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Calling all experts...

I know this has been posted here a 1,000 times over, and I have gone through many posts on this subject.

I am looking to get a consensus for authentic colors for a 1959 1600 super engine

Semi-Gloss black enamel or lacquer – “industrial gloss black"…."add dirt" - Chuck House. Basically, cheap gloss black applied to bare metal with no primer
Ignition coil
Engine tins
Gas tank (just for reference)
Valve cover clamp?

Silver Cad Plating
Valve covers
All throttle linakges
Fuel flex line caps
Crank/gen pulleys
Sheet metal screws
Bolts/nuts
Fuel lines
Coil bracket
Oil filter bracket
Dipstick?

Silver-Grey – Wurth Silver wheel paint, Anyone knows of another color to use?
Blower housing – Fan Shroud

Flat-Satin Black
Distributor body

What color should be used on a Silver Fram Oil Cannister?
What color should the dipstick be?
What color should the Valve Cover Clamps be?

1956 Engine Photo 1960 Engine Photo (possibly spring 1963) 1960 Engine Photo (possibly summer 1963, and Euro version) I compiled information from posts from: Jim Liberty, Chuck House, George Dunn, Will Mittelbach, Gerry Mc, David Nicholls, Mike Wilson, Norm Miller
and from this post: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=17049

Any and all help would certainly be appreciated!!

-Benjamin

Middle photo is a bunch of Supers from 1960-63.
Last photo is another bunch of Supers, with Euro heat, therefore 1962-63.
And some S-90s.

Vic,
Did you notice the different air cleaners on the Supers in the last photo?
Jim Kellogg

No; I see black cans on the Supers, and silver mesh on the S-90s.

What about the decals on top of the oil filter?

For what it's worth, the two photos are only a few months apart; the top one taken in spring 1963, the bottom one taken in the summer. The change in fuel pumps took place during this period.

The Normal in the front row of stale air engines has "609XXX" in chalk on the muffler, while the Normal in the front row of Euro heater engines has "611113" in chalk on the muffler. This number is higher than any Normal in the Maestro's database. Makes me wonder if these are warranty replacement engines.

Couple of other observations: All the oil filter canisters in the top photo are silver-topped Frams, while most of the Euro heater engines have H-Filter canisters; some do not have cover stickers at all.

Jan Kolm wrote:For what it's worth, the two photos are only a few months apart; the top one taken in spring 1963, the bottom one taken in the summer. The change in fuel pumps took place during this period.

The Normal in the front row of stale air engines has "609XXX" in chalk on the muffler, while the Normal in the front row of Euro heater engines has "611113" in chalk on the muffler. This number is higher than any Normal in the Maestro's database. Makes me wonder if these are warranty replacement engines.

Couple of other observations: All the oil filter canisters in the top photo are silver-topped Frams, while most of the Euro heater engines have H-Filter canisters; some do not have cover stickers at all.

Info updated about photos in the original post. Great observation regarding #'s!! -Ben



Hello everyone, I didn't think we would get into a lengthy discussion about the engines, but of course, that adds value to this post... can we get back to the topic at hand? Are the Engine trim/plating colors for a 1959 Super written above correct?

Also, for a 1959 Super...
What color should be used on a Silver Fram Oil Cannister?
What color should the dipstick be?
What color should the Valve Cover Clamps be?

Thank you,
Benjamin

My experience with 1959 engines is pretty much consistent; Super silver/grey fan housing, Fram Oil Canisters (Silver body, Black Top). Dipstick is standard cad plating, the valve cover clamps are black. Early 59 Zenith supers may have the 3 clamp canister filters, later ones two clamp. Normals had silver mesh air cleaners. Coils were large size black with cad plated mount.

OK, here you go:

1959 engines "should" not have any fuel flex lines; those were introduced with the 356B, unless, of course, Supers got them ahead of Normals.

The silver Fram canisters were clear-coated. Body color silver (5706) is a close approximation. The long Fram canister decal (if used & location) remains a subject for debate on late As. Covers were gloss black.

Dipsticks are silver cad.

Jan you are correct, solid fuel lines for both Super and Normal, filter colors are as you described, clear coated silver, gloss black top. Sidelong Fram decals remnants were on all three of my late 58-59 oil filters. Although they do come off easily if submersing the canister in the water based cleaners. Also the fan housing decals are only in Metric, with a red surround stripe on yellow background. Pre-58 had black stripe.

a new photo from a private collection appeared on eBay showing the engines in production.

quick question regarding Supers and Normals from the June 1958 photo:

(1) did all Supers have the knecht Black Cans?

(2) If yes, which model? 418? 418/2 how many clips?
Knecht 418/2: Knecht 418:
(3) did any 1958/1959 356A Supers come with the knecht silver mesh filters?

Thank you,
Ben

my D is a super and has the Knecht 418 with the 3 clips.

Did the 3 clip filter canisters also have the orange decal? Seems redundant since the info is stamped on the side.

Mike Wilson wrote: ↑Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:00 pm Did the 3 clip filter canisters also have the orange decal? Seems redundant since the info is stamped on the side.

That's actually a separate plate brazed to the can.