2 1/4 liter engine paint ?

[Eric W S]

Possibly, but as far as a Rover engines painted blue from 1960-1974, I can honestly say I have never seen one. I have only seen dark green on
series 1's, grey on series 2's and the alpine/detroit diesel/pastel/or whatever you want to call it green on 2a's through s3's. I use 74 as a cut off because I have never owned a Rover made after 74 and dont want to make a statement unless I have actually seen one. Evidently I am not alone, as any show truck I have ever seen, as well as most of the accurate resto's that other folks have done, have all used the alpine green color.

Dunsfold paints the blocks in the correct shade. You can see the pics on their sight under restorations. Many of the Series 2 Club resto's have the correct shade. Take your pick of the series 2 restos.

I'd argue that the restorations probably weren't that accurate with a green engine. I've several trucks from professionals in the correct shade. Lanny Clark, Many from David Cooper.

The Military Land Rover Club even has a nice article on Sky Blue on their site. Goes through the history and the confusion with the Duck Egg Blue misnomer. Over here most people confuse it for a sea foam green instead Duck Egg Blue. They even have the aviation back story behind the Sky name...

Go to Rovers Down South. George has a new old stock block painted in the correct shade of blue. It's faded, but it's still blue... It's on the engine page... That's the correct color for the block, not green. Lower right pic and you can clearly see why it's called sky...

There's three highly accurate sources to support Sky Blue. Dunsfold. Series 2 A Club, the Military Rovers Club, and a NOS Block from George at RDS.

EwS

[greenmeanie]

Bingo! Hence the name Sky Blue! And the reason the paint was used. Bronze green was a cockpit color.

EwS

And what colour was used on the underside of RAF fighters? Now you open a real can of worms for the rivet counters.......
Link

The word SKY has nothing to do with RAF usage.

[Bertha]

You need to find better "purists".

You need to find better facts.

[Bertha]

Bingo! Hence the name Sky Blue! And the reason the paint was used. Bronze green was a cockpit color.

EwS

Wrong!

[Bertha]

Dunsfold paints the blocks in the correct shade. You can see the pics on their sight under restorations. Many of the Series 2 Club resto's have the correct shade. Take your pick of the series 2 restos.

I'd argue that the restorations probably weren't that accurate with a green engine. I've several trucks from professionals in the correct shade. Lanny Clark, Many from David Cooper.

The Military Land Rover Club even has a nice article on Sky Blue on their site. Goes through the history and the confusion with the Duck Egg Blue misnomer. Over here most people confuse it for a sea foam green instead Duck Egg Blue. They even have the aviation back story behind the Sky name...

Go to Rovers Down South. George has a new old stock block painted in the correct shade of blue. It's faded, but it's still blue... It's on the engine page... That's the correct color for the block, not green. Lower right pic and you can clearly see why it's called sky...

There's three highly accurate sources to support Sky Blue. Dunsfold. Series 2 A Club, the Military Rovers Club, and a NOS Block from George at RDS.

EwS

Call it what you want, it is still green in color-25 engines in my garage dont lie, neither do the many Rovers that I have owned over the last 20 years. Funny thing, Lanny Clark actually had a shot on his website of a Rover motor he did a while back and what do you know, it was GREEN. Looking at the Dunsfold site as you suggested also shows the motors painted a light green.

[thixon]

Eric,

Does it really matter? Where talking about rovers right? I love'em. but its not exactly a deal breaker for the block to be painted the "almost right color, but not quite."

Also, I have to ask, what's your explanation for the 25 blocks in Berthas garage, all painted green? DId the southpark underpants knomes sneek in his garage and paint them all the same color in a fiendish plot to convince the entire world that all 2.25's were painted green? "Phase one, steal underpants. Phase two, paint all of Berthas rover engines green."

Assuming he's not lying about all 25 motors being green (why would he), how is it possible that they all could end up the same color. Don't try to tell me they came from the same source. Or maybe you beleive the underants knome theory?

Lastly, you might want to take some stock in what greenmeanie has to say. He's actually from the UK.

[kevkon]

I'd also have to ask why every original part I have worked on had that green as a first coat.

[JayGoss]

Here's a blast from the past thread resurrection. I'm trying to help a friend restore his Series II 109 and he's asked me if the cylinder head is to be painted the same color as the block. I restored a late IIa and painted both the block and head detroit diesel green as it was a close match to the original shade that was on the block/head. I had Lanny Clark restore an early Series II for me and he painted the block light blue and the head black. When I asked him if that was the correct color scheme he said, "I don't know". I asked when they switched from light blue to green he was unsure. My friend has been using my Rover as a guide for his restoration as he's planning on showing it, so it would be nice to have the correct parts painted (all blue green vs green block, black head, etc). I searched Dunsfold's site and they don't have a 2.25l engine pic of the correct vintage to view. Any ideas? For reference we're talking about a '60 Series II 2.25l petrol built for the US market. Thanks in advance- and feel free to attach links to threads that may answer my question; this is the closest I've found.

[cedryck]

Wow,
I bought rustolium blue paint from true value that said royal blue, now I know these engines were not blue but thinking royal blue, nice, ended up drying Ford blue, my rover engine is Ford blue.

[Revtor]

it's a really light green/grey. I just had my engine out and cleaned the hell out of it and found this paint on it. ALthough 44 years ago as it left the factory, before thousands of heat cycles, who know what it really looked like. I have read all over "This guy has a NOS block and its this color blah blah." but no one can bother to take a decent pic, correct the color and post it for the rover world to see. . . .

I wouldn't stress it, even on the S2 UK forum there are pages upon pages of debate and no clear cut answer. So ya know, if those guys cant decide, then no car show judge will know.

Krylon has one called "Celery" that looks like what I was seeing on my block. (But its not high heat)

I fussed over it for 2 minutes then sprayed it bright silver! (My place didn't have the Det. diesel alpine green)


~Steve

[ArlowCT]

Painted my engine bright yellow with the POR engine kit. The paint has held up great, was easy to apply, and you can spot leaks a mile away with the light color! POR makes a bunch of different engine colors, I highly recommend them.

[yorker]

it's a really light green/grey. I just had my engine out and cleaned the hell out of it and found this paint on it. ALthough 44 years ago as it left the factory, before thousands of heat cycles, who know what it really looked like. I have read all over "This guy has a NOS block and its this color blah blah." but no one can bother to take a decent pic, correct the color and post it for the rover world to see. . . .

There are no shortage of NOS parts out there, the problem is that with online pictures there is no real color calibration. Add in variations in monitors and its a fools errand trying to match colors via the net..

http://www.darebritannia.com/uploads/1/3/6/4/13643055/8315526_orig.jpg

then there are the MOD rebuilds too



Add to it variations in paint between batches, aging etc and there comes a point where you just have to just pick something and go with it.

[JayGoss]

Well I told my friend to go with Detroit Diesel green and I think the motor paint fashion police would be pleased!

[ArlowCT]

Almost looks too good! Nice work.

[jac04]

Yes, very nice looking!