Engine & Manifold Colors/Paints

[Bingster]

On my 1947 Desoto S-11 the engine block seems to have been red, and of course the manifold headers are rust.  Red was factory for the engine block, I guess.  But did they come from the factory with the manifold any particular color?  I see Eastwood has silver manifold paint and that would look nice with a red block.

 

There are a few brands of engine paint out there.  Some cure with the heat and other not.  What have you folks used? 

[Don Coatney]

I believe silver was the color for all Mopar flathead engines. Read all the information in the resources section of this webpage for under hood paint information on P-15's and D-24's. Desoto should be the same. Everything in the resources section should be required reading for all forum members.

[wayfarer]

You can buy proper engine paint from MaMopar.  Part numbers here: http://www.qualityengineeredcomponents.com/?page_id=1193

[TodFitch]

You can buy proper engine paint from MaMopar.  Part numbers here: http://www.qualityengineeredcomponents.com/?page_id=1193

 

I wonder how correct that list is. . . The car I learned to drive and first turn a wrench on was a '63 Plymouth with a 318 V8 engine which my family bought new (and late in the model year) and I am positive that the engine block was red but that list shows turquoise.

[Plymouthy Adams]

 the early 60's 318 and LA engines (273: 1964-69) were red (P4349218) until the change from the poly to the LA design in US for 1967 and then they were blue,  this is from the restoration section of the Mopar Engine Performance book                                                        

 

 the poly was last year 1967 in Canada..cannot comment on the color..

[desoto1939]

On my 1947 Desoto S-11 the engine block seems to have been red, and of course the manifold headers are rust.  Red was factory for the engine block, I guess.  But did they come from the factory with the manifold any particular color?  I see Eastwood has silver manifold paint and that would look nice with a red block.

 

There are a few brands of engine paint out there.  Some cure with the heat and other not.  What have you folks used? 

The engine block color will be a silver and the paint needs to be high temp paint.  The eastwood manifold paint is a gray color and has to be applied when the engine is cold and then it cures after running the engine.  As stated above read the  tech section and it will provide you with some guidance on the various other parts that were painted black.

 

Also basically you can pant it any color you want but if you are going for judging then you need to have the correct colors on the proper components.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com