Amc Blue Engine Paint

The engine and head out of my 1974 CJ-5 are ready to be picked up from the machine shop, and I would like to paint them, in the correct color, soon.

I found the correct paint code (Ditzler code #14688) on this site 1974-82 AMC Blue Engine Paint , but they are out-of-stock and their 'contact us' form is broken, so I don't know when they'll get more in.

Does any one know of a source for this paint? Also, how many cans should it take to do the whole engine?

 

Well, it may be too obvious, but did you search the internet for that paint code? Seems like there are a lot of leads: ditzler 14688 - Search

If you are determined to use the correct paint, you can take the paint code to your local automotive paint store and they can mix it for you. You can apply with your own compressor and paint gun. There are refillable sprayers that would work too. Or, the paint store can make spray cans with your paint for a price.

Is there any original paint on the engine? That color may or may not be right for a '74. AMC switched to a turquoise solid color for engines sometime in that era.

 

I couldn't find the AMC paint when I painted my 304. I wasn't too worried about being original and bought "Chrysler Green" at NAPA Auto Parts. The color is really close to stock AMC. Three cans should be more than enough. As TIMGR pointed out, they did switch colors at some point. This engine was out of my 75.

 

Yes, that's close to the color AMC switched to sometime around 1974. My '75, '77 and '82 are all that color. My '73 was the earlier blue-green metallic color the OP shows.

Hirsch sells the Chrysler color Engine Enamel Paint | High Temp Engine Enamel | Hirsch Auto - at $20/can, that's 3 cans for $60; your paint store might be able to match that.

 

Yes, I did search. Lots of info for the code, not so much for sites that sell the paint.

As for the dates for the switch from Blue-Poly Metallic to the solid blue, the casting date on the block is August 23, 1973, and all the surviving paint was the solid blue. It would have been great if it had been the Blue-Poly Metallic, as the color is stunning, but no such luck.

 

Engines newly-rebuilt and painted with that blue-green metallic look impressive, but the paint color delivered from AMC was nowhere near that attractive. Seems engine paint was a slap-dash process, and did not come out with the amount of shine or depth that these newly painted engines have. Plus I expect AMC only applied as much paint as needed to cover, and quickly.

 

Especially after lunchtime in Milwaukee....

 

For what it's worth, I used POR-15 on my new Buick 225 V6 engine, transmission and transfer case. After 5 years, the engine paint still looks new. I'm very impressed.
I used a universal blue that looks to be lighter (less green) than the above example, but closer to GM/Buick blue.

 

Bulltear has a great color match.

It’s available through Amazon as well..

 

Is this what you're looking for?

https://www.amazon.com/Compatible-J...K,B000CPCREA,B00407V3YG,B00407V3X2&srpt=PAINT

 

I used Seymour Blue Engine EN-66 for my 1974 CJ5 and I think I ordered 6 cans, but only used 5. As close as I could get - If you find something better, post up!

 

My 1973 had the nonmetallic blue. I think build date was June 1973? May have ordered from Bulltear when I rebuilt and painted.

 

Hope this helps someone...or OP if he hasn't found a paint source. I had some overspray on the back of the fly wheel which was the original factory blue paint. Based on paint chips I had body shop spray out...it matched the Eastwood color more than the PPG/Ditzer color. Mine was a early '74, so manufactured sometime in '73. And like others have said sometime in mid to late '74 they changed from the lighter blue metalic to a darker blue. So I sprayed the Eastwood AMC metallic. Bought a quart with the urethane activator. Used maybe half the can. Came out good I think...

 

That looks great! I'm looking for paint for 68, the original was a metalic green, the forum seemed to settle on Alpine Green, overed a few cans on Amazon and its definitely not the right color. Hard to tell from the pic, is this kind of a metalic green, with maybe a blueish tint?

 

No I don't think this would fall into the green color at all. Its all blue to me at least.

 

I think there is a lighter non-metallic blue.

 

As Tim said not sure when the color was changed but the factory color on my 304 is very simmilar to fessor's turquorise . The build date on mine is April 74. My brother had a 73-304 with the build date of march 73. and the color of it was a blue shade.

 

Chris74's engine and transmission look great. However, the color I remember from my '73 was something like the PPG '74 metallic shown above. Jeep switched to the solid color around '74ish, and I suspect that you're seeing overspray of the solid color on the back of the flywheel. I also suspect that the Eastwood color is an "optimistic" rendering of something like the '72-73ish metallic color. The Eastwood paint has a lot of shine (like modern paints) and lots of high-quality flake, which makes it look great on an engine. It may not be very accurate, if that's what you are after.

I don't want to be too authoritative about this, because so much depends on my memory of Jeeps I have looked at in the past. Plus it may be more important to use a paint color that makes you happy and looks good, than to search for debatable accuracy that does not mean much with a 'better than factory' restoration that we might like or want.

Supposedly there is another shade of AMC blue-green metallic, but you have to go back to the engines of the '60s to see it. The California engines were painted red in '71 and '72, as I recall.

 

The Calfornia engines were apparently painted red in 74 also. At least the 401's were. There is an old wrecked 74, J-20 with a red 401 in it near here. The mfg date is within 2 months of my 74 cj5 with the 304 turquoise engine.
If the truth be known there are probably multiple shades of the red Calif. color too. As tim said they all look great just paint it a color you like and have fun admiring your build.

 

You make a good point, pick something you like....I think thats what I will do.

Thanks all!