[north]

A few weeks ago I said I’d post a pic of the factory engine paint from my time capsule wagon. Trouble is I can’t find the thread anymore.

Here is a pic of the factory engine paint and another pic of the plasticote color from Ames..

I just took both pics in the same ambiant light with the same flash on the same phone.

Btw, I notice inline sells what they claim in their typical style is a exact match engine color. Anyone try it yet?

[68ragtop]

Everything inline has is advertised as exact. They do have some things that are close, but the "exact reproduction" claim is over played.

Is the 69 blue the same as 68? I used Bill Hirsch paint. Looks pretty good, but I think a lot of the blues went a fuzz to the green over the decades, true?

[north]

I think it was the same from 67-71 iirc.

[dataway]

I used the Bill Hirsh paint on my engine .. I thought it was very good match ..but it still burnt off the exhaust ports like all the other paints. The paint definitely ages to a different color with heat cycles. Basically pictures of original engines don't count for much because they've aged for 40 years. I don't know if anyone really knows what the original color is now because there are pretty much zero examples of "original" paint ... they are all 40 year old "original" paint.

From my personal memory I would say the original paint turns a bit green with age. I still have memories of my Dad's Pontiacs brand new in the 60's ... definitely "bluer" than what I see on 40 year old original paint.

I pretty much try to opt for what doesn't burn off ..... burnt is less appealing than any slightly off color paint I've seen.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by dataway

I used the Bill Hirsh paint on my engine .. I thought it was very good match ..but it still burnt off the exhaust ports like all the other paints. The paint definitely ages to a different color with heat cycles. Basically pictures of original engines don't count for much because they've aged for 40 years. I don't know if anyone really knows what the original color is now because there are pretty much zero examples of "original" paint ... they are all 40 year old "original" paint.

From my personal memory I would say the original paint turns a bit green with age. I still have memories of my Dad's Pontiacs brand new in the 60's ... definitely "bluer" than what I see on 40 year old original paint.

I pretty much try to opt for what doesn't burn off ..... burnt is less appealing than any slightly off color paint I've seen.

I think you might have been the one who steered me towards Hirsh paint about 18 months ago? Being a paint guy it bothered me that it was not a 2k product, but over a week it dried a lot tougher than I was expecting. seeing it's in a can it might be easier to touch up the exhaust ports, but man, hard to keep paint on something that is literally the same temperature as the manifolds.

The other day while working on my vacuum line setup I had my engine running without any vacuum advance because of leaks. Didn't notice at first & of course the exhaust ports got hotter from the late burn & started to discolor the heads a tiny bit & my car hasn't even been driven a foot yet. Doesn't take long with such a thin casting right there. I know its inevitable, but I was expecting it to happen after I started driving the car next year.....

[69 Limelight]

Paint exhaust port areas below valve covers and exhaust crossover of intake (if crossover not blocked) with high temperature (header) aluminum colored paint first (I used Dupli-Color) then paint with your favorite Pontiac Blue (I used Plasti-Kote from Ames and/or Butler but, they've been bought out by Dupli- Color and it's no longer as good a match) . Cure in 3 or 4 heat cycles not letting engine get too hot (which can't be done if have to break in flat tappet cam but, I've moved on from that to hydraulic roller). I have over 15,000 miles on current engine and paint on head exhaust ports and intake exhaust crossover looks like day I first started engine.

[dataway]

I haven't touched things up since the cam break-in .... hard to believe there are many paints or methods that will withstand that process.

I think the Hirsh matches very well ... how it holds up in long term use I can say yet.

[68ragtop]

Hirsh paint claims its good for up to 700 degrees, & I think most spray bomb engine paints are 500-600-ish. The first time I painted my engine I made the mistake of spraying the high temp paints over the cast spray the engine shop used. So, it looked like clean cast but it really wasn't all that clean. Rust crept underneath over time. This time I sand blasted everything clean, coated it with POR15 1200 degree aluminum colored header paint, then hirsh pontiac blue. Until I start driving the car I won't know for sure, but seemed like the best thing I could do with what is available today.

Hopes are the POR15 will hold up to normal driving temps, then touch ups with a paint brush will suffice. I am sure I have some picts too.