Ford Blue

Reid,
I think the Alpine Green is what Bruce ended up with for his 6 Interceptor if my memory isn't doing tricks on me again!! I think that's what Steve put on his 6 too. No, I've never see the color up close out of the can and dried.

One thing for sure is the colors on line are way off. I looked at two different sites that had Alpine Green and clicked back and forth between the two. It was like looking at two colors!!

vondy wrote: I will pull the engine in the winter to redo the stingers and I'll paint the entire thing then.

David,
Looks like you'll have to get a rather large quantity.

reidp wrote: He joined HM in '64 and he informed me that they rec'd the paint in 55gal barrels.

Thanks guys! I emailed Hirsch for some samples, we will see how it turns out.

I might just put the intake on as is, raw aluminum, for now. Hopefully I will pull the engine in the winter to redo the stingers and I'll paint the entire thing then.

OK. I spoke to several of the guys, namely parts man Junior Martin who referred me to engine builder Jimmy Tucker. He joined HM in '64 (and he's still there!) and he informed me that they rec'd the paint in 55gal barrels and that while he naturally couldn't quote a color or when it might have changed slightly, he said it did likely change along with Ford corp changes. So we're sort of where we started. He did tell me that they are currently painting new engines PlastiKote 224, however this has nothing to do with engines they painted 40 yrs ago, and these aren't marine engines either. http://www.plastikote.com/products/Specialty/Engine-Enamel.html To me, the older engines look more like the PlastiKote Old Ford Blue shown on this sample chart, and if I'm certain of only one thing, the color which Vondy has said he likes on the Inca Gold beauty is not the dark blue, but the lighter shade. I say buy several different cans/colors/brands, shoot a sample and go with the one you like most. Then return the other cans.

Vondy, I wouldn't even bother contacting HM, as the man in charge there now, even though he is Lee Holman, son of original owner John Holman, was only about 20 years old when your engine was made. I'm quite confident they'd be guessing to say which paint they used during what years anyway, and they've understandably not shown a great interest in old business which makes them no money. Sorta like another company we know. I'll make a call to the parts guys there who ironically is still there after 45 yrs and who is really cool. I'll post again asap.     

H-M never replied to my inquiry. I'll shoot them another email.

Who's engine is this? Come forth and tell us what color blue you used....
My engine aspires to look like this one some day.

Not to start an arguement Pete,check out the paint here Bill Hirsch it's the best for motors. Used it on my MG 15 yrs ago and still has held up great,used it on my Hondas and on the HM in my picture above. No primer needed on cast iron,look at the thermostat cover in my pic, thats brush painted,no brush marks on cast. The regular steel and aluminium parts I used regular primer.I buy the quarts and that way I can brush or spray. Use the drop down menu and see if they have your color and if they do you won't be sorry.
The other good thing since the MG leaks so much,is that engine cleaner like Gunk does not affect the paint either

As long as we're discussing engine paint, there's one thing I've always wondered about. Engine paint primer? I've never seen one (nor used one) even after doing some searching. I'll be painting the Flexifour soon and I'd like to give it the best possible paint job. Anyone seen a primer or have any experience?

From the Duplicolor chart (I'll double check at the auto supply - don't trust the colors over the net) it looks like I'll be using ether "Pontiac blue" or "Chrysler green"

I painted mine dark too,Pete's gonna go crazy when he finds out we're all changing

Wonder if it's the Ford Corporate Blue?

The HM one looks just like my blue. Is that one the Dark Blue? Seems a good bit lighter than the top one.

Vondy, not that it's a huge deal, but the color that Mike went with shown above, the 1606 Dark Blue, and which i've normally used, is indeed darker than what you originally have. Mike's first shot is more accurate. I believe they used the lighter color originally and then maybe moved to the darker shade in the later years near the end. Holman Moody that is.   

Dave,when you go to put this back together,do yourself a favor and mount the thermostat and housing before you put the manifold on the block,it will be easier. Then lose the end cork gaskets at the front and rear of the manifold use this instead.Get yourself 4 cheap bolts the same size as your manifold bolts,but longer and cut off the heads.Loosely put them into the 4 corners of the block where the manifold bolts go in.This helps you guide the manifold down as you lower it and keeps the gaskets in place. Put a thick bead of the permatex ultra blue on the block where those cork gaskets would go. Lower the manifold, start some bolts,remove those ones you used for a guide and torque it up.

It may very well be the light cus that looks right on.
I'll go with it, if it doesn't match, so what. I'm only painting the intake at this point anyway.

Unless I can figure a way to clean and paint the engine with it still in the boat...