Question? First year FE Engine colour.

Jeff Norwell

Senior Member
Does anyone know in 58 what the FE engine colour and rocker cover colour was....mostly the most Hi-Po one available at that year(1958)
Any paint codes or visual pics would be app.
 
I remember when the new 58 Fords came out with 332 and 352 FE engines. To the best of my recollection, they had green engines.
Sure wish someone with more knowledge would chime in on this one and clear up the mystery.
 
I think the block is supposed to be Ford blue, the rocker covers gloss black, and the air cleaner colonial white.
 
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I did a Google search and most of the information was black engine block until mid 65 then blue. Valve covers varied from one vehical to another but the earliest ones were a gold / tan color and i do remember those . The air cleaner would match the valve covers. I don't remember seeing any Colonial white air cleaners although it was possible i guess . Colonial white is a 56 ford passenger car color like my 56 . I'm not saying i'm completely right but i was there when they were new engines , should have taken a few color pictures i guess.:)
 
Did more research on this, and checked the shop manual for '58 as well. Firstly, the black and white shop manual pics of the Interceptor engine clearly show gloss black valve covers on a much lighter engine color [block, heads, intake, water pump and oil pan etc]. Further research says that for 1958, the 332 engine was blue, and the 352 was green. Valve covers were gloss black for both. All air cleaners in '58 were Colonial White, which was also an exterior color for '58. Hope this helps, though there seems to be a lot of conflicting info out there.
 
Did more research on this, and checked the shop manual for '58 as well. Firstly, the black and white shop manual pics of the Interceptor engine clearly show gloss black valve covers on a much lighter engine color [block, heads, intake, water pump and oil pan etc]. Further research says that for 1958, the 332 engine was blue, and the 352 was green. Valve covers were gloss black for both. All air cleaners in '58 were Colonial White, which was also an exterior color for '58. Hope this helps, though there seems to be a lot of conflicting info out there.

123Finboy, the colors are reversed from what you posted: For 1958 - 352 = Ford Light Blue (slightly lighter than '66 Ford Corporate Blue), 332 = Ford Engine Turquoise. Engines (block, heads, intake, oil pan, front cover, water pump) were painted the same, while the valve covers were gloss black (at least 352, not 100% sure on 332). In 1959 the engine assembly was painted black for all displacements, with the valve covers and air cleaners painted the ID color (exception was T-bird, which used white on air cleaners '59-'60). That practice continued through 1965.

I have Ford's M-code numbers for engines but they're not handy to me now. I have made postings in the past on these both here in the Barn and on the HAMB, and have included them in Vintage Thunderbird Club International's Original Factory Specifications manuals.
 
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