Restoring the 58

[Fredw]

Hello guys!
I would like to share with you some pic of my '58!
The engine is ready to run, but I have a doubt about it. Is the original color of the 348 a kind of red or the traditional chevy orange? :confused:
Thanks a lot!

[Bungy]

I believe the engine color for 58 was red then orange for 59-on.
Good luck with the 58 project and be sure to post lots of in-progress pictures of your work. I personally like seeing the underconstruction pics as opposed to the finished ones.
:cheers

[dq409]

That should turn some heads going down a boulevard in San Pablo ? EH?

[63z11]

Hello Fred, Good luck with that 58, keep us posted on the progress. I have a early 348 out in the garage and it looks more red than orange. I cant swear that it came that way. But thats the only thing I have to check.

[Fredw]

Hi guys!
Thanks for the messages!
I would like to paint the engine to the original color, but in the shop they have a quarter of the "chevy engine orange" and I really like the looks of that orange! I'm looking foward to see that baby runing!
I will keep you posted about the restoration progress! (next week I will post more pics)
DQ, tell me when you will come to São Paulo and I will pick you up at the airport with the 58 (if she is already running!)! :D
I almost forget, there is a curious thing about her firewall! I've spoted a pair of two yellow marks with "ok" on the drivers side. Are those marks a kind of approved body aligment or something else? (the pic is attached) sorry about any missunderstandings!
Thanks!!
:cheers

[Fredw]

Hi Bungy,
I've noticed that you own a '64 Chevelle! When I was a little boy my dad have had a 1964 Chevelle Malibu SS! It was originally a six but my dad have trade it for a 283cid (the old man really loved the V8s!)! Check the picture! This car started my love for Chevys (I'm this lilttle fellow in the driver place!) The picture is not very good but I think you can see the Chevy!
:cheers

[MK IISS]

Hello guys!
I would like to share with you some pic of my '58!
The engine is ready to run, but I have a doubt about it. Is the original color of the 348 a kind of red or the traditional chevy orange? :confused:
Thanks a lot!

Fred:

I don't want to start a disagreement but I remember the '58 348 as being orange. My uncle was a dealer and, I hung out there and later when I became old enough worked there part time. I saw a lot of these cars new and in later years but maybe my memory is incorrect. A good person to ask is Ollie who is a member and is also a member on the chevytalk forum. His owns a '58 and is a judge at car shows. I know his car is correct.

The only Chevy V/8s I remember, other then trucks and the later corp blue, that were not the traditional Chevy orange were the '56 265s which were a cherry red, and the '57 265 base engine which was a strange chartreuse color the first part of the year, then it was also changed to orange.

[Fran Preve]

As usual Richard is right. Chevy orange was used in 1958 at Tonawanda, the same paint booth was used for 348's and small blocks. He's right on the small block colors too.

[MK IISS]

Thanks for the complement Fran but I'm wrong quite offen and uncertain more then not. I was wrong when I shot my mouth off and a valued member quit.

I'm sure of one thing though and that is of the color of the '62 409 valve covers.

[Fredw]

Hello Richard and Fran!
Thank you for the answers! :bow
I was wondering about painting it "chevy engine orange" because the guys have a quarter of it in their shop! If the orange is correct will be easier!! :D
Thank you again for the info!

[Fran Preve]

Richard: I COULD put a 1962 valve cover in your hands, restored correctly, with the CORRECT silver, restored by Super Sport Engineering out of Colorado. I'll be driving pass your place the 1st. You correct me so often, and most of the time it's because I don't THINK first, just shoot my mouth off. I understand your corrections :bow . But insofar as the true color of a 62 valve cover, I've seen too many ORIGINAL ones (unrestored) to say its a true silver. Discoloration?. One was Floyd Garretts 10,000 mile car. Phil Reeds seen quite a few, and the guy in Colorado had a business restoring 409's. Even if his restored valve covers had foil 409 stickers instead of the correct decals.

[MK IISS]

Richard: I COULD put a 1962 valve cover in your hands, restored correctly, with the CORRECT silver, restored by Super Sport Engineering out of Colorado. I'll be driving pass your place the 1st. You correct me so often, and most of the time it's because I don't THINK first, just shoot my mouth off. I understand your corrections :bow . But insofar as the true color of a 62 valve cover, I've seen too many ORIGINAL ones (unrestored) to say its a true silver. Discoloration?. One was Floyd Garretts 10,000 mile car. Phil Reeds seen quite a few, and the guy in Colorado had a business restoring 409's. Even if his restored valve covers had foil 409 stickers instead of the correct decals.

Fran :

I'm not claiming positively the '62 409 valve covers were NOT painted with silver paint which had a green tint. I'm saying I don't remember them as being that way, and I saw quite a few when they were brand spankin' new. A 42 year old valve cover with original paint may not be the same color as it was when new after years of aging and heat. A restored car does not prove anything either because the restoration paint may have been color formulated based on the same old color-turned valve covers.

I have gone to a lot of car shows here in Fl during the winter over the years and I have seen 100s of 55-57 Chevrolets, many of them show winners. I have yet to see any of these 55-57 Chevrolets that DID NOT, I REPEAT; DID NOT, have valve covers painted with highlighted/ CHEVROLET script. Well guess What? It's not correct. Chevrolet just didn't paint them that way.

I think the only way this can be proven one way or the other is to build a time machine and travel back to 1962 and find a Chevrolet dealer who has a new 409. After we look at the new 409 I'd like to go back to my home town a visit a girl named Susan.

[bobs409]

Heck with Susan, I want to order up about 1,000 409 and Z-11 427 equipped Chevy's and bring them back with me!

Everyone would bow down to me if I had those. :bow :D

[SSpev]

There is more than one orange color. The earlyer you go the darker it gets. I got a 58 block while I was laid up. I believe it has the correct dark orange color. It is darker than it should be but not quite red. Oil darkened it. Not as dark as a 64 327 I am finishing. I will hav to get pics. The 70's where lighter yet. I know dupliculor sells 2 oranges.

[Fran Preve]

SS: One color, per GM engine assembly manual (for us at the plant). Discoloration is what causes the darking (like you said) and it doesn't take long. Mostly it's heat. We found out how much and how bad and how long it took when we removed parts from engines for restoring that covered up the original paint. The orange underneath was MUCH brighter than the rest of the orange. I believe Dupli-Color made two shades because if if it was used for touch up it would need to be a few shades darker than an orange used to repaint an entire engine (all one color). The best I've seen/used is from Bill Hirsch an advertiser in Hemmings. He sells cans and quarts, it's a heavy aircraft quality paint that covers really good.

painting the engine at the plant is a story in itself, suffice to say the paint came in 55 gallon drums, and there was more than one supplier.

[MK IISS]

Heck with Susan, I want to order up about 1,000 409 and Z-11 427 equipped Chevy's and bring them back with me!

Everyone would bow down to me if I had those. :bow :D

Bob:

If you saw Susie the way I saw Susie you wouldn't say that.

[MK IISS]

SS: One color, per GM engine assembly manual (for us at the plant). Discoloration is what causes the darking (like you said) and it doesn't take long. Mostly it's heat. We found out how much and how bad and how long it took when we removed parts from engines for restoring that covered up the original paint. The orange underneath was MUCH brighter than the rest of the orange. I believe Dupli-Color made two shades because if if it was used for touch up it would need to be a few shades darker than an orange used to repaint an entire engine (all one color). The best I've seen/used is from Bill Hirsch an advertiser in Hemmings. He sells cans and quarts, it's a heavy aircraft quality paint that covers really good.

painting the engine at the plant is a story in itself, suffice to say the paint came in 55 gallon drums, and there was more than one supplier.

Fran: OH, OH!

I think you may have just stepped in it.

What you said: "Discoloration is what causes the darkening and it doesn't take long." "Mostly it's heat." "We found out how much and how bad....."

So the orange engine block paint changed color but the silver valve cover paint didn't?

[Fran Preve]

OUCH!. The silver may have but still started a different shade, block paint had more heat. Silver was a Glossy paint, not a straight silver, it shined. This gloss is what made it different. Thank about it, didn't have a gloss?. wouldn't have had too to keep it clean?.

[MK IISS]

Sorry Fran, I don't agree, don't agree at all. The valve cover paint is a metallic paint. Metallic paint, especially silver is much more susceptible to damage from heat, weather, time,... everything. Much more then a regular pigment paint like the orange engine paint.

When you visit Florida notice silver cars in parking lots. Many of them turn purple with age. Silver and gold are the worst colors for Florida heat.

[MK IISS]

OUCH!. The silver may have but still started a different shade, block paint had more heat. Silver was a Glossy paint, not a straight silver, it shined. This gloss is what made it different. Thank about it, didn't have a gloss?. wouldn't have had too to keep it clean?.

Fran:

What you said: "The silver may have still started a different shade,"
"Discoloration is what caused the darkening"..."Mostly it's heat"

Thank you, you have proven my point. Let's put this subject to rest. I'm tired of it. I'm sure everyone else is also.

[Fredw]

Hi guys!
I want to share a new pic with you!
This is the color test! I think it looks like the original honey beige! The firewall looks great and the engine will be paint next week! :D