35/36 Engine Color

Here is a good shot. Note the original rubber band around the plug wires.

Sorry to take so long. I'm probably not going to have this too much longer so any questions should be asked now. Here is a better picture which shows the gray/green. This color is also on the oil pan except that it then has black paint on top of it. So, it looks like the whole engine was sprayed gray/green and then the pan was painted black. I don't know if that makes sense, but that is clearly what is going on.

Hi Curt,

Big Al is in Italy until the end of the month. When he gets back I'll get him to dig the engine out and we'll take a look. The color argument is interesting. I've met old timers who are adamant on both sides of issue. Almost makes me think the 35s were one color and the 36 was different.

regards,

A.J.

Hi AJ:
Well spring has arrived, have you ever had an opprotunity to check out the color on that oil pan? While you are there, that a gander at the tag on the generator. It should be a AutoLite GAR 4603A What color is the tag?

Curt,

I'm sure you've talked to him about the color and he's pretty adamant. He will always go back to the letter - which is pretty interesting. I guess the counter argument against the letter would be that the factory was a different company at that point 20 years later, but you would think they would be dealing with a lot of original engines. Btw, the reason he asked was this disagreement was going on in 1956 too. The color on our engine is not grey and it's not green, more like a gray-green. The engine is all packed away for winter so we'll have to wait until the spring to check out the oil pan. I need to get the serial number off of it too and post it.

A.J.

Hi AJ:
Over the years I have had many original six and eight cylinder engines. All of the engines but two, that had original paint, were painted the greenish grey that we all know and love. I have one six cylinder that was painted a turquoise. I have come to find out it was a Dallas Winslow rebuild. I have in my possession a 1934 eight cylinder that has ruminants of battle ship grey. Perhaps this is a Dallas Winslow rebuild as well. I can say that when I do an eight cylinder engine it is green. Your dad and I have had more that one friendly discussion about this very subject.

My question is, what color is the oil pan on that engine of yours? I have seen them natural (no evidence of paint) and black under an inch of grease. I have been told that the engines were painted with the oil pans bolted on. That means they were green or perhaps grey. That would also mean all of the bolts were painted as well. Food for thought.

Al: I purchased a 36 Lycoming 8 that had been transplanted into a speedboat back in the 40's. There was a blue-green paint still on it in some places that I'm certain are original. No trace of any grey paint could be found.

Mark

There seems to be some disagreement over what color these engines were painted when new. My dad says that in the 1950s between him and my uncle Ted (Ted Billings) they dismantled 1/2 dozen of these engines and none of them were green. He says they were gray. Below is a letter from the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company where they say the color was gray. I will say that when we got our time capsule engine home (pictured below) the color of the pain on the block looks to be grayish green.