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This is a list of what I believe to be correct Pontiac engine colors by year.
More information to be added as it becomes available. Thank you for contributing!!
* These need to be researched more and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Paint charts are listed at autocolorlibrary.com. Many of the charts also list engine paint. Be aware that these may or may not be correct.
The colors shown are for reference only and there is no way to accurately display these colors on different computer monitors.
Year &Engine Type Color Photo Comments
1982-up All Black Classic Industries Black 62060
Available at most local parts stores.
Aluminum engines are generally unpainted.
1977-1982 All GM Corporate Blue Ames 1978-1981 Corporate Blue FN411
Classic Industries GM Corporate Blue 62030
Duplicolor General Motors Blue DE 1608. Users report this is a good match to GM's original color.
Plasti-Kote GM Corporate Blue 221. Users report this color does not match.
PPG/ Ditzler Blue 15159
VHT Paints GM Blue SP-135
Available at most local parts stores.
Note that aftermarket GM blue usually varies from original GM blue. This has been confirmed by owners of original GM paint.
It has been speculated that Pontiac L78 and W72 engines were painted a different blue, but checking these engines against genuine GM engine paint samples indicates GM corporate blue is correct.
1975-early 1977

Pontiac V8
Oldsmobile V8		 Metallic Blue Classic Industries Strato Blue 62040
PPG/ Ditzler Blue Poly 14817* for Pontiac engine paint.
PPG/ Ditzler Blue Poly 2083* for Oldsmobile engine paint.
*Not known why the two above are listed as different paints.
Bill Hirsch Auto Oldsmobile Metallic Blue 1966-On 455 CI' is reported to be a good match.
Ames 1975-1977 Pontiac Blue Metallic engine paint FN410P, or N182TF, or PN431TF
At least one original looking February 1975 example has been found where the engine paint is a lighter non-metallic blue. If anyone has any information on an alternate 1975 Pontiac engine color, please contact me.
March 15, 1973 starting at
approx. engine number
532727
through 1974

Pontiac V8		 Dark Blue Used for all mid-73 thru 74 Pontiac engines including the 73-74 SD-455. Contrary to rumors and some magazine articles, the SD-455 did not have a unique color. SD-455 engines were not released to production until April 1973. Any SD-455 engines built before March 15th would have been repainted in this darker blue (see below).

Color has been matched from low mileage engine parts, and is available from a few suppliers in spray cans. Any paint shop can custom mix it. PPG formula is at http://www.angelfire.com/mi/jamos1/sdblueformula.html

PPG Delstar Acrylic Enamel   DuPont Spectramaster Blue 1
Centari 5.0 SS BS112A
Mixing Color Color Cumulative Parts Mixing Color Color Cumulative Parts
DMR-400 White 218.1 218.1 758S Drier 11.5 11.5
DMR-410 Blue 491.5 273.4 742A Blue Green 25.0 13.5
DMR-486 Yellow 568.1 76.6 721A Medium Yellow? 56.4 31.4
DMR-490 Black 1076.5 508.4 700A White 124.8 68.4
DMR-495 Catalyst 1096.8 20.3 705A Black 230.2 105.4
Classic Industries Slate Blue 62220 is supposed to be very close.
Ames 1973-1974 Pontiac Blue engine paint FN401N, or N182TC, or PN431TC

Vendors that provide an incorrect color for 73-74 are not listed.
Around March 15, 1973
Engine numbers approx.
532027 thru approx.
532727 and any SD-455
engines before 532727

Pontiac V8		 Dark Blue painted over
Light Blue		 No Picture Per factory service bulletin number 73-T-21A: "Engines built after March 15, 1973 starting with engine number 532727 had a revised emissions system (two thermal valves near the front of the intake manifold and no EGR solenoid) and were painted this color. In addition about 700 engines before this number were retrofitted and repainted."

Engines that were already assembled when repainted will show signs of the lighter blue in certain area and touched up black brackets to cover up over-spray. Some engines after # 532727 appear to have also been repainted according to one owner.

If any SD-455 engines were manufactured before April 1973 they were most likely painted the color below and then repainted the above color when emissions equipment was revised. One early SD-455 example indicates that the engine was partially repainted the darker blue while in the car. However, factory documentation indicates production SD-455 engines were built after the emissions change.
1971
until March 15, 1973
approx engine number
532027

Pontiac V8		 Light Blue Ames FN410H
Classic Industries K89210 Teal/Light Blue, Old number was 62210
Performance Years RPE481 Listed as 73-74. Not sure what color it actually is.
VHT Paints Pontiac Blue SP-122
Bill Hirsch Auto lists incorrect color for these years!
PPG/Ditzler 14580 from paint charts at autocolorlibrary.com
Click Here for the mix formula from a GTOAA article.
PPG Delstar Acrylic Enamel Formula
Mixing Color         Quart Formula
DMR-441                 72
DMR-486                 148
DMR-411                 182
DMR-490                 275
DMR-410                 385
DMR-400                 605
DMR-495                625
DMR-499               1025

The batch of SD-455 engines manufactured in Jan-Feb 1973 were most likely painted this color and then repainted the above color when emissions equipment was revised. One early example indicates that the engine was partially repainted the darker blue while in the car.
1966-1970

Pontiac 6 & V8		 Light Blue Metallic This color is well documented and listed in Pontiac master parts catalogs.
Ames PN431 or N182
Bill Hirsch Auto Reported to be high quality paint.
Hirsch lists this is being used through 1972 which is incorrect!
Classic Industries Blue Poly 62200
DuPont 181-97219
HI-TECH Engine Coating EN-57
Krylon/Dupli-ColorPontiac Blue Metallic DE 1616
Martin Senour Pontiac Blue No. 636
Performance Years RPE482
Plasti-Kote 227
PPG/Ditzler 13255
POR-15 Pontiac Metallic Blue They recommend a silver base coat first. Paint is reportedly difficult to apply, takes a long time to dry and does not look exactly like the factory color. This color is no longer listed on their website.
Rinshed-Mason 266T21
VHT Paints VHT-SP142 Pontiac Blue Metallic
1959-1965

Pontiac V8		 Light Blue This color is well documented.
Ames PN430, N181
Classic Industries 59-60 Sky Blue 62180*
Classic Industries 61-65 Turquoise 62190*
*Not known why the two above are listed as different paints.
DuPont 76981-D
DuPont93-76981
Krylon/Dupli-Color DE-1610
Performance Years RPE480
Plasti-Kote 208
PPG/Ditzler 11561
Rinshed-Mason 62-015
1957 Bonneville
all 1958

Pontiac V8		 Turquoise Blue Bill Hirsch Auto Reported to be high quality paint.
Pontiac originally purchased this paint from a company called "Pontiac Paint and Glass", which no longer exists.
Very close to DuPont 4795-D
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
Duplicolor DE 1607 Chevrolet Orange-Red
PPG/ Ditzler 60339
1955-1957

Pontiac V8		 Dark Green Years, engines and color not yet verified.
1940-1954*

Pontiac L6 & L8*		 Green Years, engines and color not yet verified.
Color may have changed after WWII.
1930*-1939*
Pontiac L6 & L8*		 Aqua Green Years and engines not yet verified.
Bill Hirsch Auto Reported to be high quality paint.
I have a picture of a 1935 L8 engine which looks more like the 1940-up color
1926*-1929*
Pontiac L6 & L8
1917?-1931
Oakland		 Light Green Years, engines and color not yet verified.
1930*-1932*
Oakland V8*		 Gray   Gray
1907-1908 2 cyl.
1909-1917 4 cyl.
1913-1917 6 cyl.
1916-1917 V-8
Oakland		     Years, engines and color not yet verified.

Many thanks to Rocky Rotella, Will Baker, Ron Wagner, Jon "CarbKing" Hardgrove, Rich Miller and the gang at classicalpontiac.com, John Witzke, POCI Tech Advisor for the 1977-79 W72 Performance Package, Linda Naimoli, Robert Cirilli, Pete Chronis, Mark Ciepiela, Joe Pattan and and many others who have made the sharing of this information possible.

This page was last updated December, 2011