Engine Color

[Flatwater]

Forgive me if this question's been asked, but... I'm about as smart as a bag o' hammers.

I was working on (under) the '61 the other day, and I noticed that my little 292 is funny colored. Top half is orange/Ford Red, but everything else is Caterpiller Yellow. Do you suppose it's weathered orange/Ford Red? Under the grease and grime it's yellow, though, so I don't think weathering or patina plays into it.

Did Ford offer a yellow? Is like everything else that I'm finding on the truck in that the old boy who owned it last was a sick, twisted sadist who insisted repairing any ailment with booger-welds and bailing wire? Maybe I have a genuine odd-ball...

[Brians1966]

Don't quote me, but if my memory serves me(and my memory isn't that well these days) I seem to remember around the mid 50's some of the 239/272 Y block where painted yellow??????? or Possible it might be an industrial engine-( wood chipper, compressor ) painted the company colors, or the previous painted it that way.

[LM14]

One of the Y-blocks I have is yellow. Think it was a '59 that came our of a big truck.

SPark

[Flatwater]

Interesting... When I brought it home, I tried to find a rebuild kit for the carb that was on it. After running a bunch of numbers, we came to the conclusion that is was an old Carter that was offered on a '58 Edsel only. Perhaps it's time to look at the casting numbers on the block to see exactly what I have...

[Gritsngumbo]

You can trust me on this. The correct engine color for the straight axle trucks (61-64) is black block, accessories and air cleaner and Ford Red valve covers. This applies to both I-6's and Y-Blocks.
Yellow painted blocks appeared in some cars during the 50's as well as Ford Red blocks in T-Birds, etc. The block code/head codes will tell you what vehicle(s) it was in originally. Any schmuck with a can of paint can paint an engine any color they want, but that doesn't mean it's "correct" for the vehicle. You'll find a variety of colors in our trucks, especially since most engines have been rebuilt (just due to age and mileage of 40 plus years of running if nothing else). Green was a popular re-builder color during the late 60's and 70's. My 63 Uni had a baby blue painted engine as well as bell housing and drive shaft. Go figure? Didn't bother to clean the tranny to find the color as it was a long, long car tranny than I don't plan to use.
Many folks on here don't like the black painted blocks as they say it's difficult to spot oil leaks.

[HiBoy63]

Is like everything else that I'm finding on the truck in that the old boy who owned it last was a sick, twisted sadist who insisted repairing any ailment with booger-welds and bailing wire? Maybe I have a genuine odd-ball...

I think he must have owned my 65 too.