409's, Red or Chevy Orange????

[60biscayne]

I've seen many pics of 409's in cars, seems like most of them are red, but some are painted Chevy orange. I'm leaning towards red. What's the deal, were different years one color or the other? Also, I started out using Duplicolor Red Engine paint, and it was terrible. After 3 days, you could still scrape it off with your fingernail! It was, like, gummy, didn't harden up. Not good, I took the can back. What brand engine paint can anybody recommend that is Good Stuff?? Thanks!!! 60 Biscayne!:cool:

[droptop62]

All 348 and 409's are supposed to be orange.
but it is your car, and you can paint it any way that makes you happy.

[wrench]

I've seen many pics of 409's in cars, seems like most of them are red, but some are painted Chevy orange. I'm leaning towards red. What's the deal, were different years one color or the other? Also, I started out using Duplicolor Red Engine paint, and it was terrible. After 3 days, you could still scrape it off with your fingernail! It was, like, gummy, didn't harden up. Not good, I took the can back. What brand engine paint can anybody recommend that is Good Stuff?? Thanks!!! 60 Biscayne!:cool:

I might get deleted for this, but I've always painted my Chevy V8's...Ford Red

Just looks better to me than orange.

:dunno

[dq409]

I like red !!! :brow I used the VHT engine paint and it worked great, dq

[Tom Kochtanek]

There appears to be a choice. I checked down the basement and found two rattle cans of Engine Enamel by "Dupli-color". One is Orange, the other Orange-Red.

Here are the part #s:

Orange DE 1620
Orange-Red DE 1607

Which is correct for the 409 engine???

Best,
TomK

[29Coupe348]

you can always do it white..... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/hotrod29/attachment.jpg

[Ronnie Russell]

coupe, Im impressed!! You threatened to rebuild you 348 over the winter and by golly you are getting it done. Good job and good luck.

[threeimpalas]

All 348 and 409's are supposed to be orange.
but it is your car, and you can paint it any way that makes you happy.

Aren't all 348/409's TRUCK engines? Shouldn't they be GREEN.:scratch

[CDNpontiac409guy]

Yes Mike....
I have certainly seen SOME green ones anyhow:brow

Tom... You ask which is correct for a 409 engine ?

Plastikote "Chevrolet Orange" engine enamel.... T200:deal

oh yeah.... these are Canadian 1961 348 car valve covers !

[real61ss]

I've never had good results with spray cans. I like a lot of gloss and I've just never been able to get that from a spray can. I have the paint store mix all of my paints, I use mostly PPG. For my motors, it actually is a Ford color called Poppy Red. (it's very close to Chevrolet orange) I use an acrylic enamel, mix it with hardner and shoot it with a gun. The valve covers on my 61 409 motor are shot with the same type paint, but in a silver metalic. It's actually paint that was left over from when I painted the silver coves on my 58 Corvette. I've thought about clearing them to get more gloss.
I know, the first question is; what about heat? Admittly, I don't drive my cars a lot but I've never had any problem other than a little discoloring around the center exhaust ports. I put several hundred miles on my 63 09 when we were in Daytona last fall, there was some discoloring where the exhaust manifold meets the head but not a lot. I just touched it up later with a brush.

[droptop62]

Aren't all 348/409's TRUCK engines? Shouldn't they be GREEN.:scratch
I never thought about the truck engines.
I don't know what color the truck engines were.
Never been interested in the truck engines so I tend to forget about them.
:dunno

[bobs409]

For spray can engine paint, I like VHT brand. Plastikote is my second choice but there is a slight difference in the shade of the Chevy orange between the two.

[09pwrd55]

I never thought about the truck engines.
I don't know what color the truck engines were.
Never been interested in the truck engines so I tend to forget about them.
:dunno
Just curious which chevrolet engine hasn,t been used in a truck of some form? a freind of mine is redoing a rare 69 SD beaumont ( canadian chevelle ss ) and odly enough the date code correct casting # correct block just came out of a 69gmc camper special. a simple block deck and re stamp and presto ebay has another numbers match muscle car.
Oh Yea paint ;plasti cote chevy orange.

[W Head]

Truck engines color was a sort of light blue-green in color, I am looking at a set of 333 heads now off of a truck 409. Trying to get the exhaust manifold off without breaking off a bolt.

W Head
59 El Camino 348-3,2s
59 Impala 409-2,4s

[CDNpontiac409guy]

[QUOTE=09pwrd55]Just curious which chevrolet engine hasn,t been used in a truck of some form? QUOTE]

I believe these were never used in any truck:

153 4 cyl
194 6 cyl
262 small block
267 small block

HHHMMM....
What do they all have in common:dunno ...



oh yeah.....:doh







%&$#ING JUNK:takethat :rofl :rofl
:rofl

[09pwrd55]

Thanks Aubrey that was the point I was trying to make. Pretty small list. Didnt that 153 turn evlove into the 2.4 and find a home in an S truck. cant be that bad being called a truck engine. :dunno

Aubrey; you werent picking on the mighty iron duke were you:rofl :rofl

[droptop62]

Just curious which chevrolet engine hasn,t been used in a truck of some form?

sure, many of the Chevrolet engines have also been used in trucks.
Low compression and junk heads.
That doesn't make them desirable in my eyes.
If you want to dump a ton of work and throw some cash at it, then it could be turned into something, but I would still not be interested.
There is a reason why the truck engines are cheaper.:deal

[09pwrd55]

sure, many of the Chevrolet engines have also been used in trucks.
Low compression and junk heads.
That doesn't make them desirable in my eyes.
If you want to dump a ton of work and throw some cash at it, then it could be turned into something, but I would still not be interested.
There is a reason why the truck engines are cheaper.:deal

yea Droptop you just described the 366 427 tall deck perfectly :clap in my eyes. but theres problebly others that dont agree with my opinion of a tall deck. as far as 348 409 truck vs car I agree some are less desireable but none are JUNK. and yes thats my opinion .

Talk about cheaper You can buy a 396 a hole lot cheaper and easier up here than you can a 409 truck:deal

[4onthefloor]

"a simple block deck and re stamp and presto ebay has another numbers match muscle car."
"\

Thanks for the warning !!!!!!!!!!!1

[Impalaguru]

I have to agree with Tommy on the acrylic enamel paints. I had a guy mix up some DuPont centari in an orange that looks great. I can speak for the durability. I sprayed my old 409 with my special formula and it help up well. I drove the car a lot and it never dulled and was extremely durable when it came to fuel spills of other fluids. The area close to the exhaust manifolds burnt off a little after about 1000 miles. The area on the intake for the exhaust crossover burnt off, too. But the rest looked great! I also belive that the paint almost forms a "shell" to hold in oil seepage. Plus, the painted surface is slick enough that cleaning up oil from arround the valve covers is a breeze! I used PPG DP-40 epoxy primer; just wait about 30 minutes before you spray the top coat.

Here's some trivia: What Chevrolet V-8 was painted RED from the factory?

Ross

[CDNpontiac409guy]

Here's some trivia: What Chevrolet V-8 was painted RED from the factory?

Ross

Wasn't it at least some of the 1956 265's ?:dunno

[MK IISS]

The '56 265s were red...a 1 year only deal. Early 1957 265s were chartreuse (yellowish-green).

[Mr Goodwrench]

and we all know richard those 62 409-409 valve covers were green also:rofl :rofl

[MK IISS]

you betcha...they are green

[threeimpalas]

Just curious which chevrolet engine hasn,t been used in a truck of some form?

I believe these were never used in any truck:

153 4 cyl
194 6 cyl
262 small block
267 small block

You could add the TPI and LT1/L99 engines to that list (minus the "junk" part).

[Impalaguru]

I figured that the 56 265 would be an easy one for everyone here! Good job!!
Ross

[SS425HP]

Wasn't easy for me. I must be too young:rofl

[MileHiSS]

here's a shot of one of my (truck) blocks that has a little pale green left for you to see.
http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL97/466970/8521984/115213823.jpg

[oldskydog]

I remember reading somewhere that the early 58 348's were red. I guess I should go look at mine. I'd have to scrape of the grease and second coat of paint which is orange but maybe there will be some left. Anybody else ever heard this? Kinda goes with the 58 only valve covers...very different than 59 up.

[raymar58454]

58 valve covers were different? How so?
Ray

[real61ss]

The 58 348 valve covers didn't have the cutouts to hold the gaskets in place.

[Bungy]

Also the 58 covers had rounded ends as opposed to the slanted ends on 59 - up ones.
Yes, the 58 348s were painted red.

[MK IISS]

"Yes, the '58 348s were painted red."

I disagree...all the new 58s I saw, including my father's new '58 Impala, were the traditional Chevrolet orange. I have seen some engines that, for some reason, turned red with age.

http://www.348-409.com/engine.html

[Bungy]

I never worked in a foundry, so I'm not going to say I'm 100% right. But maybe as oldskydog said, the early 58s were red? I know I read somewhere that all the 58s were red and in my collection of W parts I have three sets of 58 valve covers that are red and a 58 3x2 intake that is red and I sold a 58 engine that was painted red. (that had a cast date of 10-31-57) These all appear to have original paint. All the later 3x2 intakes and stuff I have are orange. So that's what I based my comment on. :dunno