I am wondering if anyone can shed any light on this. I saw a 1955 or 56 Laurentian last summer at a cruise. It was a V8, Chevy Small block. It was painted in a green colour. I asked the owner about that and he said that was the original paint colour or at least as close as he could make it. I found this chart on the web and post the pertinent part of it:
1956-early 1977 Canadian Pontiac with Chevrolet V8*
Chevy Orange
Between August 23 and September 7, 1976, the Flint, Michigan Engine Assembly Plant changed the paint colors used on Chevrolet engines from orange to blue. Some early production 1977 Chevrolets were built with the orange painted engines. Available at most local parts stores DuplicolorDE 1607 Chevrolet Orange-Red PPG/ Ditzler 60339
1955-1957
Pontiac V8
Dark Green
Years, engines and color not yet verified
Can anyone chime in on this and let us know if in fact small blocks were ever painted green in Canadian Pontiacs?
Yes 1955-57 Canadian Small blocks were painted green. The green shown in your post is The Americian Pontiacs engine colour. The Canadian 265- 283 were close to that green but slightly lighter. The raised letter Pontiac name on the valve covers was painted black. With the 261 six in 55-56 it was a light green. In 57 the 261 green was the same colour as the 265-283. You don't see to many original small block V8 in the 55-57 Canadian Pontiacs. From the data plate numbers I have decoded the ratio is about 5 six cylinder engine equipped cars were sold for every one small block. The ratio changed to about 4 to 1 in 1957 as the general public started to accept the higher cost small block for the advantages it had.
WOW Al, you are a font of knowledge on these cars and yes it was a lighter green than I show, sort of greenish blue tint and it did have the script on the valve covers.
The big 261 - 6 must have been close in power to the first V8's.
I had a Math teacher in grade 8 who had a 63 Strato Chief post car that he had put a 292 truck 6 in, it had some crazy intake and dual exhaust, but no mistaking it for an 8 from the sound although it was kind of cool.
The 261 was very close in power to the 265-283 2 barrel carberator engines. In fact when talking to guys who drag raced the big 261 six against stock small block equipped 55-57 cars the six always won off the line and the small block only caught up to it at the end of the 1/4 and won by 1/2 car length. I did some street racing with a 55 with the 261 in the early 70's and always beat stock 283 automatic cars in the 1/4. When racing standard 3 speed 283's it was always by 1/2 car length either way. What helped the 261 equipped cars was the rear end was a 3:70 and the 55 only weighed around 3250 lbs. As the cars got substantionally heavier in 1958 the 55 had no problem beating 58-64 283 auto.cars in the 1/4. A lot of taxi companies in Northern Ontario would only use Canadian Pontiacs as their fleet cars from 55-62 because of the 261. One taxi company owner from this era I spoke to from Kirkland Lake told me that on a wide open highway run between two identical new 1961 Pontiacs one a 261 and the other a 283 the 283 car had a top speed of only 2 mph more but it was only after the quarter mile mark the v8 car caught up to the six. Both cars were 3 speed standards. The difference between a chevy 235 six and the 261 in the 55-62 era was substantial. The extra 26 cubic inches was really felt in the seat of your pants.Chevy used the 261 in some trucks and the Canadian Pontiac division modified this engine by using a high lift hydraulic camshaft instead of a solid lifter cam.Many 235's were replaced with 261's by their owners when an engine was needed. The 292 your teacher used is probably the best six GM ever used in large quantities. I have one in a mid 80's Chevy 3/4 ton plow truck and the bottom end torgue is awesome when pushing snow. I think the most desirable big six would be the 302 cu in. used in buses and large trucks in the 55-62 era.
Got to thinking that if the chart I found is not completely accurate perhaps the owner of that web site should know. Anyone have a photo of a 55-57 green small block in a Canadian Pontiac? Can we say with certainty that all small blocks were painted green in that time or is it possible some were orange too. If green then that chart should read 1958 to 1977 with Chevrolet engine.
I know who the owner is from another forum and I think he would appreciate making his chart more accurate if we could help him out with a photo.
I've got an original unpainted valve cover from a 55 265. When I dig it out I'll email you a picture.
Al
Sounds good, I think it is in our best interests to have our Pontiacs properly represented. There has been a lot of research put into that table but he self admits that it may not be entirely accurate and asks for help, so lets help him out.
I had a Math teacher in grade 8 who had a 63 Strato Chief post car that he had put a 292 truck 6 in, it had some crazy intake and dual exhaust, but no mistaking it for an 8 from the sound although it was kind of cool.
-- Edited by 73SC at 14:20, 2008-04-15
I have a 70 Cutlass with a 250 cid six that my Dad ordered new. I put on a Clifford intake with a Holley 390 cfm 4 bbl and headers with dual exhaust. The sound is pretty neat, when you wind it out it almost sounds like a Grand National.
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Hillar
1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp -and a bunch of other muscle cars...
Too bad we became preoccupied with the V8, Pontiac tried with the Sprint OHC-6 in the Firebird and LeMans, I am not right up on it but I think it was 4bbl with dual exhausts too and made just about 215 HP. Weight advantages made these nice handling cars and a manual shift helped get the horsepower to the road. I think either would be nice cars to own. I do know that with our 61 Strato Chief 261 we were rarely passed on Hwys. 27 and 92 heading into Woodland Beach.
Hope someone can post better pics of the green 55-57 engines.
I had a Math teacher in grade 8 who had a 63 Strato Chief post car that he had put a 292 truck 6 in, it had some crazy intake and dual exhaust, but no mistaking it for an 8 from the sound although it was kind of cool.
-- Edited by 73SC at 14:20, 2008-04-15
I have a 70 Cutlass with a 250 cid six that my Dad ordered new. I put on a Clifford intake with a Holley 390 cfm 4 bbl and headers with dual exhaust. The sound is pretty neat, when you wind it out it almost sounds like a Grand National.
Except for the constant sound of squealing tires off the back of the GN
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Nice 57 Pathfinder. The engine compartment is very nicely detailed. Lucky person has found an electric wiper motor, underhood light, and made the modification to air cleaner from original oil bath. I would like to see some close up of the decals he used and where he got them from. I have a friend from London ,Ont. who had the correct air cleaner decal reproduced in a small quantity. His original decal had enough of it left to reproduce . Thanks for posting the picture. Al
Astro Jet wrote: I have a 70 Cutlass with a 250 cid six that my Dad ordered new. I put on a Clifford intake with a Holley 390 cfm 4 bbl and headers with dual exhaust. The sound is pretty neat, when you wind it out it almost sounds like a Grand National.
Hillar, by any chance is your 70 Cutlass Gold? I saw a 70 Cutlass hardtop coupe back in 1992/93 I believe at a car show at Markington Square mall in Toronto. The car was pale gold metallic with a vinyl roof in black or dark gold (I don't recall). It had whitewalls on Olds Rocket Wheels (the 5 slot style). When I looked under the hood I was shocked to find a gold painted, Action Line 250 six, complete with a Clifford intake and a pair of 3-into-1 tube headers.
I considered putting those headers on my '67 Chevelle witha 250, but after pricing them at $600 I decided that I could live with my stock six (with only 40,000 original miles currently).
It's funny, but few people are aware that for 1957 only, the 265 Chevy V8 was still around as the economy V8 with a manual transmission only. That year the 265 as painted gold! The 283 in orange got all the press.
I did not know that Canadian V8s were green around that time. I knew about the 261s being green.
73SC wrote:
Here is a fully restored Pathfinder originally from Medicine Hat.
-- Edited by 73SC at 21:58, 2008-05-20
That 261 in that apparently silver 57, if it is in Ontario, looks like the '57 that belongs to George Dejesus. He used to be heavily into 57 Chevies but is now all about 57 Canadian Pontiacs. His car is a beautifully detailed Inca Silver Laurentian 4-door with white 2-tone.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
Astro Jet wrote: I have a 70 Cutlass with a 250 cid six that my Dad ordered new. I put on a Clifford intake with a Holley 390 cfm 4 bbl and headers with dual exhaust. The sound is pretty neat, when you wind it out it almost sounds like a Grand National.
Hillar, by any chance is your 70 Cutlass Gold? I saw a 70 Cutlass hardtop coupe back in 1992/93 I believe at a car show at Markington Square mall in Toronto. The car was pale gold metallic with a vinyl roof in black or dark gold (I don't recall). It had whitewalls on Olds Rocket Wheels (the 5 slot style). When I looked under the hood I was shocked to find a gold painted, Action Line 250 six, complete with a Clifford intake and a pair of 3-into-1 tube headers.
You betcha! It's a dark brown vinyl roof and the colour is antique gold metallic, code #58. It is actually the darkest gold that was available that year, my Dad agonized over the colour as there were a total of three shades of gold available, boy those were the days!
You have a remarkable memory Cameron, I think that was just about at the end of when those shows were held at Markington. I always liked that location, and the descendent of that show has essentially gravitated over to Eglinton Square on Wednesday nights. What part of Scarborough are you in? Sounds like you'll have to get together with me, 73SC and 65Camino for one of our first GTA winter meets.
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Hillar
1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp -and a bunch of other muscle cars...
Too bad we became preoccupied with the V8, Pontiac tried with the Sprint OHC-6 in the Firebird and LeMans, I am not right up on it but I think it was 4bbl with dual exhausts too and made just about 215 HP. Weight advantages made these nice handling cars and a manual shift helped get the horsepower to the road. I think either would be nice cars to own. I do know that with our 61 Strato Chief 261 we were rarely passed on Hwys. 27 and 92 heading into Woodland Beach.
Hope someone can post better pics of the green 55-57 engines.
-- Edited by 73SC at 16:00, 2008-05-20
My father in law had a Chris Craft boat I think 68. It had a 307 in it, light green, with Pontiac emblem decals on the valve covers. It was original paint. Also I had a 68 Firebird Sprint convertible with the OHC 250 4 bbl. 3 speed stick. Did you know these were the 1st. engines (successful) to have a timing belt instead of a chain? Early use of Kevlar fibres, made by Gates.
Re the pontiac 261 engine. My 58 Pontiac has one and as mentioned in an earlier post, I have owned a lot of cars. Two of them had the 265 small blocks. I can vouch that the current 261 has more get up and go than a 265! Have never dragged anyone with it, but it is no slouch from the Tillsonburg traffic lights! When I purchased my 58 last August, I thought I would find a 283 for it, but now I have driven it for a year, NO WAY IT WILL STAY THE WAY IT IS! It is light green in colour as per pix. I would be interested in knowing more about the fellow who made decals for the 261. Thanks from Bob.
If you go to any parts supply store look for aerosol paint made by Plasticote and get what is known as ALPINE GREEN. It is as close as you can get to the original factory colour! The colour on my engine is a shade lighter but by the end of March it will be repainted in the correct shade! I will post new pix when done! 58 Poncho Fan.
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1965 Thunderbird Special Landau 10th Anniversary Limited Edition only 4500 built 34,800 miles
and I am sure I am not the only one either.
