Detailing Engine Mopar Turquoise - Specifically

[SF-66TC]

Ok Gents! Found a crack that went straight across the timing gear so while I have everything apart I might as well detail the engine compartment as much as I can.

'66 Town and Country (67K miles) that came with a 2-bbl 383 that pops converted over to a carter 4-bbl. Engine was rebuilt back in the 70's due to I think, a spun bearing. When pops
put the engine back together he just spray painted everything with whatever paint color he got from work which amounted to; silver, gold and black. What I'd like to do is return everything back to its original color and that includes any associated brackets etc. I only know as much (mostly from others photos) that the intake manifold, valve covers, heads, block, water pump, timing cover and oil pan cover were all painted the Mopar Turquoise, BUT what about anything else?

From current photos I do see that a couple of brackets (air conditioner and accelerator linkage/brackets) are painted the Turquoise color... I'd like to try to get as accurate as possible so if anyone has any photos or input that would be most helpful. Thanks!

 

[Davea Lux]

The brackets for the power steering pump, A/C compressor, Heater hose support and alternator are all flat black. The linkage pivot at the rear of the engine is the correct color of blue for this application. The transmission kick down linkage, throttle rod and coil bracket are natural metal and unpainted. Coil is flat black. Distributor is natural metal color. The fuel pump and oil filter were usually painted the same color as the engine from the factory. Transmission dip tube is natural metal. Fittings for the A/C lines are natural metal. Breather cap is flat black. Fuel filters were usually natural metal, though some were painted the same color as the engine. You have an updated brake master cylinder and ignition system that are not correct for the application if you are going for factory correct. Suction line for the A/C compressor should have a flat black finish up to the fitting on the other side of the muffler. Power steering pump and A/C compressor are painted flat black. Pulleys for the power steering pump, fan and crank drive are painted flat black. Harmonic balancer is the same color as the engine. Bracket for the distributor could be either natural metal or the same color as the engine or flat black, it varied. Throttle spring bracket and throttle cable bracket are the same color as the engine. Fuel line is natural metal color. Motor mounts are natural rubber and the steel portions are flat black. If the new hoses are OEM mopar, leave the part number sleeves on, otherwise take them off. Fuel filter is installed on the suction side of the pump, not correct but if the tank was dirty, leave it be. Soft plugs in the block should be the same color as the engine.

I am not sure, but it looks like you may also have an updated fan clutch and fan as most 383 engines that were 2BBL equipped from the factory did not have a clutch fan.

Dave

 

[CBODY67]

For an accurate match of the engine color, which I needed for detailing my '67 Newport 383 4bbl in the earlier 1980s, I went to a local auto supply/Sherwin-Williams Auto Refinish dealer and we got out his chip book. "Desert Turquoise" 1966 Dodge Truck color! He built me a quart in acrylic enamel and I applied it with a camel hair paint brush. Worked GREAT! At a time when only Hemi Orange was available in spray cans. Exact match!

As for the black brackets, they are a satiny black, NO gloss black anywhere!!! Same satiny black as the air cleaner. I found some GM Engine Enamel spray can "Gloss Black" paint. Not really "gloss" black, but not as flat as the normal "flat black" paint. Same "gloss" level as the GM sheet metal primer that came on fenders and such. We had some at work, which was even handier! I was afraid of the "Gloss Black" noimenclature, but after it dried, it was "dead on" to what the air cleaner (and GM air cleaners, too!) were. Probably now in "GM Engine Black" as they went to a black color in the later '70s, which vastly decreased valve cover oil leak warranty complaints.

With the spray paints, I got a small glass bottle and a camel hair brush. I'd spray the paint into the bottle, staying out of the "mist", and then brush it on the metal a/c lines (the engine black). For the metal uncoated a/c lines, I used some red Scotchbrite to "polish" them, which made them look quite nice.

As for how the engine is painted, when it's done at the engine plant, it is not "fully dressed" with the accessories and such. The throttle pivot bracket will be attached, as will the ground cable to the front intake manifold bolt. Those things will be "engine color". Probably the water pump assy, too. And, for the purists, the base of the spark plugs will have engine paint on them as they would be installed when the painting was done. It was more to keep rust away than a "show car" finish, so there'd be some light spots and RUNS, in a few cases. "Coverage" was the key.

I'm always a little afraid of the pre-packaged engine paint colors. Unless they are "licensed" by the OEM or come from the OEM's dealership parts departments, the colors might be "off" a bit. Best to get a paint store to mix them, against a chip code, for a more accurate match, even allowing for some "heat fade".

That's what worked for me, many times.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[bigmoparjeff]

I recommend getting the Mopar Performance turquoise engine paint. The paint that Eastwood and Bill Hirsch sell isn't the correct color. It's a blah looking gray-green instead of turquoise.

I need to correct Dave on one thing: Your clutch fan is correct for the car. All A/C equipped cars had clutch fans.

Jeff

 

[detmatt]

I was thinking no on the flat black as well, definitely satin.

 

[Zymurgy]

On your satin black items, if you have someone locally to powder coat them I would highly recommend it.

First they will look awesome, plus the durability it great. My powder coat items are 5 year old and clean up so nice. Even the fan still looks great. You will never get that life out of a rattle can. Also I was surprised how reasonable the cost was, well worth looking into.

 

[Ripinator]

I recommend getting the Mopar Performance turquoise engine paint. The paint that Eastwood and Bill Hirsch sell isn't the correct color. It's a blah looking gray-green instead of turquoise.

I need to correct Dave on one thing: Your clutch fan is correct for the car. All A/C equipped cars had clutch fans.

Jeff

So Jeff. . . How does the color on this engine look to you?

 

[LocuMob]

So Jeff. . . How does the color on this engine look to you?

View attachment 215053

I'm not Jeff, but it looks great! Where can I get that dohickey loop thingy that is on the passenger side valve cover, for the plug wires?

 

[Ripinator]

I'm not Jeff, but it looks great! Where can I get that dohickey loop thingy that is on the passenger side valve cover, for the plug wires?

I don't know. That loop bracket was on the valve cover when I bought the engine. I think it is there to hold the heater hoses.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I enjoy these threads!

Sorry to hear you've got engine troubles, but glad to hear you're lavishing love on the car!

Almost everything DaveaLux has noted is spot on, however, I agree with the others - SATIN black please, not gloss and not flat. I've looked at quite a few very low mileage 66 C bodies in my quest for knowlege.

Keep in mind that nothing is cast in stone and things changed year to year, month to month and assembly plant to assembly plant

I also disagree with the bobster colour - factory installed boosters were generally satin black as were masters (painted as an assembly), but they were usually among the first items to get replaced in servicing as the car aged and the master started to leak fluid into the booster, and the reman industry always painted them in that "reman grey". Different vendors to the factory sometimes delivered them unpainted. As shown, his booster is factory correct in satin black, and the updated master is fine unpainted (no points lost in a jugded meet for brakes and seatbelt upgrades). A disc booster would be satin as well.

FWIW, different assembly lines and different engine accessories or options often resulted in differences from DaveaLux's assertions... my 66 Monaco had all it's engine pulleys painted engine colour - it was an engine assembled on the police engine assembly area. Others I've seen had pulleys in satin black. My Monaco was a Canadian car so its'engine was Chrysler red.

Exhaust manifolds were engine colour but not coated fully, and the paint usually burnt away. I prefer the unpainted natural look, but technically they should have some engine colour on them closest to where they bolt to the cylinder heads.

Are you interested in the opinions about the stub frame/suspension/brakes?

 

[Lefty71]

So Jeff. . . How does the color on this engine look to you?

It sure looks good to me... @LocuMob... that loop thingy is for the heater hoses right??? The one hanging over the exh manifold is for the plug wires.. Im guessing the motor pictured above by Ripinator is 1966 vintage??

 

[Ripinator]

It sure looks good to me... @LocuMob... that loop thingy is for the heater hoses right??? The one hanging over the exh manifold is for the plug wires.. Im guessing the motor pictured above by Ripinator is 1966 vintage??
View attachment 215054

Correcto-mundo.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

So Jeff. . . How does the color on this engine look to you?

View attachment 215053

If you are telling me that you used either Eastwood or Hirsch, then I'd say that it looks like enough people bitched about the color being wrong, that they finally fixed it.

Here's what it used to look like.

Between a quart can and a bunch of spray cans, I have at least $75 worth of this crap-color paint from Hirsch sitting on my shelf.

Your engine looks great. Is it Hirsch or Eastwood? I'm pretty sure they both use the same supplier, but I could be mistaken.

Jeff

 

[LocuMob]

I gotta stop posting when I'm tired after work! I know the wires don't go over the valve cover, I must have just gotten a little giddy seeing the loop on the bracket. I started to make my engine bay as correct as possible, and would now.like to get one of those to keep my heater hoses in place, correctly! Bracket makes no sense without the loop part.

 

[Ripinator]

If you are telling me that you used either Eastwood or Hirsch, then I'd say that it looks like enough people bitched about the color being wrong, that they finally fixed it.

Here's what it used to look like.

View attachment 215055
Between a quart can and a bunch of spray cans, I have at least $75 worth of this crap-color paint from Hirsch sitting on my shelf.

Your engine looks great. Is it Hirsch or Eastwood? I'm pretty sure they both use the same supplier, but I could be mistaken.

Jeff

Jeff: The paint I used is from Bill Hirsch. I too think it looks spot-on. The picture of the engine you posted is certainly not even close to the color of the paint on my engine. Thanks!

 

[bigmoparjeff]

That picture, and the paint is about ten years old now, and I've seen quite a few engines painted that gray-green color. I'm glad that they have the color sorted out now. I'm guessing that Eastwood was the same because the color sample in their catalog matched the incorrect Hirsch color exactly.

Jeff

 

[Ripinator]

I gotta stop posting when I'm tired after work! I know the wires don't go over the valve cover, I must have just gotten a little giddy seeing the loop on the bracket. I started to make my engine bay as correct as possible, and would now.like to get one of those to keep my heater hoses in place, correctly! Bracket makes no sense without the loop part.

I'm not sure of the correctness of the valve cover and associated brackets shown on my engine, so don't use my engine setup as a firm reference.

When I acquired the engine, it had been sitting in a guy's shop on an engine stand for over twenty years. The block is definitely dated as a 'B' ('66). However, I recently discovered (when trying to mount my power steering pump) that my water pump housing is from a '67 or later B/RB engine. The boss on the housing (to which the power steering bracket attaches) measures 2 7/8". The boss on the old '66 383 (which I am replacing) measures 2 3/8" wide.

Depending on year, both the 440 and 383 engines use the same water pump housings, but Chrysler changed the housing slightly some time along the way. As I continue with my engine swap, I just don't know what else I'll find that is not quite kosher.

 

[Lefty71]

The paint on mine is POR-15, part #42128 Turquois

 

[LocuMob]

The lower part of the bracket is on my valve covers taken from my parts car '66 Polara 500, so they are correct. With a the folks replacing hoses, I imagine the loop part was easily thrown away.

 

[Clover]

Unless I missed it, nobody mentioned that the radiator hoses and both ground wires were attached before painting, so they got painted near the engine. I believe the heater hoses also.