Blue engine paint?

[Logan]

This is the second car I've seen with blue engine paint.  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kaiser-Manhattan-/300914309466?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item460fe3f95a  My '53 Manhattan also had this exact color of blue engine and transmission paint, and I thought at the time that someone must had taken it out of the car and repainted it, but seeing this one, I wonder if some came from the factory with this shade of blue?  By the way, this car is in Utah and my car was originally sold in Idaho I believe.  Although I don't know why blue engines would be sent to this region.  Mayhap the whole thing is a coincidence.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

The people who did the work probably had the color in their shop.  Blue was not used on the 226. 

[Gordie]

Engine and transmission builders usually repaint engines during or after the rebuilding process and they could be any color.

[BigDave LM6174]

Engines were never blue from the factory.

[dusty]

I have a 1955 226 engine under my bench and a 1953 both in blue the 55 has a red oil pan and the 53 green. after some research it was learned that it was a SEARS AND ROEBUCK over haul color, circa 1950s and 1960s. i also had a 1955 ford f150 that i had had overhauled by them and a 1956 Lincoln Premeir

[Terry T]

Several years ago I ordered Darrin engine paint from Fred Walker and had him ship it directly to my mechanic who was rebuilding the engine.
He shot the paint and said it came out great--good news turned to bad when I saw the engine and it was BLUE!!!

[Kory Fox]

Several years ago I asked Fred what color my engine was supposed to be. When I told the guys on the chat group we were all on back then it started a huge argument between guys that said Fred knew his stuff and guys that were adament that he was wrong. I still don't know if I painted it the right color but I'm not looking for points.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Fred, especially in his later years was wrong about a lot of things he claimed was gosphel.  A number of people who ordered their parts from fred found out the hard way on the judging field.

This is why we need written guidelines so owners can restore/upgrade/maintain cars to factory.   If the grand expert on judging had to guess (and guessed wrong at times) we need it verified and preserved for the future.

Is this too much to ask?

[Logan]

I agree about the need for guidelines.  Re: the blue engine paint, the Sears rebuild sounds plausible.  I did not think anything about it, as I said, until I saw this car, and they are both the same shad of blue.  Does someone know if there were Sears stores in Northern Utah/Southern Idaho that sold Allstates?  I know little about Allstates, but I do not believe they were introduced into all markets, were they?

[amkfken]

Doesn't make any difference if the Sears store sold Allstates, their rebuilds all were painted blue regardless of the make of engine.
This car has a Sears rebuilt engine.

[joefrazer]

Yes, Sears used blue paint on all of their rebuilt engines sold thru their stores and catalogs, up thru the mid 70s when they stopped selling rebuilts.

Allstate engines were blue. Sears used blue as it was one of their corporate colors in the 50s and 60s.

Here's a pic of one I cleaned up in a 53 Allstate...

http://kaiserfrazercars.com/allstenghosed.JPG

Sears sold the Allstate in select southern and western stores. Parts, but never the cars, were also available thru the catalog. The car in the picture was sold to an Allstate Insurance employee in Michigan. She put a total of 12K miles on it before parking it in the late 50s.

[Logan]

Well, that solves the mystery.  Thanks for the help.