Paint color for Interceptor Engine

I know this has been discussed here as I was directed to a few links, not long ago, but I'm looking for opinions about this color.

One post and some discussion ended up at "use either GM Blue, Detroit Deisel, or Alpine Green (not sure if those last two were discussed as being almost the same).

Anyway, went and ordered some of the Alpine Green after comparing pictures and the swatch (?) in the brochures.

Attached a few pics of some Interceptors that I think look good, but it's wierd; the one engine is the same and the color looks different in different pics (see below). of course the big question is -- what do you guys think about the picture of the can (showing the Alpine Green cap)? Does it look like those pictures of the engines? I'm starting to think I'm going color blind. Sometimes it looks right to me and sometimes it looks like too much green? Appreciate any and all opinions!

Yeah, I think it's actually changing colors while I stare at it!

Amazing what they can do with paints these days!

Seriously, the "real" color that it is, is even sort of in between the two pictures of the same can!

If I set the actual can in front of my computer screen, with the two pics above showing, the actual can is a tad blue-er than the first pic, but a tad greener than the second!

Maybe I'll have to order a can of the GM blue and do some more comparing!

I don't know if anyone's nailed the color, but here are some pics that ought to really confuse you.

This was taken from the diaries, it appears to be original.


Here's the engine in my son's Classic. PO went to great lengths to be original, but I think it's more of an old Ponitac 389 blue, rather than Interceptor green.


Here's my Interceptor that I just painted in GM Deisel Alpine Green. It is close based on the old paint under the oil fill cap, but I think it's brighter than the original color.


Here's the engine in Reid's Classic. I think the color is very close/


Here's one I got off the internet.


I have the pain code for my Sons Classic.

Thanks Bruce too - Posted here (above pics) before I saw your reply. Those are some pretty engines and more to look at and consider! From seeing those, I'm thinking I may stick with this Alpine Green I've got...

Pete, I think that first engine (above) is in this Keaton inboard:

Is that your boat Pete? Wow, with only that amount of boat showing, it looks just like one I took of the Chris Sell Dunphy! Is it yours? I'm confused!

Hey, I can't post them cuz I don't have my cable with me, but I went ahead and sprayed just a little of the Alpine Green on a part of my 312 Interceptor that has been painted Ford blue (basically the valve covers and the exhaust manifolds) and took some pics.

The heads and many other parts are actually the original color and it looks like "side by side" with where I sprayed, the Alpine Green is going to be a great match! I'll post the shots tomorrow.

Chrysler big block green might work its close this picture makes it look a little more blue because of the color of the car under the hood. Just a thought.

Wow- there is some real eye candy in this thread. I'll have to do a search for more of Petes Dunphy.

Gary - Yes that was the ticket. Look at these pics. You can tell now the color is good I think.
Pete - I sort of thought that was yours!
Phatsat67 - Nice engine. What is it and what's it in?
h2ol00 - Prepare for some "reverse" eye candy (i.e. my old 312 in my old Dunphy. Nothing pretty here (yet) see pics below)...




See! Told You! Still pretty rough, but you can see the good match. The end of the portside exhaust manifold (near the exhaust hose) is the patch of new paint over the brighter (wrong) blue color. And then you can see the old oringinal paint for conparison on the head and here and there in the other two pics. I think the Alpine Green is a good choice even considering, what Pete said (somewhere above) about the faded with age factor. I'm fading with age a little myself!

reidp wrote: Pete, hasn't it ever been an ACBS topic or challenge?

Reid,
It's only more of a challenge as "newer" boats with the different engines are being restored. Eveyone knows what paint to use on the old Chryslers, Chris's, Grays, Kermaths, etc. The key with the "odd" engines is to get the color as close as possible and then it's not a issue. Interestingly, the hotter topic is the over restoration of engines. Polished and lacquered brass or acorn head bolt nuts come to mind (chromed is even worse)! The trend to originality is going back to the way the engines were done - The paint goes on almost before it goes out the factory door. That includes coolant hoses!!!

8122pbrainard wrote: ...The trend to originality is going back to the way the engines were done - The paint goes on almost before it goes out the factory door. That includes coolant hoses!!!

Pete- that takes me back to a few years ago at a car show. I was showing a 67 dodge and the bypass hose was painted along with the spring clamps. I was faulted heavily for this. What I found amusing is that this was the original bypass hose and had never been changed or altered and I had showroom floor photos to support it.

64x55- I'm one of those guys that looks at something and see it as it could be. Love your photos! However this ability often gets me into projects that should never have been started by me!!!

M3Fan wrote: Gang, comparing colors on computer monitors of digital pictures is a total crapshoot.

I agree. Look for a spot on the engine that looks to be original and then like I said, come as close as possible.

Interestingly I got a email for JD (nautique51). He's the one with the dial up problems and can barely get on CCfan. He saw this thread and here's some of his comment:

"When the original color wasn't available we had to color match to a hidden area that might not have been altered because of heat."

He's done a decent amount of antique and classic engines.

Thanks reid. Thats a much more true picture of what the color should look like. Craig, that is in a 67 GTX that I just scrubbed up online but It has the incorrect air cleaner on it. The plymouth motors said super commando and the dodge motors said magnum. It should have had dual snorkles on it.

But this isnt a mopar thred haha sorry.

8122pbrainard wrote: M3Fan wrote: Gang, comparing colors on computer monitors of digital pictures is a total crapshoot. I agree.

Definitely. Remember the 37 different varieties of Yucatan (yuckytan) Yellow we were looking at a few days ago.

But whatever color, there have been a bunch of good looking engines in this thread.

Pete, that pic of the Interceptor I found on the internet does look like it's in a Century. It was on a site I googled about Dearbo trannies. It was a forum. Don't know who posted it.

I like that you can just spray the hoses, wires and everything else and be restore correct. Makes it much easier for the novice. And what a difference $20 in spray paint makes.

possible the first down angle? evolution