Engine color

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by Cobra_ZA

Hi guys, opening this thread again.

I just read a "concourse" guide on Cobras and they indicated that the engine block was black and the water pump blue... Has anyone come across this at all? If this could be a possibility, would the timing chain cover be black too? I guess...

Thanks

Hard to imagine that unless the engines were shipped to Shelby minus the water pump but I don’t know why they would have done that. Factory engine painting back then was basically assemble everything to a long block state, even manifolds and then just spray the whole mess. Then install fuel lines, ignition, carbs, starters, etc. I know Chevy used a cheap mask to cover aluminum intakes during painting but they were crude and a lot of engine paint got on the ends of the runners. Ford probably did something similar. It was not a high tech or precision process.

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by Cobra_ZA

Hi guys, opening this thread again.

I just read a "concourse" guide on Cobras and they indicated that the engine block was black and the water pump blue... Has anyone come across this at all? If this could be a possibility, would the timing chain cover be black too? I guess...

Thanks

I think it was only the 427 Side-Oilers that were black as that’s the colour they were painted from Ford I believe. I suspect those fitted with 428’s were painted the more usual blue.

But I couldn’t swear to any of that. 😁👍🏻

Paul

[blykins]

That is correct.

428's were basically PI engines, taken from Ford, and jammed into Cobras.

[Cobra_ZA]

Originally Posted by blykins

That is correct.

428's were basically PI engines, taken from Ford, and jammed into Cobras.

And water pumps were also painted black? And sump color?

[blykins]

All blue.

[Cobra_ZA]

Originally Posted by blykins

All blue.

Thanks Brent. Were the 427's all black where the 428's were all blue?

[blykins]

Yes, there was a color change at Ford between 1965 and 1966.

[eschaider]

I think if your engine is black and blue something got bruised pretty badly ...

[sunman]

Whisper on a scream
Don’t mean much
Won’t bring you back
Blue on Black

Another hit stolen from us “The Fabulous Yellobellys”
Lars of Arcadia, Sledge, Johnny Tazer and me, HiWatt

I have a pair of late 64 cast C4AE6090C heads originally blue.

Party On