66 Merc 410 Paint code?

Jeff Norwell

Senior Member
I am buttoning up my 66 410 Merc FE,.. the question I have is,... does anyone know the proper paint code on the Orange(ish) paint for the VC's and Air cleaner?
I haven't had much luck finding it or have not searched in the proper area.
Thanks in Advance.
 

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You might have to bite the bullet on this one and get the color analyzed -

I'll keep searching.
 
Thanks guys.. the hunt continues!
I do have somewhat of what's left on the AC.... but its very faded, I may be able to get a spectrum shot under an old Merc Info sticker on the side of the AC...
 
Keep us informed. There is a SECTION in the MPC that gives you lubricant, chemical and paint info but I saw nothing referring to that engine paint.

Someone has to have that info.

I'll keep looking as I am curious also.

What are you putting it in (if you don't mind my asking)?
 
My intention was to use this Merc originally in my 57 Custom,... but I fell upon the built 352 and made the decision to use that.....
It's a back up for that car....
anyhow,I will keep searching.... I seem to be returning to stock formats and want to keep all things FORD/MERC on these cars.... and stay away from aftermarket stuff.
Not sure if that makes sense.
haha.
 
I seem to be returning to stock formats and want to keep all things FORD/MERC on these cars.... and stay away from aftermarket stuff.

Not sure if that makes sense.
haha.

It makes perfect sense to me. Opening a hood and seeing all FORD OEM is important to me also.

"It looks nice, why the little miss"?

"I think I have a bad plug wire or two ..." ... :D

So, no CHI-COM HEI DIST or CHI-COM H4010 copy will be on it?

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Ford started changing colors to identify engines back in late 1939. They had to get more creative with it when the two Y-block V8 types started showing up. It got even more complex when the MEL and FE engines came on line. Ford used a lot of different colors to ID all these different types and displacements but in the mid 60s Ford started to change everything to the Ford blue. 1964 still used the black & gold like the Thunderbirds. 1965 was likely the only year that the the light orange (similar to Matador Red) was used since I've seen it in S55 Marauders. In 1966 Ford went blue in most all of their products. Chrome was even starting to show up on high performance engine packages in 1966. Mercury used that light sort of orange color in 65 and it may have creeped into early 1966 but all the ones I've worked on were standard models with Ford blue from pan to air filter housing.
 
410s - Vermillion - M-# 870, which goes back to at least 1958.

1965 Mercury Vermillion M-870 390, 410 Valve Covers, Air Cleaner

The 65 Mercury 390 engine color was a black block and Ford Red (looks orange) valve covers and air cleaner. The power steering pump should be black. The Ford Red can be bought from www.falconparts.com and the black can be found anywhere.

Ditzler # 60449 (paint line # not given)
 
410s - Vermillion - M-# 870, which goes back to at least 1958.

1965 Mercury Vermillion M-870 390, 410 Valve Covers, Air Cleaner

The 65 Mercury 390 engine color was a black block and Ford Red (looks orange) valve covers and air cleaner. The power steering pump should be black. The Ford Red can be bought from www.falconparts.com and the black can be found anywhere.

Ditzler # 60449 (paint line # not given)



Perfect!
Thank you alt63bird!!!!
Thanks everyone
 
The Ford red was Ford Vermilion but it is more of a RED color with Ford. It was used on both engines and bodies in the immediate post war years. It was used on tractors in the 8N time frame clear up into the late 1950s along with the beige/gray fenders & engine cover. A lot of folks refer to them as the red belly tractors. Ford trucks used it with Ford Code M-1722 in the Bonus years.

The shade of vermilion changes with every different manufacturer of cars and paints so it's hard to nail down the shade that Mercury used in 1965. Some say it was Ditzler code 60449 which is sometimes referred to as Poppy Red. It is more orange that red but there were shade variances on that too. The Ford code was M-1730 for this color.

Rangoon red code M-1515 is another odd red orange color from that time frame. It looks like a lot of the engine photos you can find for 1965 Mercury Marauders. If you Google 1965 Mercury Marauder engine color, it will bring up a lot of different engines to look at.

Another odd color code was M-1637 Salmon Corral or Bittersweet from that era.
 
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