Paint: Engine paint

[l.arend]

Recently acquired a 1955 commander.Bascally sound but needs restoration.My question is the engine paint, The valve covers are silver with a bearcat placard.The rest of the engine is blue except for the pan which is red.Is this correct.Also what is the color of the tranny,it is a dg-250.Thanx.

[StudeRich]

The Dark Blue Engine Enamel available from Studebaker Vendors at studebakervendors.com is what you need for the whole enchilada, Tranny, Bell Housing, Engine, Heads, Intake & Water Manifolds, and PAN!

No, RED is not correct! [xx(] Just someone trying to be COLORFUL!

The factory did not have time to play with the pieces, they shot the whole thing, except valve covers and Electrics etc. with one process.

The Air Cleaner and Oil Cap should match the Valve Covers, Silver on Commander, Gold on Presidents.
StudeRich

[ceecab]

The engine color depends on when in the year the car was built
Early 55's used a dark teal engine color [ dark blue green]
Later ones used a lighter turquoise which carried over into 56 and 57
But Rich is right, the whole engine was painted whichever color was used and both colors are available from vendors--although old non metallic Pontiac blue is a reasonably close match for the light turquoise [maybe a shade lighter] if it's not a concours car

[l.arend]

Thanx for the info.Tha valve covers are Al color the rest of the eng is blue except for the pan.Maybe ir was changed,

[StudeRich]

quote:Originally posted by ceecab

The engine color depends on when in the year the car was built
Early 55's used a dark teal engine color [ dark blue green]
Later ones used a lighter turquoise which carried over into 56 and 57

Are you SURE Jim? This is the first I have ever heard of two engine colors in '55! [:0] And I have never seen a Turquoise Green '55 Engine, but I could stand corrected!
I have seen them re-painted with a lighter Blue or old Ford medium Blue by mistake though.

Does Anyone remember a new '55 at the dealer or whatever in the day, that actually came from the factory with Turquoise GREEN '57 early '58 Engine Enamel instead of the Dark BLUE color?

I do remember Fred Fox writing in TW that a very few '58's have been found to have the last year's Turquoise paint and/or some '57's with Aluminum Silver '58 color which simply had to be just an over production at the end of the year or a shortage at the beginning! [:0]

StudeRich

[ceecab]

not green-- turquoise is greenish blue--and yes- i'm sure

same turquoise they used on 56-57 engines

1955 was the year Stuebaker had trouble making up its mind about everything-- like interiors for instance
so a lot changed midstream

[StudeRich]

Sorry, but Turquoise is blue-GREEN, Aqua is green-BLUE! You are correct, both have Blue AND Green, some people's eyes just have a lot of trouble finding the fine line between predominantly Green and predominantly Blue!

No problem, I understand, because you are by no means alone!

StudeRich

[riversidevw]

The apparently unmolested original 259 in my '55 Speedster is very close in color to the '57 turquoise. Nothing would surprise me in the production "variations" for the '55 model year.

Gil Zimmerman
Riverside, CA

1955 Speedster
1956 Golden Hawk
1958 Packard Hawk
1958 President

[warrlaw1]

The 259 colour in 55 was unique and is called "Alberta Blue". With time and heat it faded to a lighter blue and with oil film it could look touquoise. Early 55 production was not a 259 (232?)and it was green. If it says "bearcat" it's a 259 and Alberta Blue looks like Ford Blue (dark)until you put some miles on her.

[warrlaw1]

Tranny - DG 200 and DG 250 were left bare metal as was generator, starter, bell housing... Different colours were used for the partial flow oil filter. Factory used both blue and black and Fram from the box was orange. All could be considered correct. The oil filler cap and mast could be blue, black or even silver.

[StudeRich]

Ok warrlaw1, if you say so, but do let us know what you've been smoking! The only thing correct is the color name, Alberta Blue.

StudeRich

[warrlaw1]

Rich, you busted me! (lol) I just bought a new computer and hope to get some pictures loaded soon. That might help with the engine colour debate. Perhaps you could be more specific about that with which you don't agree. When I bought my engine paint many vendors wouldn't ship internationally because of Haz/mat problems at the border. I found one who would and the paint is on the engine. Too late to changer it now. What colour do you suggest"

[warrlaw1]

Ok, Rich, I'm going to defer to a higher power, Fred K. Fox. In the February 94 TW (Vol. 26, No. 2 at page 20): In 1955, for the first time since mid-1927, Studebaker introduced new engine colours....Alberta Blue engine /air filter, oil filler cap and valve covers were silver....some very early 55 models used black air cleaners and oil filler caps left over from 1954. Sometime laste in the model year, the Alberta Blue was replaced by the turquoise color used in 1956 and most of 1957. At page 8, he states: The second series cars that were unveiled in January 1955 introduced several new features .... the switch from a 224 V8 to a 259... I suggest you send some good rolling papers to Mr. Fox!

[l.arend]

Thanks for all the info on eng paint.I am still perplexed .The engine from the headers up is oainted blue.Below the headers it is red.The tranny and bell housing are also red. The red colar is almost an orange color.The build sheet says the car colors were 2650 rancho-black.The serial number of the eng installed is the same as the build sheet number.
Some one tried to make this car look like a speedster.It has the crown molding installed just fwd of the rear window.Was a three tone paint ,pink,dark grey and ivory.The commander logo that is installed above the chrome strip on the rear fender was installed on the chrome strip.It also has a round medallion about 1 1/2 inchs dia installed on the chrome strip just in front of the commander logo,the medallion is round and has the letters HPH on it.
I have field stripped the car ,will clean and get rid of the little rust,paint and reasemble.New colors will be red below the window line and black on the topI had a 54 commander painted like that back in 1959 when i was in germany.I travelled all over Europe in that auto it was always admired by the locals .Sorry for the long post.

[warrlaw1]

You're doing everything right, and coming to this forum was a great idea. StudeRich is always helpful. I had a 55 Commander coupe 30 years ago and gave it to Mr. Transmission when I was leaving the country and couldn't pay the bill. Now I have a 55 hardtop almost done (2 years) to replace the one I had back then. They seem to grow on you. Good luck with it. I'll have my rebuild pictures available shortly.