1965 Comet Engine Color

[jjsipes]

I have seen black engine blocks and blue engine blocks. Does anyone know for sure what color the engine blocks were?

[CometMan]

That would depend on which engine you are going for, and when, Jason. If you are building an 8 cyl., an occasional black one did get produced, but the vast majority of them were Ford Medium Blue. If you are building a 6 cyl., the ones built before 6-1-65 were Red-Orange, the ones built after that were Medium Blue. Either way, the Medium Blue is what everyone thinks of when they think of Ford engines from that era. Hope this helps.

[Force]

I'm not 100% sure but I think Mercury followed the Ford model line engine colors in the 60's, in that case the engine should be black with different colored valve covers and air cleaners depending on engine version from 1959 up to at least midyear 1965...and blue from midyear 1965 or 1966 to 1968, from 1969 to 1974 the engines were lighter blue than the 66-68.

Edited June 29, 2017 by Force

[my66s55]

I'm not 100% sure but I think Mercury followed the Ford model line engine colors in the 60's, in that case the engine should be black with different colored valve covers and air cleaners depending on engine version from 1959 up to at least midyear 1965...and blue from midyear 1965 or 1966 to 1968, from 1969 to 1974 the engines   blue than the 66-68.

This answer is totally correct. The 65 full size Mercury engine was black with orange valve covers and air cleaner. I ran into this situation when I was building my full size 66 Mercury S55 convertible. The 66 brochure showed the 65 engine. Wrong colors for 66.

[Jon Haigwood]

Not sure if the Mercs were the same.

YEAR	ENGINE	BLOCK AND  CYLINDER HEADS	AIR CLEANER	VALVE COVERS
1959	223	Black	Red	Red
1959	292	Black	Red	Red
1959	332	Black	Green	Green
1959	352	Black	Blue	* Blue
1960	223	Black	Red	Red
1960	292	Black	Red	Red
1960	352	Black	Blue	Blue
1960	352	HP Black	Gold open-element	Gold
1961	223	Black	Red	Red
1961	292	Black	Red	Red
1961	352	Black	Blue	Blue
1961	390	Black	Silver	Silver
1961	390 HP	Black	Gold	Gold
1961	390 HP-6V	Black	Oval aluminum	Gold
1962	223	Black	Red	Red
1962	292	Black	Red	Red
1962	352	Black	Blue	Blue
1962	390	Black	Silver	Silver
1962	406-4V	Black	Gold open-element	Gold
1962	406-6V	Black	Oval aluminum	Gold
1963	223	Black	Red	Red
1963	289	Black	White	White
1963	352	Black	Blue	Blue
1963	390	Black	Gold	Gold
1963	406-4V	Black	Gold open-element	Gold
1963	406-6V	Black	Oval aluminum	Gold
1963	427-4V	Black	Chrome open-element	Chrome "baldies"
1963	427-8V	Black	Oval aluminum	Chrome "baldies"
1964	223	Black	Red	Red
1964	289	Black	Red	Red
1964	352	Black	Blue	Blue
1964	390	Black	Gold	Gold
1964	427-4V	Black	Chrome open-element	Chrome "baldies"
1964	427-8V	Black	Oval aluminum	Chrome "baldies"
1965	240	Black	Red	Red
1965	289	Black	White	White
1965	352	Black	Gold	Gold
1965	390	Black	Gold	Gold
1965	427-8V	Black	Oval aluminum	Chrome "pentroof"
1965	427 SOHC-4V	Black	Chrome open-element	Cast aluminum
1965	427 SOHC-8V	Black	Oval aluminum	Cast aluminum
1966	240	Blue**	Blue	Blue
1966	289	Blue	Blue	Blue
1966	352	Blue	Blue	Blue
1966	390	Blue	Blue	Blue
1966	427-4V	Blue	Chrome open-element	Chrome "pentroof"
1966	427-8V	Blue	Oval aluminum	Chrome "pentroof"
1966	427 SOHC-4V	Blue	Chrome open-element	Cast aluminum
1966	427 SOHC-8V	Blue	Oval aluminum	Cast aluminum
1966	428	Blue	Blue	Blue
1967	240	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"***
1967	289	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1967	390	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1967	427-4V	Blue	Blue	Tall Chrome "PBF"
1967	427-8V	Blue	Blue	Tall Chrome "PBF"
1967	427 SOHC-4V	Blue	Chrome open-element	Cast aluminum
1967	427 SOHC-8V	Blue	Oval aluminum	Cast aluminum
1967	428	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1968	240	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1968	302	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1968	390	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1968	427	Blue	Blue w/chrome lid Tall	Chrome "PBF"
1968	428	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1969	240	Blue****	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1969	302	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1969	351	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1969	390	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1969	429	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1970	250	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1970	302	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1970	351	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1970	390	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1970	429	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1971	302	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1971	351	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1971	390	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1971	400	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"
1971	429	Blue	Blue	Blue "PBF"

* The blue used on these engines is very similar to the lighter blue used on the late-'60s Ford engines.

 

** The blue used on 1966-1968 Ford engines is a darker blue than used on earlier Ford 352 valve covers. The correct color is TRW #630224 or Eastwood's "dark Ford blue."

***"PBF" indicates "Power by Ford"

**** 1969-1974 Ford engines were a lighter blue than 1966-1968. The color is similar to the early 352 valve covers.

[Force]

This answer is totally correct. The 65 full size Mercury engine was black with orange valve covers and air cleaner. I ran into this situation when I was building my full size 66 Mercury S55 convertible. The 66 brochure showed the 65 engine. Wrong colors for 66.

I have seen pre 66 Mercury's with black engines and gold or chrome valve covers and air cleaners, that's why I assumed they followed the Ford line.
I haven't found any list of engine colors for Mercury's other than the flatheads.

[dodgefever]

The standard Mercury 289 was black with yellow valve covers and air cleaner.  The Cyclone engine was black with silver valve covers and air cleaner, or black with chrome for the HiPo engine.