Re: [Amc-list] '63 Ambo answers to questions noone asked!

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

Thanks Jj! Even though it's under the hood experience that's a good start, and I'm happy to take your word for it since it's from more than one known factory car. Like you stated, we'll just have to check a few more to make darn sure! I checked the 60-65 parts book, but it wasn't any help. Engine paint apparently wasn't considered a "part". 

--------------
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:24:23 -0500
From: "Jerijan" <jerijan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Amc-list] '63 Ambo answers to questions noone asked!
To: "'AMC/Rambler owners, drivers and fans.'" <amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <001c01c9647b$a969d490$fc3d7db0$@net>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Greetings...
OK, since you  have asked...the information in fact does come from 'under
the hood'.
The specimins I present are 'virgins'...thus the colors I 'see' are what
I've represented.
Now, as you note, I too 'always' thought these engines were ALWAYS
red..Rampart Red...however...
I do NOT know about 1957 for I've not experience with these..
But..
My '58 Ambassador with its original engine was, in fact, the Orange.  Now I
thought this orange was some alteration of the original Red, you know, sort
of 'bleaching' or something...but in fact, when the engine was bathed clean,
lo and behold, ORANGE!  Absolutely. Not Rampart Red.  So my theory went
straight down the tubes...
Then along comes my '62...and the same story...  I bathed the engine using
my usual petrochemical wash (read that, 'gasoline on a brush') followed by a
rinse (clean gasoline dumped to wash away the yucky)...and it, too, is
orange.
So...Now along comes a '65 engine from a parts car in Arizona.  Obviously
not quite an original to that car..but when I cleaned 'er off, this '287'
engine shows a '4' on the where the bore number is, as well as the
alternator's bracket (original to that engine but NOT to the car) and it is
a 327 HICompression (how do I know high compression?  Removed the heads and
counted notches, of course).  Now when the valve covers on the parts engine
were cleaned off they showed their original color as RampartRed (obviously
not original to that car either since the parts car wanted to be a '287').
The red valve covers were not original to the orange engine...
So...for what this is worth...
Every 327 HiCompression I have encountered (early, ie, thru '63) has been
Orange in color.  Lower compression 327's appeared to all be RampartRed.
287's are, as far as I know, Lancelot Turquoise..  
These are definitely, absolutely never ever painted-after-the-factory
engines, so it presented a pattern to me which I've relayed here.
If there is any difference of opionion (based on facts, observations, or
otherwise) I AM most interested in hearing about it...
However, since my standard practice has always been to 'redo as ye hath
found it', Orange is my color of choice for 327 HiCompression engines and
RampartRed for Low-compression numbers.  

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)

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