentence...

 

more eggnog fellas?

 

Where is the best place to find the head CC/piston dish specs for the various combinations?

 

http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/oldsfaq.htm

 

1975-77 engines were metallic turquoise blue, but they were not GM corporate blue. That nonsense came later, when they were smarting from the Olds with Chevy engine fiasco and were trying to engender a "corporate" engine identity to stave off more legal action.

Far as I'm concerned they were trying to turn B-O-P-Cad into a pushmi-pullyu or a hermaphrodite.

 

Don't forget that those FAQs are not flawless, and that the nominal combustion chamber volume is usually a bit less than the actual measured volume.

- Eric

 

^ Is correct. For example, the 64 cc heads are closer to 68-70 cc measured.

 

Well, I don't know what motor is in there. It does indeed have 5 heads, and blue everything else though it's really faded, worn, and covered in dirt/grime/grease accumulation. So, since it does have the 5 heads, I guess it could be a repainted '68-69 motor, or a post '75 motor with 5 heads painted blue to match and thrown on there.

Isn't there a number punched into a flat spot on the block somewhere to identify the block at least? Again, it doesn't really matter what it actually is, I'm really just curious is all.

 

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...g-numbers.html

- Eric

 

What is the very first number on the oil fill tube.
If it by chance it is the original fill tube for the engine, the first number will tell you the year of the engine.

Gene

 

That would be a 9. So apparently at some point, someone decided they didn't care much for a gold engine and painted it some kind of blue. Was also starting to see a few spots where the old gold was showing through the chipped blue paint.

Mystery solved.

Oh, and I think I remember the number behind the water pump being 395558 2

 

Gold is much faster, lol! What probably happened is the blue was the only paint laying around the garage that day.

 

That or it's a jobber rebuild engine and that's the color that particular jobber painted their engines.

Look on the machined pad at left front side of the block. The VIN of the car it was originally installed in should be on that pad. 2nd number will tell you what year engine.

 

I concur that it's more than likely been rebuilt and corporate blue was all they had available. You can buy the corporate blue in any parts store, but the correct Olds colors are not.

 

Even a Rolls is better in gold...


http://popcultureblog.dallasnews.com...R5_3156507.jpg

 

When I see a blue olds small block I say to myself 'windowed mains, low,low compression, lame cam.' They're hard to see under all that emissions crap anyways.