1970 +2 Engine colour

[DavyF]

I am in the process of rebuilding my Elan 2+2S engine and need to know what is the proper colour to paint the engine. At the minute it has a black block, bare alloy head and red cam cover, but I have come across small patches of a pale blue on the timing chain cover. The bodywork is all white.

[Hawksfield]

Davyf

The original colour was grey and can be purchased from Paul Matty or Qed

[cal44]

Yes gray for the engine block.......but..........I'm sure that there was a certain shade of gray used.

May I suggest you "do not" buy anything out of a rattle can. To much solvent, not enough solids.

The best paint will take at least a week to dry correctly and a month to cure.
Marine engine paint that is used on engines in ships. The brush on kind. If you can't find it locally then send off for it. The more solids in the paint the better. A quart will feel like a gallon in weight.
That is why it takes so long to dry and cure.

Just an educated opinion

[KevJ+2]

Yep, Paul Matty or Qed - about ?7.50 a tin and one should do, dries in a couple of hours
Some have the sump black, some leave the head bare and some leave the front cover bare, but I think the block is always grey. I painted everything grey.

[elan66]

Hi Guys i think i read somewhere it was like the massey ferguson grey.Was the gearbox grey as well
regards
Paul

[pharriso]

Yes mf grey as matched by QED

Gearbox's should be a very dark green

[john.p.clegg]

I'll get this in before anyone else does,as there are fifty shades of grey...which one is Lotus Grey?

John

[KevJ+2]

John-
I think it's the one where the man lays underneath and gets smothered in oil

[john.p.clegg]

Sounds good to me...

John

[DavyF]

Thanks to all the replies re the engine colour, grey it is going to be, alloy head and red cam cover.

[kstrutt11]

I had half a tin of grey floor paint so I used that, it has been on there for a few years now and still looks fine.

[Sea Ranch]

Gee, Phil, not to argue a point, but . . .

My Feb 1970 Plus 2S has a Ford blue gearbox and diff. I can't comment for certain on the block, as I'm not home, but I believe the block on my car is Ford blue as well.

Now having said that, I have no idea if the motor has been out before, though I doubt it. It DOES have a non-original head (Weber head replacing a Stromberg head), but the motor (and everything else) leaks enough oil at 50K miles to suggest it's never been removed and re-sealed/gasketed.

That's all I got: the one-example anecdote.

Randy

[Elanintheforest]

Ford Blue was never used by Ford in the UK Randy, at least not until the Pinto engines were introduced, and then only on the cam cover! Certainly never used on the Kent engine or gearbox.

You have no option now but to paint it grey and de-Canadian-ise it all!

Mark

[Sea Ranch]

Ha! Yes, it will definitely be de-Canadian-ized. Although it's only been in Canada for four years, with me. Before that, all American time. Those Americans, you never know what "colors" they're going to paint things!!!