Cadillac 354 color?

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Now, I stripped all the chrome from the Parts Pack Cadillac 354. Looking online, seems to be its a bored-out 331. I've found engines in green, blue, dark blue, black, and silver. What color should it be? It's going in a hot rod, and I may paint it CAT Yellow to be different, but I'd like a definitive answer on color in case I decide it fits with the style of the build.

Edited May 8, 2015 by chunkypeanutbutter

[Eshaver]

Cadillac motors 1949 to 1965 were always a Testor's Royal Blue , Gold Air cleaners on the 2 X4 set up otherwise Black . Valve covers on the 49-59 Gold . The newer ones were Blue .

[Ace-Garageguy]

As you've found, there was NO factory designation for a Caddy of 354 cu.in. displacement.

Eshaver's right, but unless you're going for the look of a rod with an engine that's been swapped in as-is from the junkyard, it can be any color you like.

Another thing to remember is that by the time many old engines made it to the boneyard, they would have most likely had major rebuilds, or at least top-end work, and mechanics and rebuilders were notorious for not painting things back in stock colors. One fairly large rebuilder in my area used to paint ALL their engines (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Buick, etc.) something very close to John Deere green.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Art Anderson]

As you've found, there was NO factory designation for a Caddy of 354 cu.in. displacement.

Eshaver's right, but unless you're going for the look of a rod with an engine that's been swapped in as-is from the junkyard, it can be any color you like.

Another thing to remember is that by the time many old engines made it to the boneyard, they would have most likely had major rebuilds, or at least top-end work, and mechanics and rebuilders were notorious for not painting things back in stock colors. One fairly large rebuilder in my area used to paint ALL their engines (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Buick, etc.) something very close to John Deere green.

Around here, rebuilt engines almost always came from Jasper Engine Exchange, with their blocks painted a dark royal blue, heads, intake manifolds and oil pans a bright orange! And, it didn't matter if you saw the engine at Sears, Montgomery Ward, Unit Parts, or Guarantee Tire & Auto--they were all the same colors.

Hmm, it could be fun to build up a model with a Jasper rebuilt engine--what a novel idea! Why haven't I done that yet?

Art

Edited May 9, 2015 by Art Anderson