Redoing an old Pont. gasser motor. 1959 389 +.060, old M/T super duty crossram w/409 carbs. Backed by an Olds slant pan hydro built by Hydro-Motive. Color of eng. from back in the day was silver, and trying to decide whether to paint back silver, original Pont. blue or hot rod yellow? Always did like yellow motors. Any thoughts?? Forgot, it's destined for my 55' nomad gasser.Thanks, Paul.
I painted my 347 [punched to 370] a vibrant shade of black..satin black. Chrome and aluminum looks good against it and oil leaks aren't so visible.
If it would have had a Pontiac Hydro I would say to paint it blue......Since it has an Olds, well yellow is fine.
A 59 motor would be the robin's egg blue, like Don's hot rod's. If it were a late 60's model it would be the light blue metal flake color. Then they went to the dreaded G.M corporate blue. I still have guys with 6.6 403 olds Trans Am's tell me its a Pontiac because its blue.
Hugger orange, my research is that engines that are painted huger orange produce upto 15% more HP than engines that are other colors. If it were me I would paint the block black. Of course being mildly color challanged I may just chhose a color that clashes with the color of the engine bay. Not to muddy up the waters but I am painting everything cast rion on my olds motor black and everything tin metalic gold. But it is an olds motor and I am sure that brand makes a difference.
There was the early 40-57 Blue Green also, here's mine as that color but switched to the blue. Same valve covers too, I ground off most of the stamped logo and covered up with a little bondo.
It's a GASSER right? Why would it have VIRGIN colors? I'm diggin that two tone job from 30panel. Maybe early turquoise block with some light blue heads to look like you bolted on the newest big valve (1.96 ) heads on an early block? Me, I went nuts for my 55 gasser and and painted the power plant white