There is a lot written about the blue color of the Maverick V-8 engines but here is a screen shot of an article from a Motor Trend and also a photo of my 1973 Maverick engine. The air breather is close to what I am used to referring to to as Ford Corporate Blue, but my engine seems to be slightly lighter but not a light as the “baby blue” color. Does anyone know what the blue of the valves covers is? Thanks.
The '66 Mustang engine I originally put in my Maverick when I switched to a V8 in '73 was a very light blue. I bought a '68 truck 302 for parts and it was a little darker. My original '70 6-cylinder and a friend's '72 302 Grabber were dark blue. So I've always painted mine Thunderbird red. LOL
I would say your valve covers and air breather are the same blue. Any differences is just due to age. I used POR-15 engine paint on my engine. I had the body shop shoot it. It turned out more greyish. They must have added something to the paint???
I've been looking at Ford Dark Blue paints since approx Feb 1966, that was year color was introduced. Was on a NEW '66 North Carolina state Police car with 428 Interceptor. All hyped up to see the 428(also new in '66), was a big letdown when a friend & I opened hood to be greeted with a huge DARK blue lump, Everything was dk blue, valve covers, air cleaner, block etc, looked like a industrial engine. Looking at hundreds of original engines through the '70s & early '80s, not once do I remember anything but dark blue. In early '69 I bought a 22K mi '66 Mustang 289 for a friend that had blown the 289 in his '65 Comet. That engine was dark blue. The 289 in my '67 Falcon, dark blue, '69 Torino 351 I installed, dark blue, '70 Galaxie 302 dark blue, '74 Pinto 2.3 dark blue, '75 Granada 250, dark blue, '79 Fairmont 200, dark blue. Prior years Ford used black block with valve covers painted for various sizes of engine. There were gold, silver, red, yellow(Mercury), even white('63½ 289). A medium blue used on '60-'65 352 FE and some small blocks. No doubt in my mind this is color some of paint suppliers latched on in '80s/'90s to sell as Ford Blue. When I restored my Cobra in '92 the lighter color was being pushed by the paint suppliers. Not me, I wasn't buying it, my 428 & every other '66-'80 Ford engine was dark blue('81 switched to battleship grey). At time I found best match for my 428 was Krylon Ford dark Blue, matched underside of air cleaner with original paint. Combination of oil & heat on block does bleach the original paint. These days I use Dupli Color DE 1606 Ford Dark Blue. The engine in my '69 Fairlane has been painted with the 352 valve cover paint, totally incorrect. Here's a comparison of original paint on exhaust heat riser with current paint. This shot is most closely correct, another taken at same time is slightly over exposed. Shots taken during P/S pump fitment/install. Here's my Comet engine painted with the DE 1606.
This one looks more like my valve covers and block. I see Summit Racing has it. Still, it’s a bit of a crap shoot to have it match. I’d just like to paint the water pump and timing cover. Unfortunately, I’m not planning to pull the engine so, I’m somewhat constrained for space.
I think the Duplicolor dark Ford blue looks the best, and pretty darn close to the factory dark blue.
The plastic spray can tops never look exactly like the paint inside. At least been my experience. Detailing can be performed with engine in place... My Cobra just after P/S install in april 17, last freshened probably 15+ years prior. A few months later after I'd decided to show it for 1st time many years.
Just had a revelation, how does the DE-1606 compare with original Ford Dark Blue? Orig '69 302 heat riser compared to snorkel on 428... Here's another example, '68 289 with lighter blue & red over the original dark blue. Obviously the water pump rebuilder had little interest in matching orig. This shot is a bit over exposed.