Appears to be grey. Anyone have a picture with original colors?
Thanks!

 

My 300 is grey and my valve cover is black but i kinda wanted to paint the motor ford blue went i pull it out!

 

1985 Ford Engines were Ford Gray.

 

And 1986 as well, here's the original color (what's left of it, anyways)...

 

Not all of the 85's were, mines Ford Blue, well the parts that still have paint are. And it's the original motor.

 

66-80 are ford DARK blue
81-94 are ford gray
95-current are black

 

Welp, maybe that's true but mine is still blue and it is the original motor and never rebuilt. I bought it from a long time friend that bought it new from the dealer. Don't know what the breakdown is or even where to check but obviously those numbers aren't true in every case. And if you check True Blue Trucks, a mag for and about Ford trucks, the 300 in there project truck is also blue.

 

The original color in 1985 was gray for the 300.

 

My years are correct. Your engine has painted, or swapped

 

What ever you say. Like I said I got it from a long time friend, that's dead now hence wanting to keep it and fix it up, and know the history sense new but not going to argue about it because I really don't care. I just know what mine is, what the 83 at the JY I get parts from, and what the 85 in True Blue Trucks are but those must have been changed to. I'm out of here.

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Ford Gray engines started turning up in 1982-83.

Before 1983 they were Ford Blue.

Before 1973 they were Ford Dark Blue.

Why can the same year have two different colored engines?

Just because they started painting motors Gray in 1983 does not mean the plant used up all their engines that were painted blue by that date.

And with something this old, it could have been swapped or painted as well.

1985 factory built engines were gray.

Could a brand new 1982 built blue engine find it's way into a 1985? You bet! It depended on the calibration code and how many were built in 1982, and how many were needed in 1982.

KEDWINH, are you the one that has the canadian built 1985 engine; with the non-catalyst, able to use leaded fuel model, correct? This could explain why the engine is blue if it is you. If the truck still has the calibration sticker on the valve cover, under the calibration code it will have letters and numbers. A through M for the month. The year in two sets of numbers like 80 81 82 etc... and numbers 1 2 3 in one line and 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 in the other for the day . The sticker will be hole punched over the appropriate number or letter when the engine was first built.

 

Nope it's US built, or at least US spec and sold new in Phoenix, Az. It has a cat and smaller fuel hole for unleaded. The block, valve cover, pan and intake are blue. Found the sticker but it is covered with baked on oil so bad not sure I could ever get it to where it's readable. Like I said, mines not the only one I've seen in this year bracket that's blue. In face I've never seen one any other color, other than black, that I remember. And like I said, I really don't care because I'm not a purest or restorer so it's not worth arguing about. Ya'll do what you thinks right and I'll do the same.

 

Nobody was arguing, just trying to find out why yours is blue is all.

 

I have a 300 out of a 1980 Ford van and it's a nice blue

Paint is all intact but the the entire block is covered in oil!

 

I have a 1995 150 with a 300 and its grey