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 FN411 Classic Industries GM Corporate Blue 62030 Duplicolor General Motors Blue DE 1608 Plasti-Kote GM Corporate Blue 221 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. 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, but is not available commercially. Any paint shop can custom mix it. Formula is at: http://www.angelfire.com/mi/jamos1/sdblueformula.html PPG Delstar Acrylic Enamel Formula Mixing Color       Color         Cumulative         Parts DMR-400             White          218.1                218.1 DMR-410             Blue           491.5                 273.4 DMR-486             Yellow        568.1                 76.6 DMR-490             Black        1076.5                508.4 DMR-495             Catalyst    1096.8                 20.3 Classic Industries Slate Blue 62220 is supposed to be very close. Ames and Hirsch list an incorrect color for this year!
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. The batch of SD-455 engines manufactured in Jan-Feb 1973 were most likely painted the color below 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.
1971 until March 15, 1973 approx engine number 532027 Pontiac V8	Light Blue		Ames FN410H Classic Industries Teal 62210 Performance Years RPE482A (to be discontinued) 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-Color Pontiac 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 DuPont 93-76981 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. 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
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.

This page was last updated on 04/25/07