What color should the intake and valve covers be?

[cmccarthy]

Do any of you know the code or have a source for the correct paint color for the valve covers and upper intake on an 86-93 5.0 liter engine?

The upper intake is a silvery gray, and the valve covers are a different shade, pretty much just semi-gloss gray. Any ideas? Here's a pic of a 971 mile original engine for reference...

http://i7.ebayimg.com/04/i/05/dd/98/6d_1.JPG

[negusm]

I thought the upper intake is natural....they were not painted. Yes? No?

The valve covers I have no idea on.

some people paint them, swap them out or powder coat them any old color. You're the first to ask about the correct color.

-Mike

[86lx]

I thought they were both natural aluminum.

If the valve covers were painted it's just the same grey the rest of the engine used,

[Travis T]

The intakes are definitely coated, it's peeling on my 90, but I thought it was just a clear that has discolored.

[negusm]

The engine blocks were not painted either.

I know the earlier "powered By Ford" finned valve covers were natural too.

-Mike

[twister]

The engine blocks were not painted either.

I know the earlier "powered By Ford" finned valve covers were natural too.

-MikeMike is right on this, I have seen raw aluminum NOS units

[twister]

I thought they were both natural aluminum.

If the valve covers were painted it's just the same grey the rest of the engine used,the intake on my 86 was coated, the valve covers were raw. My dad's 93 has powdercoated on both the intake (upper only) and the covers

[cmccarthy]

The upper intake is definately coated. It's a completely different color from the lower, which is raw.

The valve covers are painted for sure. They are almost the color of gray primer, but have at least a little gloss to them. I agree that the older "PBF" covers were raw, as they were on my GT-350. I also agree that the block and heads are natural cast iron with no paint. The water pump and front timing cover are also raw, and the oil pan is either gray or black depending on the year.

[fredzilla]

Here is a stock 86 motor.
No paint or clear coat.
oil pan is painted grey.

http://www.ascmclarencoupe.com/phpBB/album_pic.php?pic_id=256

[negusm]

Sounds like it may be year specific.

[twister]

Sounds like itg my be year specific.not quite, my orrigional pan was black

[5 Liter Mustang]

I just went through and painted all the aluminum parts "new ford grey" from the Autozone Engine Paint section.

When your dealing with old parts, even if they should be "raw" its hard to get the raw finish to look good. It may not be 100% factory, but it looks good enough if you just paint them a shade of grey that you like.

[cmccarthy]

Someone on the Corral suggested that it might be the same color as the 91-93 "Pony" wheels. I tend to agree with this, as it looks to be the same silvery gray with no real hint of metallic.

Also, the "new ford gray" is pretty much the color I had in mind for the valve covers and pan, as it's close enough if not exact. The upper intake is absolutley not the same color as the valve covers though.

[79 Road Runner]

Someone on the Corral suggested that it might be the same color as the 91-93 "Pony" wheels. I tend to agree with this, as it looks to be the same silvery gray with no real hint of metallic.

Also, the "new ford gray" is pretty much the color I had in mind for the valve covers and pan, as it's close enough if not exact. The upper intake is absolutley not the same color as the valve covers though.

The gray on the pictures valve covers looks just like the cover on my (now departed) '85 four cylinder which had gray paint that was peeling off and allowing some corrosion on the cover - if memory serves me correct. My $0.02

[86FHPssp]

Valve covers on the 86-89 are raw unfinished from the factory. 90-93 have a coating on them. I have owned an (1) 86, (2) 88's (2) 89's, (1)90, (1) 91, and (1) 93. I posted about this a few months ago. The intake finish is not the same over the years either, the earlier 86-88 seem to have a brighter finish on them that looks almost raw. I need to post come comparison pics of my cars. Thankfully they were all stock when I got them.

The paint for the Pony rims is not the same, I have the actual paint code for that.

For a REALLY close rough-cast finish paint...use some VHT aluminum caliper paint. I painted my new cast Cobra lower intake with it and could not tell where I had painted and where I didn't.

[gt4494]

Color on the Pony wheels is called "Argent". Just a fancy name for silver.

[86FHPssp]

Color on the Pony wheels is called "Argent". Just a fancy name for silver.

I have a post in Corral about repainting Pony rims. The actual color is Silver Poly through PPG and is listed as a Ford trim paint. Here is a rim I repainted with it, base/clear. The center cap is original..so it shows how close the match is. It has a VERY fine metallic in it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/fiveltrdave/mustangpics_0420.jpg

[86FHPssp]

91 intake with 20,000 miles on it, you can see it is more less a clear over the aluminum.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/fiveltrdave/mustangpics_0147.jpg

[cmccarthy]

I disagree. Look at the bare aluminum spots that have been machined, and look at the bare aluminum EGR spacer and throttle body. That's paint. Like I said originally, it's about the color of gray primer, but it has a little gloss in it.

[86FHPssp]

Here is another one, off of a 89 GT..this one is darker...gray and metallic..

ALSO..one thing I have noticed is some intakes have a nice smooth finish while others (like my 86) were really rough. You can see the 89 intake is smoother than the 91 though.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/fiveltrdave/AMT88MUSTANG_0062.jpg

[86FHPssp]

I disagree. Look at the bare aluminum spots that have been machined, and look at the bare aluminum EGR spacer and throttle body. That's paint. Like I said originally, it's about the color of gray primer, but it has a little gloss in it.

Now that I look at that pic, it does look darker. I may have been thinking of the 86-88 which I will post s pic of too.

[86FHPssp]

Another 89 intake..original..my cousins old 89 GT...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/fiveltrdave/carsshow_0951.jpg

[86FHPssp]

86

http://i15.ebayimg.com/03/i/05/be/e4/9e_3.JPG

I can't find a good pic of a 87-88, I'll have to go through my pics at home..

[Travis T]

My 90 doesn't fit your rules, it has a painted intake and bare valve covers. It may not even be a year by year thing.

[86FHPssp]

My 90 doesn't fit your rules, it has a painted intake and bare valve covers. It may not even be a year by year thing.

Could be more of a build date thing, no so much as a year thing. I have seen 86 engines with 87 stamped plug wires for instance...there are alot of odd things. Pretty comes down to the availablility when made I'm sure. Another thing is the plastic caps on the upper intake that covers the plug..some have it..some do not. Both my 88's did...

[silver85]

Here's my take on what I've seen and what I have on my 88 GT.

The 86-93 upper intake was coated with either a powder coat or a paint. And it varies. Some relevant info on this; I've noticed some of the early 93 cobras have a bright silver color and are rough and later ~mid Feb 93 production have a greenish tint and are more smooth. The same with some of the 86-93 run. A majority of the 86 and 87's I've seen have the "brighter" looking intake and many 88-93's have the greenish looking coating. My 88 has the darker color and is mostly smooth. The 92 I owned for a short time had the darker colored intake on it with raw valve covers and lower intake.

The lower intake and the valve covers are raw aluminum. No coating. I've never seen a factory stock 86-93 5.0 with any coating of any kind on the lower intake or the valve covers. My thought is that if there was a coating on the valve covers, someone other than Ford put it on there.

This is what my two eyes have seen over the years. I'm not claiming it to be gospel or completely true. It's just what I've seen. Post up some more pics. :D

[86FHPssp]

Here's my take on what I've seen and what I have on my 88 GT.

The 86-93 upper intake was coated with either a powder coat or a paint. And it varies. Some relevant info on this; I've noticed some of the early 93 cobras have a bright silver color and are rough and later ~mid Feb 93 production have a greenish tint and are more smooth. The same with some of the 86-93 run. A majority of the 86 and 87's I've seen have the "brighter" looking intake and many 88-93's have the greenish looking coating. My 88 has the darker color and is mostly smooth. The 92 I owned for a short time had the darker colored intake on it with raw valve covers and lower intake.

The lower intake and the valve covers are raw aluminum. No coating. I've never seen a factory stock 86-93 5.0 with any coating of any kind on the lower intake or the valve covers. My thought is that if there was a coating on the valve covers, someone other than Ford put it on there.

This is what my two eyes have seen over the years. I'm not claiming it to be gospel or completely true. It's just what I've seen. Post up some more pics. :D

My 93 GT has a factory coating on the valve covers and so did my friends 91 GT. I know they were both original. Mine had yellow stampings in it and the original Ford decal on the pass. one. I have some pics of them actually. It is a strange coating, looks the same as intake really.

[86FHPssp]

Old pic of my 93, before the SC and a host of other things. I did out the old syle stickers on the covers..but even in this pic you can see they are coated/painted. It is a TOUGH coating and VERY hard to try and sandblast off. I have driver side cover off of a 91 sitting in the garage I can take a good pic of also. I have no idea when they started this or why some cars would have it and some do not.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid19/p7bc89ffd27f327df2556fd0dcf5ab542/fdca8875.jpg

[cmccarthy]

I just went and looked at a pic of my old '86 motor, and it has a painted upper with bare valve covers.

[Capri50]

for reference, this is a 300 mile intake I took off my friends 93 convert when it was 2 weeks old. It has the greenish/grey color to it.

I also have the valve covers with no miles from the same car. They are definately coated a lighter silver color. The coating is very tough, and would assume it's some kind of powder coating.

http://www.capri50.com/temp234/93intake.JPG

[86FHPssp]

for reference, this is a 300 mile intake I took off my friends 93 convert when it was 2 weeks old. It has the greenish/grey color to it.

I also have the valve covers with no miles from the same car. They are definately coated a lighter silver color. The coating is very tough, and would assume it's some kind of powder coating.

http://www.capri50.com/temp234/93intake.JPG

Looks exactly like mine although nicer..haha. I would like to find some new take-off or low mileage intake and valves covers for my 91 I'm restoring.

[silver85]

This is good info guys. I wonder if there was a cutoff date on the plain valve covers? Also, it is possible I didn't pay real close attention to the 92 I owned. The valve covers on it were most likely coated based on what you all are saying and reporting here. They looked the same as my 88's. And now I'm going to inspect them closer in the morning.


Bob

[silver85]

Just checked. My 88's aren't coated. They are actually turning white in some areas on them.

[Ackman70]

Does anyone have a paint code or picture of an '86 manifold?

[capriman86]

Raised from the dead...

Going to repaint my upper and it appears no one still knows what its color is?

I may try that VHT Aluminum Caliper paint at mentioned in this thread but
lets see if anyone else has recently done anything.

For the record, my 86 had a coated/painted upper and raw covers

[peicaprilover]

Color on the Pony wheels is called "Argent". Just a fancy name for silver. (quote)

actuallly Argent is french for silver. and money.

[irvin]

86s were natural. you can beadblast and lowgloss clear them.
oops im talking about the valve covers.--irv
i color matched the intake to one of my mixing silvers
and cleared it.the colors varied over the years and
batches of intakes made.