Mopar Engine Paint Issue

RKC

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The 1962-1967 Mopar engines had a greenish blue engine paint. In 1968-1971 the engine color changed to a more blueish color. Year One and Bill Hirsch sells the Mopar 1962-1971 Greenish Blue engine paint, but it is more blue than green and does not match my 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1967 engine color. It does match my 1968 engine color. Does anyone sell the greenish blue engine color that matches the 1962-1967 original Mopar engines?
 
The observed problem with engine paint colors is that they often do NOT exactly match the OEM colors. OEM colors which, by the time we are seeking to match them, have faded a bit from heat cycles and possible oil contact.

When I was spiffing-up my '67 Newport 383 4bbl engine, it was in the earlier 1980s when the only Chrysler engine paints available (from Mopar Perf) was "HEMI Orange" and "Chrysler Blue". So, I went to the local auto supply that also did automotive paint. I told the owner what I was wanting to do, so he dug out his old paint chip chart book. We were looking for a factory color that could be the basis of tinting it to match the Chrysler "Turquoise" color. Surprisingly . . . it turned out to be a '67 Dodge Pickup truck color named "Desert Turquoise" AND it was an exact match. So he built me a quart of it in factory acrylic enamel. A great surprise! It was a great match, other than the very slight fading of the OEM engine paint (which was usually a normal base enamel rather than the exterior-use acrylic enamel.

In the world of automotive engine paint, several different colors of the same color name can and do exist. What Krylon might sell for Chevy Blue (for example) did not match what VHT might sell for Chevy Blue, NOR did either one really match the OEM Chevy Blue (which GM Parts sold at that time). The Krylon item was much darker, closer to a real "Ford Blue", by a big amount, by observatrion. We all knew these things back then, but few mechanics just wanted some paint with the correct name even if it was not the correct color for the color name. Even when the restoration industry got a lot larger in the 1990s, even the (claimed to be correct) spray paint sold by a vendor with "Restoration" in their name were not the exact matches we were desiring.

Reason for these mis-matches and such? The OEM engine colors are a part of the basic "copyright" for the entire vehicle. So, unless the colors were sold by the OEM themselves, they would not be an exact match UNLESS they were LICENSED by the OEM for resale by the vendor (with appropriate notations on the item itself).

So, unless the particular paint color is licensed to be correct, it can be just a bit off in color. Some more than others, by observation. Which can also vary as to the "lot" of when the color was formulated. But some of the OEM-sourced colors seem to be a bit off to me, too, which might be due to the fact that we don't worry about color accuracy until years later.

End result, if you desire an exact match in engine paint, take a clean valve cover down to a local paint supply house and get a pint or quart of it mixed to match what you have. THEN you can thin it appropriately and put it in a Preval spray bottle and spray it on. Or use a quality small oil paint brush to apply it that way.

About twenty years or so ago, there was a big hoopla when a judge counted off for "incorrect engine color" at a national car event. The owner complained, but there also happened to be a few original cars at the meet, which became the "standard of comparison" for the color. The paint vendor was also there, too. As it turned out, the paint vendor had used an incorrect sample to base his inventory on, so what he claimed was correct was not . . . but that was fixed soon thereafter.

Seems like there are a few threads in here on what other members have found to work well for them and their particular engines? Plus some charts online, too. PLUS, of course, Mopar Performance's Restoration Parts catalog (IF they are still doing that).

Some thoughts, experiences, and observations,
CBODY67
 
I used DupliColor and I like the results. I have a can at home I can get the numbers off of.
 
I used DupliColor and I like the results. I have a can at home I can get the numbers off of.
DupliColor is the provider for OEM touch-up paint sold in the dealerships, so they might have the permission to sell exact-match paints, too.
 
The 1962-1967 Mopar engines had a greenish blue engine paint. In 1968-1971 the engine color changed to a more blueish color. Year One and Bill Hirsch sells the Mopar 1962-1971 Greenish Blue engine paint, but it is more blue than green and does not match my 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1967 engine color. It does match my 1968 engine color. Does anyone sell the greenish blue engine color that matches the 1962-1967 original Mopar engines?
VHT SP126 Early Chrysler Blue: 3 coats
You'll love it!
VHT SP126-2 PACK EARLY CHRYSLER BLUE Engine Enamel High Heat Paint - 11 oz | eBay
 
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See valve cover. It has a little more greenish tint that my phone cam captured. Beautiful paint. Much cheaper than Hirsch and better quality, plus much quicker dry time.
 
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See valve cover. It has a little more greenish tint that my phone cam captured. Beautiful paint. Much cheaper than Hirsch and better quality, plus much quicker dry time.
This photo looks more like the blue I purchased from Hirsch. Is it the greenish blue turquoise that was on the 1962 Mopar engines? In 1970 they used the blue that is on your engine.
 
@RKC
Dig around on here, there are some threads (some are exhaustive!) about the different colors. The one in post #8 by @1970FuryConv is detailed, mostly about the 'wrong' color for you, but does mention the turquuoise a bit.

This turquoise MP paint has been discontinued to my knowledge.
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Here's a sample I did when I had a little left in the P4120752 can vs 2 other colors I tried.
Teh Duplicolor 1618 is Detroit Diesel Alpine Green.
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Here's a comparison of the P4120752 vs the Duplicolor 1618 Detroit Diesel Alpine Green. The waterpump and 1/2" of the front cover are the Alpine Green. You can tell the difference a little bit more in real life.
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As @CBODY67 mentioned, getting a good color match between old and new will be near-impossible. Too many environmental factors involved on the engine.
I got the Alpine Green thru a local parts store for about $11/can (within the last 6 months).

As I generally do a whole engine at once (or at least a major topside paintjob), I'll probably stay with the Alpine Green for the future.
It is a little lighter but is closer to OEM than others I researched. Too many of them have too much blue (or green?) in them for me.
 
The OEM GM spray paint Alpine Green has no "blue" components in it as the Chry Turquoise does. From GM, it is a strange light green color, to me.
 
I used the Mopar engine paint from the dealer. I bought it about 3 years ago now. Cap color is not accurate.

And the end result. ‘68 383
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The 1962-1967 Mopar engines had a greenish blue engine paint. In 1968-1971 the engine color changed to a more blueish color. Year One and Bill Hirsch sells the Mopar 1962-1971 Greenish Blue engine paint, but it is more blue than green and does not match my 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1967 engine color. It does match my 1968 engine color. Does anyone sell the greenish blue engine color that matches the 1962-1967 original Mopar engines?
@moper Says VHT is spot on for mid-60's BB Engine Paint: Chrysler Blue
His pic. @RKC what do you think?
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@moper Says VHT is spot on for mid-60's BB Engine Paint: Chrysler Blue
His pic. @RKC what do you think?
View attachment 548183
I think your engine looks too blue.
I painted this valve cover two weeks ago with Mopar paint that said Turquoise on the can. The color of the cap is Turquoise. I purchased the paint from Year One about 20 years ago. It does not match the original Turquoise of my other engines. I have a 1967 engine that is Turquoise. I have a 1968 engine that is blue. I think Chrysler changed the paint color in 1968, but still called it Turquoise.

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I also used the Mopar turquoise PN P4120752AB. I sprayed test samples of that versus an aftermarket color (Duplicolor?) and compared to the original paint, the Mopar was the closest match.

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ok, my turn to add to the confusion...here's mine painted about 10 months ago with Bill Hirsch turquoise spray cans...or should i say green...the second pic is of my coil bracket painted with a 20 year old can of mopar performance paint...number 3 compares a tiny patch of original color on a a/c hose bracket...it basically matches the MP paint, NOT the Hirsch...last pic is Hirsch painted distributor holddown sitting on the end of a factory painted valve cover...this Hirsh stuff is MUCH greener than original...it actually looks better in these pics than it does in person...its a really dark ugly green...and its also been out of stock since the winter....i really dont want to pull the exhaust, brackets, pump and motor mounts so i've been trying to convince myself to live with it and a really dont have a source of something the right color but its really starting to annoy me...i just bought some bahama blue dashboard paint from 8774paint1 and if that works out i may try to get them to make me some engine enamel
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oh and just some stupid questions for RKC....what exactly is wrong with the old MP performance paint that makes you say it doesnt match? too green? too blue? light ? dark?...are all your engines big blocks cause small blocks were blue the same years big blocks were turquoise...I'm not trying to argue i'm just curious myself as i've never heard of big blocks changing color in 68...lots of stuff can happen in 50 years and an engine that may have been repainted 40 years ago could certainly appear to be original at this point...you say your Hirsch paint is too blue, i think mine is too green and doesnt look anything like ripinators Hirsch paint...maybe what Hirsch sold me is what you're looking for but of course its out of stock...
 
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just to follow up my story...I texted the pics of my engine to Hirsh to show them how green it is...their reply was that it looked great and is the correct color....they sent me a link to a video (which i'm too stupid to show here) where some guy did a color comparison between the Mopar Performance turquoise, some VHT he got from Eastwood (without mentioning name or part #) and Plasticote 210 Chrysler green (which is no longer available)...he states in the video that his club had concluded that the 210 Plasticote was the correct color for 62-65 and that the Hirsh paint was the best match to it...so that was their proof that it was right....to me the 210 and Hirsh look like the Alpine green...not anything i would call turquoise...at this point i wonder if Mopar changed the color around 67 (till they switched to corporate blue) and if the Mopar Performance paint is this later formula and they just claimed it was correct back to 62 when in fact the earlier blocks were greener...gotta hit my local paint guy and see if i can see a desert turquoise chip in person
 
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I just ordered some mopar green that looks like my 69 440. We will see when it gets here. I dont want that dark green stuff. Heres what my valve covers look like i just pulled.

IMG_20230311_145134939_MP.jpg
 
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