I checked with Eastwood and they do not sell the light blue for the '77 Cadillac engines. I was in Advanced Auto Parts yesterday and saw a Duplicolor engine paint marked 'General Motors Blue' #1608. It is almost a dead ringer for the bright blue band on the air breather lid of my '77 Seville. The valve covers and engine block in my car have a more minty, almost turquoise look to them as compared to the blue on the air breather lid. They appear to have the original paint on them but may have been refreshed with the wrong paint years ago by a previous owner.
Would someone please tell me if the correct hue is more like the band on the air breather lid or was it lighter with more of a turquoise cast to it. I bought the Duplicolor paint and refreshed the tops of the dipsticks (oil and transmission). They look great but do not match the paint on my engine block and valve covers. Which is correct?
Thanks!
Greg McDonnell
CLC# 20841
This is only speculation but the color on your engine may be the original paint that has discolored over the years. As you may know, Ford used a similar color light blue for its engines during the 1970's. Both of my F-100s have their original engines and they both have changed color to that minty, turquoise that you see on your car.
I think you're right about the color matching the breather. I'm sure someone else with a similar Cadillac will write to let you know.
Forrest
Thanks for your input regarding the possibility of paint fade, Forrest. I wondered about that yesterday when I was looking closely at various parts of the block and valve covers. The engine is 31 years old and heat will indeed do strange things to paint over that many years.
The two dipsticks (prior to refreshing them) did not match the rest of the engine but appeared to have faded themselves. Even with their rather dull look, they still retained enough of the paint that I could see they more closely resembled the Duplicolor engine paint I'd purchased than the block and valve covers. I do hope someone with the lighter blue paint will chime in on this one!
Greg