Engine blocks blue

[kellyrowand]

Why was this engine ( L81 ) painted blue ?

 

[topless82vette]

It was painted blue to see how people liked it prior to the 82's being painted blue. But seriously I think GM did it to signify whether you had a lower out put engine or a higher output engine. I could be wrong though. But, in 1982 the LG-4 was blue and I believe LU-5/L-83 were black. Up till 1984 I saw that difference then LG-4 blue L-69 black. Then in like 1985 they were all black.

Thats what I saw in F-bodies at any rate

 

[Sensei]

Why was this engine ( L81 ) painted blue ?

Because my wife's favorite color is blue! God bless, Sensei

 

[MMM]

I think this all got started with GM began change from each name car having their own full range of engines to a corporate engine structure.
This started in '77 or so when they started putting Chevrolet engines in Pontiacs, Oldsmobile in Buicks and Cadillacs, etc. And each line of GM engines had their own particular color which people were used to seeing, so to make the philosophy switch less obvious they changed the colors for all of the engines to Corporate Blue and in later years to Black. However as I remember there was still an outcry from the buying public when they found out their Olds had a Chevy engine in it and maybe even some class action suits. GM had to do something to reduce costs, they were the only US car company without a corporate engine line, Ford and Chrysler used the same engines in all of their models and for the most part, always did.

Mike

 

[topless82vette]

I think this all got started with GM began change from each name car having their own full range of engines to a corporate engine structure.
This started in '77 or so when they started putting Chevrolet engines in Pontiacs, Oldsmobile in Buicks and Cadillacs, etc. And each line of GM engines had their own particular color which people were used to seeing, so to make the philosophy switch less obvious they changed the colors for all of the engines to Corporate Blue and in later years to Black. However as I remember there was still an outcry from the buying public when they found out their Olds had a Chevy engine in it and maybe even some class action suits. GM had to do something to reduce costs, they were the only US car company without a corporate engine line, Ford and Chrysler used the same engines in all of their models and for the most part, always did.

Mike

so why in 82-83-84 did they use two different colors? then all of a sudden they stopped. I had a 82 trans am which was a LG-4 and it was blue. My best friend also had a 82 trans am but it had the crossfire engine and his was black. show me a blue L-82 but finding a blue L-48 is easy.

 

[6880 Mike]

...show me a blue L-82...

My 80 L-82 is blue.

 

[topless82vette]

My 80 L-82 is blue.

I want to see that, just can't picture a L-82 being blue with aluminum valve covers.

 

[6880 Mike]

...I want to see that, just can't picture a L-82 being blue with aluminum valve covers.

Nothing much to see. The block, heads, and pan are GM corporate blue; intake is aluminum and the valve covers are black with aluminum fins. Typical L-82.

 

[MMM]

My '80 L-82 is the same, Corporate Blue block, black valve covers, aluminum intake. The car has 50k miles and other than replacement of the valve cover gaskets, has never been touched.

Now my '75 L-82 was orange.

Mike

 

[6880 Mike]

...Now my '75 L-82 was orange....

Yup. They changed to blue early in the 77 model year.

 

[topless82vette]

so why were some blue and some black for the same model year or was this possibly a difference in where the motor was built?

 

[SpryGeezer]

A tradition beginning with the 1954 Corvette Blue Flame Six.

 

[topless82vette]

A tradition beginning with the 1954 Corvette Blue Flame Six.

I heard of that blue flame 6 banger but this is the first time I've ever seen one. How fast are they? I take it by the "150" decal its 150hp?

 

[6880 Mike]

so why were some blue and some black for the same model year or was this possibly a difference in where the motor was built?

Could be. All C3 smallblocks were assembled at the Flint, Michigan facility.

 

[SpryGeezer]

I heard of that blue flame 6 banger but this is the first time I've ever seen one. How fast are they? I take it by the "150" decal its 150hp?

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