[jchochole]

I recently bought this '57 235 Bel-Air and is unrestored inside and out. The family has had this car since 1957 and I am the first owner outside of them. I cleaned the engine this week lightly and decided to share pics of the 6. Looks pretty green to me- I wanted to share this with the group.

Thanks,
Jim from Oswego

 

[Dan Starnes]

:tu:shakehands:

 

[Daleo56]

It is good to see a survivor engine. While in 55-56 the sixes were blue, in 57 they were green. The harmonic balancer should be green and the air cleaner and coil are black. The exhaust should be unpainted (some possible green over spray is normal) and the trans should be unpainted too. The oil filter lid should be orange with the filter housing in blue.

It looks like most of yours is intact! I look forward to seeing it cleaned up and pictures of the car.

 

[Daleo56]

...and dealers did some creative things back then, so some add-ons like the oil filter could have come with car when purchased at the dealer, but may not have come on the car from the factory.

 

[r66ss]

:shakehands:, looks good , thanks for sharing pic

 

[carls 56]

very cool jim. didn't know they were green. :tu

 

[jchochole]

Green '57 235 Engine- balancer image.

Guys, removed the radiator off of my '57 6-cylinder and snapped a few pics. The harmonic balancer matches the green on the engine. No evidence of modifications.

Jim from Oswego

 

[572106]

It is good to see a survivor engine. While in 55-56 the sixes were blue, in 57 they were green. The harmonic balancer should be green and the air cleaner and coil are black. The exhaust should be unpainted (some possible green over spray is normal) and the trans should be unpainted too. The oil filter lid should be orange with the filter housing in blue.

It looks like most of yours is intact! I look forward to seeing it cleaned up and pictures of the car.

Good to see someone stating that in 1957 the 6-cylinders were green. Also, thanks Jim, for posting your photos and sharing what you have found. Back in 1986, when I acquired my unrestored 57 210, its 235 6-cyl engine was green. Over a year ago, I started a discussion regarding the Chevy engine green on the Chevy Talk forum and VCCA forum. It created quite a stir and was not well-accepted by the "experts".

In addition to my car, I have seen another 57 6cyl with a green engine. It was also an unrestored car. We removed the buildup of grease on the engine, and there was green paint. There is also reference to "57 Engine Green" in the restoration books, yet all this evidence is ignored.

I tried to find the Chevy engine green paint but all anyone sells is the blue. For example, Ecklers sells only Bill Hirsch blue paint labeled "Chevy blue '54-62 235 CI passenger cars."

If the 57 6cyl passenger car engines were indeed, green, I wonder why is there so much misinformation? Could it be because 1957 was the only year it was painted green, and then over time, forgotten by most people?

 

[Bossman]

Cool photos thanks for posting them. I have never seen one myself.

 

[auggie56]

never knew that one, are the Olds 57' engines the same shade of green I wonder ?

 

[Dragsix]

I followed all the discussions regarding the green color for 57 235 motors. I started driving mine with 32000 miles in 1977 and although there have been many rebuilds and replacements I do remember that the color of my motor when I first started driving it was not the blue commonly cited as the correct color but something more on the lines of a blue green. The green color that has been proffered as the correct color looks like the blue green I remember but in a heat and age faded condition. I would say the above pictures would not be an argument for green per se but I do believe it is also not the blue. Just my two cents. I will look for pics of when I got the car but it was pretty grungy when I first got it and I doubt I can find an example.

 

[ab4op]

Is that fuel pump painted green also? If it's an original pump, it's lasted a long time!

 

[Dragsix]

The only thing I might note is that in all the years I have messed with 235s, I have never seen a road draft tube painted the engine color, always black. Not to say that some assembly plants did not paint the road draft tube in place, only that I have never seen one. This is what makes me think that the motor was possibly repainted at some point. I also have never seen a fuel pump painted engine color which further makes me think that maybe a repaint but you never know.

 

[jchochole]

Color

To answer the question; yes the fuel pump is green as well, along with the draft pipe. The family I bought it from indicated that the Grandfather bought the car new in '57 and then passed it to the son, who is now in his 50's and then I got it- the son didn't do any engine work and had no memory of his Dad doing anything to it as well.

Doesn't rule anything out- but I cannot create a gap in the history of the car to indicate an overhaul and/or repaint.

Thanks,
Jim from Oswego

 

[Winch57]

Not to throw a monkey wrench in the machinery and I know this subject was beat to death on the Chevytalk 55-57 Forums But my 53,000 mile 57 Hardtop built in Terry town in Nov 56 (Im the second owner) was Blue the faded spots had a blue green tint to them but it was definitely blue. Ive been involved with these cars for over 40 years and never heard this controversy till last year just my 2Cents

 

[jchochole]

Green v Blue

I would have to agree that one car does not merit an argument- but more cars with a green color for '57 do merit a worthy pause to consider, and do more research. It seems that we do have a few greenies rolling around and the potentiality does exist to cast enough doubt on the "all blue" theories.

I believe we do have enough questions to at least say that '57 sixes were not uniformly blue- the correct color is not toally clear yet. Let's get more guys aware and maybe new light can continue to be shed.

Thanks,
Jim from Oswego

 

[aussie57wag]

my chevy six in my unrestord car apears to be chevy orange. so im guessing that at some stage way back in history the motor may have been recoed.

 

[Original Pete]

my chevy six in my unrestord car apears to be chevy orange. so im guessing that at some stage way back in history the motor may have been recoed.

Further to this there are a few 57's that are restored to original but have the blue coloured engine. Maybe that was a Canadian thing as they were what we had delivered here in Australia.

 

[streetjeep327]

could it depend on where built as to engine color???? I know when researching my 68 327 engine there was a decal on the rocker cover, and I believe there were totally smooth or not rocker covers, depending on the plant in which built. Somewhere in the back of my mind I am remembering seeing green 235's. Were they primarily meant to go in the pickup, but maybe some found their way into passenger engine bays?
Found this site where the claim is certain 1955 235's were definitely green, but for 56 and 57 he "assumes" green because of previous years. But, there were other colors, depending on the 235.
http://www.1954advance-design.com/Web images/PPIP/PPIP-1912-1966-EngineColors.html

 

[jchochole]

Colors

Thanks for the good reference!

Jim