1960 Ford pickup engine color?

[TonyK]

I've spent at least an hour searching online for the correct engine color for a stock 1960 Ford pickup. Everyone has a different answer and pictures are mostly new engines replacing the stock one. About ready to just build the model with a closed hood. Thanks for any help you can give. Also, I plan to put a Ford air cleaner on to cover the tri-carbs. Close enough to make it look right.

[Ulf]

Very difficult question, I have wondered the same thing. Looking at different forums makes it even more confusing. I actually think you can paint what someone says on a forum if you think it looks good. I have been looking for and trying to recreate colors and materials in houses from the same time as this car, very little was being documented in the world at this time, people were looking ahead.

[rattle can man]

maybe this will help? It is correct on the '66-'71 ford blue, and it jives with photos and actual vehicles I've seen.

Correct Ford Engine Colors (galaxieclub.com)

[StevenGuthmiller]

13 minutes ago, rattle can man said:

maybe this will help? It is correct on the '66-'71 ford blue, and it jives with photos and actual vehicles I've seen.

Correct Ford Engine Colors (galaxieclub.com)

I saw that chart too, but it appears to be passenger car colors.

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

I found what might possibly be some relevant information on a Ford truck board.

Who knows, but this appears to be some of the more reliable evidence that I saw there.

 

 

This comes from "Ford Trucks 1957-67" by Paul G. McLaughlin.........

1957 272 .................Block = red, Accents = black (Valve covers, air cleaner box, and so on).

1958 272/292............Block = red, Accents = black

1959 292..................Block = Black..... Red, blue, black accents.

1960 292..................Block = black..... Red, blue, black accents.

1961-64...................Doesn't say.

One thing I do know for sure, The 1959 292's in trucks had black blocks, blue valve covers (lighter than Ford Corporate Blue), orangeish-red intakes, black air cleaner. Both my '59's were colored this scheme. One was owned since the early '60's, the other has 20,000 plus original miles on it.

 

 

underhood shot of a 27,000 original mile 1960, on ebay about a year back. Judging, by the carb, fuel line and other odds, it has never been touched. -4speed

 

 

 

That's all I got right now.

 

 

 

Steve

Edited August 17, 2024 by StevenGuthmiller

[TonyK]

Thanks for the info. Sometimes I catch myself spending way too much time looking to get things right when building a model. No one is gonna know but me so I really shouldn't get too worked up about it.

[StevenGuthmiller]

2 hours ago, TonyK said:

Thanks for the info. Sometimes I catch myself spending way too much time looking to get things right when building a model. No one is gonna know but me so I really shouldn't get too worked up about it.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I have a lot of fun researching this kind of stuff.

It’s not always fruitful, but you’ll almost always learn a lot in the process.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[rattle can man]

If the engines are identical whether in a truck or car, the colors would be the same. All Ford engine blocks '59-'66 are black. The color of the valve cover and air cleaners delineate displacements/ engine series and various versions (such as 4V, 6V, 8V, SOHC, etc.), of the engine

[Dave G.]

I don't recall total engine color but seem to recall reddish valve covers. However, to my knowledge tri power was not a factory thing on a truck in 1960. Most were aftermarket conversions, with something like a Wieand manifold and three Stromberg two barrel carbs. Then three dome shaped chromed air cleaners on top. It was simply the thing to do back then. But in that process, the engine might become any color. I know I guy who converted his 60 Ford panel truck from 6 cyl to a 292 V8. He did the three carb thing and painted the engine yellow. He followed the pattern of two or three different Model A and 32 Ford hot rods we encountered growing up, where they too all had the engines painted yellow.

I'm not saying to paint your engine yellow ! Just, once conversions start happening, and maybe a small upgraded camshaft etc. Probably about any color to to tick the owners dreams might be applied.

[dino246gt]

Here's what I did with my '60, black with red valve covers, the air cleaner may have been replaced over the years, LOL