Re: Annoying detail question (engine paint)

[farna@xxxxxxx]

The engines of 64+ models were definitely assembled then painted, so the cover should be turquoise as well as the block. Anything that might have been put on the engine before paint would be that color also. Accesories (including the oil filter in the case of the 195.6) were put on later. All oil filter brackets I've seen were unpainted. Coil should be black with an unpainted bracket. IIRC the alternator bracket was unpainted as well as the alternator. The auto trans and filler tube are unpainted, top and "handle" of dip stick painted engine color. 

Older engines are different. The oldest 195.6 OHV had a grey block and red valve cover and dipstick handles. Accessories unpainted. In the earliest 60s they were painted all red (don't recall exact years -- 60-62?). The aluminum engine had a natural finish with a silver/aluminum painted valve cover. It will look like bare metal unless you look closely -- that might be what you're seeing and mistaking as "unfinished". All steel valve covers were painted. The early air cleaner cases were black, even on the red engine cars. I'm not positive, but all the turquoise engien color cars had housings painted the same color as the engine. 

On June 29, 2005 Gwen Smith wrote:

> Yes, another in a long series of really anal-retentive questions.
> 
> Unfortunately, I was unable to see anyone else's 1963-1964 195.6 engine
> at the show this weekend.  If I had, well, this post would likely be moot.
> 
> I'm still trying to verify the colour of this block and its components.
> 
> >From my own engine, I can verify that the block, head, oil cap and filler
> tube, Transmission fluid dipstick (head only) and tube, air cleaner,
> exhaust manifold, and vibration damper pulley are definitely in Lancelot
> Turquoise. The oil filter bracket and thermostat housing likely also
> Lancelot Turquoise, but I cannot 100% confirm.  The fan is semi-gloss
> black.  The Alternator, fuel pump, coil (and bracket), distributor, and
> carburetor were unpainted.
> 
> The one thing I cannot verify is the most obvious: was the head cover
> unpainted, or was it also Lancelot Turquoise?  A large number of vehicles
> I've seen photos of, as well as my own, sport unpainted covers: not a
> fleck to be had.  Those I have seen with painted covers are also
> repainted engines, and therefore potentially unreliable as "proof" one
> way or another.
> 
> Period Rambler brochures is vague, but seems to show a painted head
> cover.  That said, the head is mostly obscured, and the engine is shown
> with a chrome fan blade -- and the lighting on the image is also a
> greenish/blue, making the alternator look like it too is painted.  Hence,
> this image is completely unreliable.
> 
> The dealer data book shows only black and white photos, and there is not
> enough tonal variation in the images to make a determination one way or
> another.
> 
> A Motor Trend article from the era also shows the engine in black and
> white, and doe snot have enough clear tonal variation.  The head cover
> appears somewhat "shinier," but it is also less textured than the head
> itself, and would appear so regardless.
> 
> Dealer filmstrips look like it is a silver head, but the film is so
> poorly degraded that the air cleaner also looks to be natural silver
> through part of it.
> 
> So I'm wondering -- should I repaint it, or was it natural metal, only in
> need of a good polish?  Does anyone know for sure?
> 
> Cheers,
> Gwen Smith
> 
>  ______^_____^______
> (O|O) =RAMBLER= (O|O) Gwen Smith * gwen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>  -------------------  www.gwensmith.com/interests/rambler
>  \-<>---|770|---<>-/


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