The 1960 - 1966 Chevrolet & GMC Pickups Factory Correct Restoration Thread

[billetproofcustoms]

here are a few pics of my valve covers, the first pics shows the color under the oversprayed blue.

Any thoughts on what this color is.? way more of a blue/turquoise than the "alpine green" ..??

so confusing.. maybe that's an oversprayed color as well? I'm at the point that I'm just thinking of spraying it gray and be done with it..

[sodly]

Originally Posted by billetproofcustoms

here are a few pics of my valve covers, the first pics shows the color under the oversprayed blue.

Any thoughts on what this color is.? way more of a blue/turquoise than the "alpine green" ..??

so confusing.. maybe that's an oversprayed color as well? I'm at the point that I'm just thinking of spraying it gray and be done with it..

Neither of those blues is correct for a 60-66 v8 as far as I'm concerned. It was gray for the 283s and turquoise/teal/alpine green (whatever you want to call it) for the 327s. Neither v8 was blue (light or dark). Does the "Hi-Torque 283" decal still exist on the passenger side valve cover? If it's truly original paint that decal (or its remnants/outline) should still be visible.

[billetproofcustoms]

Originally Posted by sodly

Neither of those blues is correct for a 60-66 v8 as far as I'm concerned. It was gray for the 283s and turquoise/teal/alpine green (whatever you want to call it) for the 327s. Neither v8 was blue (light or dark). Does the "Hi-Torque 283" decal still exist on the passenger side valve cover? If it's truly original paint that decal (or its remnants/outline) should still be visible.

Yes the 283 sticker is still there.not in great condition, but maybe the real color lies beneath it??

[65 C20]

Not sure if I would use the valve covers as a reference point.
Very easy to remove and repaint then re apply a sticker.
Maybe ckeck out the back side of motor and see what is back there.
If this is not going to be a 100% original build just paint it any color that YOU like.

[theastronaut]

Overspray on the bellhousing would be a good way to tell the original color, if it has overspray there. I've read that '66 Suburbans with 327's had blue engines, and have seen a couple pictures of different blue valve cover. But it was blue, not teal.

327green:




Suburban 327 blue:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=525379

[billetproofcustoms]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Overspray on the bellhousing would be a good way to tell the original color, if it has overspray there. I've read that '66 Suburbans with 327's had blue engines, and have seen a couple pictures of different blue valve cover. But it was blue, not teal.

327green:




Suburban 327 blue:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=525379

so I did some more research, the engine is a 283, but has been over sprayed twice. the original color is indeed the gray.

now, my question is this: is the gray a paint that is available? or does it have to be mixed?

[sodly]

Has anyone ever seen an original blue 327 in a Suburban? Anyone? I have not.

[billetproofcustoms]

Anyone know where to get the 283 engine gray paint? or is it something I will have to have mixed?

[60-66]

Originally Posted by sodly

Has anyone ever seen an original blue 327 in a Suburban? Anyone? I have not.

Never have I seen or heard of blue being used on a V8 prior to 1977. My 66 Suburban factory 327 PG has the green valve covers in their original paint. Nothing in that older post substantiates that claim , Im keeping an open mind here though as many strange things have happened but when you consider these trucks being 49 plus years old and more tampered with than a 1968 Camaro ?

[60-66]

Originally Posted by billetproofcustoms

Anyone know where to get the 283 engine gray paint? or is it something I will have to have mixed?

If you just want close , Ford gray will get you there but Bill Hirsch sells the slightly darker gray engine paint .

http://www.hirschauto.com/ENGINE-ENA...info/EE-QUART/

Not the best picture but this 283 1965 has just 8700 miles and gray paint is 100 % original .

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

:-)
https://www.fillingstation.com/articles/grayengine.htm

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by 1Bad62Pro/Street

:-)
https://www.fillingstation.com/articles/grayengine.htm

Interesting article, its high time all of us "authentic" guys hit up these parts suppliers the same way, keep calling and requesting '63-'66 truck engine colors! The Lambrecht auction was also a rare opportunity for accurate historical reference for some dark gray 283's, green 292's and blueish 230's

[White knuckle Garage]

Good info

[62 Barnfind]

Originally Posted by billetproofcustoms

Anyone know where to get the 283 engine gray paint? or is it something I will have to have mixed?

Jim Carter truck has the correct blue/gray color. They want $45 for a quart and I feel thats a little high. For my 235 I used Ford gray to get real close to the correct shade. I think if you put them next to each other you could tell. Most of the chevy engines you will see are Orange because thats what people think that are supposed to be until you inform them of the other colors. I get so many complements about what and I'm glad you went with the original gray when I'm at shows. The dupli-color Ford gray is about $6 a can so you can't go wrong. Here is two pics of two engines I did in Ford gray and clear.

[60-66]

1964 1965 Lambrecht V8 trucks

[billetproofcustoms]

Originally Posted by 60-66

1964 1965 Lambrecht V8 trucks

Thanks guys, great info, for now, since im not doing a "full" restoration just yet, I am going to use the Ford grey just to freshen it up.

60-66, do you have any more photos from the lambrecht trucks for reference? I would love to see anything you have from that auction.

thanks

[60-66]

Originally Posted by billetproofcustoms

Thanks guys, great info, for now, since im not doing a "full" restoration just yet, I am going to use the Ford grey just to freshen it up.

60-66, do you have any more photos from the lambrecht trucks for reference? I would love to see anything you have from that auction.

thanks

That would take up a lot of picture space. I posted pictures back awhile , not sure where to link you though. If you have a certain request I can post here ? Glad to help in any way I can.

[60-66]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Overspray on the bellhousing would be a good way to tell the original color, if it has overspray there. I've read that '66 Suburbans with 327's had blue engines, and have seen a couple pictures of different blue valve cover. But it was blue, not teal.

327green:




Suburban 327 blue:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=525379

I thought I better explain my reasoning , John , for my doubts on the Blue paint on Suburban engines VS regular trucks. I have a large collection of Chevrolet literature , parts books, truck DATA books etc. What I'm getting at is , there is a letter suffix stamped in all of these engines. None of these engine suffixes are unique to only Suburban meaning the same 283 or 327 powerglide engine combination for instance, will share the same suffix code in a 10 or 20 series pickup , short bed, long bed, suburban or Panel truck . Nothing here is unique to Suburban only. Nothing on the engine is unique to a body style in this exact suffix application. The color of a given engine had to do with engine , not body style in 1960-1966 trucks , yes they were different from Cars. It also has nothing to do with the body assembly plant as these engines were painted at the engine assembly plant and shipped.

[billetproofcustoms]

Originally Posted by 60-66

That would take up a lot of picture space. I posted pictures back awhile , not sure where to link you though. If you have a certain request I can post here ? Glad to help in any way I can.

I would say maybe engine compartment for now would be great.

thanks so much

[sodly]

Originally Posted by 60-66

I thought I better explain my reasoning , John , for my doubts on the Blue paint on Suburban engines VS regular trucks. I have a large collection of Chevrolet literature , parts books, truck DATA books etc. What I'm getting at is , there is a letter suffix stamped in all of these engines. None of these engine suffixes are unique to only Suburban meaning the same 283 or 327 powerglide engine combination for instance, will share the same suffix code in a 10 or 20 series pickup , short bed, long bed, suburban or Panel truck . Nothing here is unique to Suburban only. Nothing on the engine is unique to a body style in this exact suffix application. The color of a given engine had to do with engine , not body style in 1960-1966 trucks , yes they were different from Cars. It also has nothing to do with the body assembly plant as these engines were painted at the engine assembly plant and shipped.

Great point, Jon! Some of these older sources certainly seem to contain erroneous information about factory-correct details.

[60-66]

Heres some underhood details from the V8 trucks at Lambrecht

[LT1 Burb]

Great reference, any picture of the horns or voltage regulator side.

[oem4me]

Thanks for those Lambrecht engine shots, Jon. I'm curious to know what you have been able to learn having been there and taken the time to get those pics. No doubt you were well educated even before going, but did you come away with any (or many) questions answered? I know Mark (Hotfun) was there grabbing reference material as well, so between you two, we must have ALL the answers, right? Lol.
I can spend a lot of time just on one photo looking for the details that normally go unnoticed. Very interesting.
Do you know if anyone grabbed shots of ALL the ID tags, inspection stickers, ink stamps, decals, etc. associated with the engine compartment?

[padresag]

[QUOTE=60-66;7336532]Heres some underhood details from the V8 trucks at Lambrecht




looks like for new vehicles that these carbs may have been worked on by the look of the driver slots in tops of the screws
ron

[LT1 Burb]

Yeah, the screws are strange.