Mopar Turquoise Engine Paint

[haywire 440]

This photo, from a mid 70’s, show a rebuilt (in progress) and repainted block from a ‘68 RR 383. I know the picture is sideways but it gave a full view and it’s really just for color comparison. I don’t know the type of paint but it was high temperature engine paint.

 

[rirealtor]

Here is underside of intake; which we thought was original paint. Color matched to paint engine and it was too green. Ordered Bill Hirsch and the difference was apparent. The “splotches” are the BS paint next to it. Perhaps a change in color by factory, perhaps with heat. All I can say the original match we tried was too green.
Makes sense that it’s probably a re paint as the transmission is blue (a833).

 

[ricks_RR]

 

[Richard Cranium]

Does anyone know when the turquoise engine color changed from the green shade of turquoise to the blue shade of turquoise? All my original 67's and the earlier cars I have seen with original paint are the green shade of turquoise. It seems that 68-71 may have been the blue shade of turquoise. I'm not sure and have no documentation to say one way or the other. I know that the only 72 original car I owned was corporate blue. Anyone with more knowledge than me about this, please speak up. All opinions are welcome too.
If this will get more responses in another part of the forum, please move it.

This thread is timely for me because the VHT "Chrysler Turquoise" paint I applied to my 1968 440 turns out to be too blue. I ordered the correct paint (in spray cans) from Bill Hirsch back in April & like everyone else, he was having trouble getting product. He did get quarts a couple weeks ago and didn't know when spray cans were available, so I bought a quart. Bill says his paint covers all years that had turquoise engines.

I wasn't going to yank the engine back out, and today, I stripped the top of the engine and sprayed as much as I could. I used a Preval sprayer which worked out pretty good. The paint just needed to be thinned slightly to get the sprayer to work. Here's the end result ....

 

[Jerry Hall]

My research has told me that the green shade of turquoise is from 62-67 and the blue shade of turquoise is from 68-71. After that it is corporate blue.
I am satisfied with the PPG formula that I just sprayed on my 67 engine.

 

[themechanic]

I was told the best shade for the 67 cars was detroit diesel green

This is rattle can paint btw

As for WHEN it changed. Im of no help

The bottom picture is a little closer to how it looks in person. But it definitly has a little more green tint to it in person than my pics show on my monitor

View attachment 1335038

View attachment 1335044

That's the same color of the M113 APC floor under the aluminum floor pans, BTW.

 

[themechanic]

Have you tried these guys? They're one source for original paint since Totally Auto stopped selling it.

MOPAR Automotive Restoration Paint

We carry a complete line of Mopar Restoration Paints! Textured Argents, Organisol, High Impact Colors, Interior & specialty Paints

8774paint1.com

I just ordered some dark argent for Uncle Bill's Cuda grill over the phone. The guy seems knowledgeable. Prices are good, too. Saved a bit on shipping ordering by phone as his website calculates it different.

Or you can try Frank Badalson here:

Home - Roger Gibson

PARTS SUPPLY WHO WE ARE To build a great restoration, you need great parts. We take the extra time to bring our customers authentic and correct restoration parts and supplies. CURRENT CATALOG VIEW CATALOG Click here to view our most recent parts catalog (PDF). Give us a call if you have any...

www.rogergibsonautorestoration.com

 

[Budnicks]

No Idea what years it actually covers
I'm not an overly ****-retentive type
it's close (or for me close enough) for the 68 RR Engine
Think I got it from Year one or Summit Racing probably

 

[furyus]

No Idea what years it actually covers
I'm not an overly ****-retentive type
it's close (or for me close enough) for the 68 RR Engine
Think I got it from Year one or Summit Racing probably


View attachment 1336000

I have a can of that in my shop. I have no use for it, and I don't advertise it because no one will ship it.

 

[Jerry Hall]

No Idea what years it actually covers
I'm not an overly ****-retentive type
it's close (or for me close enough) for the 68 RR Engine
Think I got it from Year one or Summit Racing probably


View attachment 1336000

I actually had some of that up until about 8 years ago. It was dead on to the color I remember. As I don't throw away much, I could still have a piece of can that's probably useless now.

 

[BrianS]

Have you tried these guys? They're one source for original paint since Totally Auto stopped selling it.

http://[URL]https://8774paint1.com/

[/URL]

I just ordered some dark argent for Uncle Bill's Cuda grill over the phone. The guy seems knowledgeable. Prices are good, too. Saved a bit on shipping ordering by phone as his website calculates it different.

Or you can try Frank Badalson here:

http://[URL]https://www.rogergibsonautorestoration.com/parts/home/

[/URL]

Both places are highly recommended by quite a few folks. I ordered my tail panel paint and argent for the grill from 8774Paint1. Great product. Ordered quite a bit of leaf spring rebuild parts from Frank, great to talk to and doesn't mind sharing his 50+ years of experience when you ask questions.

 

[AR67GTX]

No Idea what years it actually covers
I'm not an overly ****-retentive type
it's close (or for me close enough) for the 68 RR Engine
Think I got it from Year one or Summit Racing probably


View attachment 1336000

That is what I used to freshen up the engine in my 67 GTX that I picture in my earlier post. It shifts color after a few heat cycles and looks generally correct To me with a greenish cast to it.

 

[33 IMP]

No Idea what years it actually covers
I'm not an overly ****-retentive type
it's close (or for me close enough) for the 68 RR Engine
Think I got it from Year one or Summit Racing probably


View attachment 1336000

That's the turquoise I used too. Looks just the way I expected/remembered. Seems much better paint than the Mopar Performance race hemi orange I used.
If I remember right, the dealer was the only place I could find any turquoise, nothing at the parts places.

 

[Richard Cranium]

No Idea what years it actually covers
I'm not an overly ****-retentive type
it's close (or for me close enough) for the 68 RR Engine
Think I got it from Year one or Summit Racing probably


View attachment 1336000

The problem I have found with previous MP paint that I've used (Hemi orange) was that it was thin as water.

 

[gdrill]

Camera angle and lighting play a huge part. These pictures are all the same engine. Believe it or not. The paint can isn’t what I used but I had a color made to resemble it.

 

[themechanic]

I always wondered how they picked the colors they painted engines.

 

[Lefty71]

Not to offend by any means, but the engine in post #18 looks like a repaint to me. Color looks like the later corporate blue, yet if you look close, the heads appear to be Turquois.

 

[Lefty71]

I've had good luck with KBS Motor Coater branded paints too. Their Turquois looks spot on to me.... of course, if what Jerry Hall is saying is accurate, then I`d say it looks more like the late 60's turquois

 

[440 4 speed]

Camera angle and lighting play a huge part. These pictures are all the same engine. Believe it or not. The paint can isn’t what I used but I had a color made to resemble it.

View attachment 1336218View attachment 1336219View attachment 1336220View attachment 1336221View attachment 1336222

Looks so good, can’t believe the difference.

 

[BrianS]

I've had good luck with KBS Motor Coater branded paints too. Their Turquois looks spot on to me.... of course, if what Jerry Hall is saying is accurate, then I`d say it looks more like the late 60's turquois

Another vote for KBS. I never have been a fan of rattle can paint so this was the answer to me. I was satisfied with the results of course you need to have the equipment to spray it on which for some is a problem.