Engine: Need Correct Engine Colors

[JohnM15]

My rebuilder is asking about colors. Can someone please tell me what color is what on a M15A Champion engine:

1. Engine block
2. Head
3. Intake/exhaust manifold
4. Oil pan
5. Bell housing
6. Engine back plate (between engine and bell housing)
7. Pulleys
8. Harmonic balancer
9. Oil filter
10. Did I miss anything?

Thanks.

[garyash]

I haven't seen any original color photos from the period so it's tough to be absolute. Here are the best suggestions I could find:

The block, head, oil pan, oil pump, bell housing, engine back plate, timing gear cover, water fitting on the top of the head, crankshaft pulley, and harmonic balancer were most likely "Bell Telephone Green", Ditzler/PPG code 40648.

We can debate the oil filter color. I think it was all black, but the body may have been orange with a black lid. There may have been differences between the factory-installed filter and dealer-added Fram accessory filters. The air filter housing, cap for oil dipstick, spark plug wire covers, and road draft tube were black. There are reproductions of the Fram oil filter decals to use on the lid and body. I've seen the oil filler tube in both green and black, not sure which is correct.

I don't think the intake and exhaust manifolds were painted. They just got to be cast iron [rust] color. I painted mine with "gray cast" paint. It's hard to keep the exhaust manifold painted as it burns off.

I think the fan blade, generator, and starter were black. David Orth painted his fan pulley black and I'll go with that. The engine mounts and generator bracket attached to the left side of the block were probably also black.

This is why we need real survivors to look at the actual colors used by the factory.

The M5 monograph published by the Studebaker National Museum does not include the list of colors of these items.

[JohnM15]

Thanks a bunch Gary!

[nvonada]

Gary's colors match what my 41 Champion had on it. As best I could tell it had never been painted since it left the factory. My oil fill tube was engine green OVER black. I assume the tube was built, painted black, installed in the block, then the entire engine was painted green.


My water pump was blue but I am sure that is a rebuilt unit. I painted it green.

Nathan

[JohnM15]

Nathan, did someone a a petcock to water jacket (between the oil filler tube and bell housing) on the engine in your picture?

[nvonada]

Yes, that is one of those things I just routinely do to my cars. I had to drill out a steel plug from a block once and decided I would never inflict that on myself if I could help it. It is not correct but I was not planning on concourse judging anyway.

Nathan

[JohnM15]

Good idea, the stock drain plug is not at the bottom of the water jacket. That bugs me because it just encourages junk to collect over the years...

[nvonada]

Just to be clear I did not drill and tap a new hole. I just took out the steel pipe plug and replaced it with the petcock.

[Retired]

Of course every one knows why Studebaker painted their motors that green.? Seems Studebaker wanted to hide the oil leaks so they had their paint department develope a color close to the color of the oil.