How Common Was It To Paint An Engine Circa 55-58?

I picked up a '35 Ford Coupe last weekend from 1oldrat and I am hoping to get this driving by mid October. At first I thought I would run the 303 Olds that I have in my shop but the more I got thinking, the more the SBC that was in the car made more sense. It's not a period block or anything but the fact that it's hooked up to the '39 Ford ****** and is indeed a solid engine is the smartest choice I can think of until I progress on other projects and can afford to rebuild the 303.

So my question is, how often were engine blocks painted in the mid 50's?? Would someone have even worried about it??? My car is red and the orange block is really sort of clashing. I am trying to go for a mid 50's High School Hot Rod with this car and I thought about painting the block a dark maroon instead of the orange. I will be running a Weiand 4bbl intake with a WCFB carb on top. I would like to dress the engine up but also stay true to the period.




The dude in me says that they would have run the Stock orange with a Oil Bath air cleaner and the designer says painting the block Maroon would look Boss!!! Any insight???

 

This depends on what variety of high school kid you are trying to replicate.

Jeans, work shoes, Luckies in the sleeve, No paint and it runs and kicks ***.

Slacks and dress shoes? Shirt with a collar? Pay someone to paint it maroon. Never go over over 2000 rpm cause you might hurt something.

 

How many Red Chevrolets came with small blocks that were chevy orange? Did it clash in those cars?

We like doing cars with stock engine colors, but then none of them are chevy orange! Hahaha!

 

I guess that would be especially true with Shiny Red '55-'58 Corvettes. I love the look of a Bone Stock Period SBC orange and all but in Chevy cars. I feel like when it's being transplanted in another make or what be, it's wide open. If they were pulling the engine it might have found it's way in front of a can of paint right??? Maybe not if it was a high school kid.

Just fishing.

 

there are only 2 colors for Chevy smallblocks. orange or black.

 

Dear ol Dad was a true old school gearhead from way back. Even in his lobuck race cars he painted th engines some kool color. We're talkin early 50s and 60s. Some of his favorite colors were bright yellow, gold, or metallic blue. We routinely transplated Cadillac motors in pickup trucks. Whle they were usually a pretty dark blue as most of us know, almost never did they get the OEM look. I recall a very bright yellow with white Cadillac script in the valve covers (I painted that one) and another was a screaming orange color nothing resembling Chevy orange. Traditional? Not back then, it was just kool. Want a color? Go for it and forget about us. Want a suggestion? Metallic Maroon. A nice bright one. And add a bit of bling to it by painting in the bases of those finned valve covers after they're polished up.

 

don't think there was spray paint in the mid 50s, and I didn't know anyone running a olds, cad air cleaner. not in the south east any way. I had an olds in an olds and it was brush painted green in 56.

 

metallics were boss back then! My dad's 55 in high school had a gold metallic SBC with dual 4s

EDIT - that was in about 64 tho

 

Probably depends on who was doing the swap, like was mentioned.

Since it's not gonna look period anyways with that late model engine in it, do what you want.....

 

That's not really the way it worked around here. The "money" kids beat their stuff unmercifully. If it broke, just buy another engine (or car).

Anyway, most engines got some sort of paint before they were installed. Even if it was a quick s****e off the grease and paint it with a brush job.
Larry T

 

I guess this is a general question for the most part. I know that I plan on running the SBC for right now but it can apply to when the Olds or Flathead or Cad V8 go in there too. I was just wondering in general whether engines were commonly painted in that era.

I might have a line on a 265 too.

 

come of Jeffrey - what do you like?

 

In my memory, painting was routine on a real build, one with engine apart for rebuild or car being ***embled with mods. Bright colors were better if engine was basically boring, more subdued colors were nice for those with some aluminum and chrome to provide highlights. Stock engine paint colors did not influence choices much.

There was, though, another type of build...people with a basic running car, in my day usually meaning olde Ford or '55 Chevies, the two know flavors of automobile. I'm talking about kids, teenagers or young adults, with only the one car and little money. Any work had to be cheap, and nothing could be done that took more than a weekend because the car HAD to be moving on Monday. Such folk sought out ways to spiff up their ride that could be done with $3.00 and a Saturday... a typical engine bay project might involve such things as painting engine in place (can of Gunk, can of paint, as much quality as the owner's skills allowed), polishing the radiator tanks, rubber dressing on wires and hoses, raggedy wire taped neatly, firewall painted in some decorative way, like all those checkerboard jobs. A painted engine was a desired end even when practical limits forced a half ***ed job. There was no rusty ratrod mentality around that I could see...if you had a rusty, greasy engine, you wished it to be otherwise and did your best to better it with your next little stash of money and day off.

 

Oh I know what I like. It's almost a curse really because I get fixated on details instead of just doing it. But on the other hand because I get paid to design and my mind is always racing in terms of colors and such, asking about the history keeps me focused. A candy red would sure look great on any engine but if it's not correct or at least trying to walk the line, then I'm not going to be happy.

I think because it's not a period motor I am trying to get the rest right if that makes sense.

Thanks everybody for the history lessons!!! Keep 'em coming.

 

I think Bruce hit the nail on the head. That being said, paint it maroon. With some bling, as much as a kid could afford.

 

TUDOR, how about you come get your J2 Olds and drop off you nasty SBC at my house so I can run that. I think you ruined me man at Dixie Fried. The sounds of that SOB was perfect.

 

I remember most guys painting their engines before they put them in for a street driver type hotrod. After all, the engine was the jewel around which the hotrod was built. Many were brush painted in that era.

 

I was always partial to Pontiac Blue, not sure why just was. so for years anything I pulled or just cleaned up got that hue. wasn't around in the 50s but did start getting everything changed over to "PB" in the late 60s.

 

I always detailed to some extent the under hood area. When we went out say in 52-53 to the drive inn the first thing was the hood went up and the crowd came then talks of a drag race some where. When building a motor I always sprayed it and usualy red or blue. In 55 when I got the first OHV y block and did a cam,ignition,carbs and valve covers it got a super paint job. I cant think of a time when going out Friday and Saturday night the car didn't get a wash job and or polish and under hood got the clean up as well. Dirty engines and cars didnt go well with the hotrodders back then and I still keep them clean today.

 

What does "Cira" mean? I know what "circa" means. Could you repond?

As for the paint on the engine, I like the maroon alot. I also think black could look good with all the goodies attached.


******Knuckles

 

Consider it done Thanks man. I can't wait till we can hear the new one. I painted the 283 motor black after I had painted it Red because I didn't want to paint it orange then I decided the red looked bad - oh well - the new one is gold flake but its the new flat black. It pains me to hear you say the RIGHT thing. That is BS - what ever you like is the RIGHT thing. I like the history lessons too. BUT - do what you like! Are you sure you are just not looking for somone to bust your balls for running a SBC????? You sound like it is as bad as taking your lil sis to the prom come on man the SBC rules!!!! embrace it! be proud. The bald guy painting is Russ - not me! I still have SOME hair.

 

What isn't period about the motor? Just because it's a '62 and up motor? Will 90% of people out there even know the difference? Especially if it's chevy orange.

 

I love a SBC......perhaps just not in this car, so you are right there.

Anyhow, it seems that painting the engine was almost necessary if you wanted to open the hood. I think Maroon it is!!! I am liking the way that looks in my head so know I just have to get it out of the car and start spraying.

 

It's surprising how we can make these decisions hard...am deciding the best way to shorten a 32 frame right now... almost got it.

 

Paint it pink to match your ******.

 

The first one of you ****ers that goes near a can of pink is getting stabbed....

 

Truth. I didn't know the difference until I decided that I was going to run the engine. I am sure I am not in the minority and a great deal of people could not pick out the differences.

To me, it doesn't matter if you are fooling other people just as long as you are not fooling yourself. Most people won't see my engine because I am running a hood but I am not building it for them. I am building it for me. The details of whether it's a pre '59 block with offset bolts on the valve covers, to the correct wires and such are purely to satisfy me. I get into those details because I know they are there. It's just me being ****.

 

More of a shade of purple right now after your father got done with it......wait that's still not right. ****.

 

Good - then there will be demand for the offset hole corvette valve covers this year at Charlotte.

 

hhahahahaaha dummy..