Alright guys I am looking to find out the original engine color for my truck. I can see a little yellow popping thru the oil. I will b pulling the engine to rebuild it, while it's out I want to paint it. Any help will be great. Thanks.

 

If you see a bit of yellow, chances are it was yellow. This is correct for the '56, a common off the shelf paint. I forget the exact shade. Perhaps I can find the can today.

Edit: In the meantime, go here, a long read but interesting. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/2...a-y-block.html

 

I would appreciate that.

 

I used Dupli-Color engine enamel Daytona Yellow, product # DE1642. At least that is what I found on the paint shelf and it seems to match the engine. I think that color is given somewhere in that lengthy thread I linked to.

 

Found the Daytona Yellow at O'Reillys.

 

Caterpillar yellow is pretty close.

 

That thread is long and a bit inaccurate in the beginning.

To cut to the point, truck engines in 54 were painted red. In 55 and 56 were yellow as Ray said above. An interesting note here is the fact that Big Job truck engines in 55 were red. All three years had argent valve covers with air cleaners, generators, starters, oil filters and road draft tubes painted black as in Rays picture.

 

Abe, you spoiled the story for him. How dare you summarize a 200 post thread in two sentences.

I used the Daytona Yellow and I got mine at AutoZone I think.

I painted my valve covers black before I learned they should be argent. I'm not sure I like the argent. Well that's the least of my worries at the moment.

CJones55, be sure to go through that thread, it has some nice ads from that time frame with engine pictures.