25 replies to this topic

[neilw]

I'm going to be rebuilding the engine from our recently purchased Mini and I can't decide on a colour to paint the block and head. Someone has previously painted the gearbox and clutch housing blue and the engine is gold. Most of the blue paint has all but flaked off and the gold is looking tired.

 

I've seen a number of Mini's with various different colours and I can't decide what to paint ours. Green appears mostly on early Mini's, Red on 1275cc engines and I've seen some blue ones which match the body colour.

 

Our Mini is red so I'm thinking I might go with a red engine but does anyone know what colour it would have been from the factory? My plan is to bring the silver parts back to silver (gearbox/clutch housing) but I'm wondering if the gold engine was the original colour or not.

[nicklouse]

gold may have been from it being an exchange Gold seal engine.

 

as to original colour you have not said what it is.

[neilw]

gold may have been from it being an exchange Gold seal engine.

 

as to original colour you have not said what it is.

 

It's a 998cc from a 1981 Mini HL

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[mab01uk]

 

gold may have been from it being an exchange Gold seal engine.

 

as to original colour you have not said what it is.

 

It's a 998cc from a 1981 Mini HL

 

 

I had a 1981 Mini HL and the engine and gearbox was all black from the factory, as were most BL Mini engines when BMC green was phased out in the early 1970's. The Metro with A+ was introduced in 1980 with red for 1275cc blocks and yellow for 998cc, the alloy parts were left unpainted. The Mini got the 998 A+ engines in the same yellow a short while later and the 1275 A+ in red with the reintroduction of the Cooper in 1990.

[Spider]

Solid basic Colours are best IMO - Except white. Even if it's leak free, it will soon look grotty.

 

Colours like Black, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green all look good and if you decide to go with multipal colours, I would suggest no more than two. Touches of fresh plated (not necessarily chrome) bolts and other fittings can finish it off nice.

[nicklouse]

Red block. Blue head and everything else as God intended.

[eric.sen]

For me only the cylinder head on Ford tractor blue

 

the rest of the engine silver or black

[panky]

Go colourful

 

[neilw]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'm going to go with black for the block and head and natural colour for everything else. I was seriously thinking yellow but it would look dirty so quickly.

[Mini Manannán]

 

I went for Chevvy Orange in the Por15 range.  The  block's not painted yet - the can hasn't even been opened for a sneaky peek- I hope I don't regret it :-P

[panky]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'm going to go with black for the block and head and natural colour for everything else. I was seriously thinking yellow but it would look dirty so quickly.

Coward

[Northernpower]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'm going to go with black for the block and head and natural colour for everything else. I was seriously thinking yellow but it would look dirty so quickly.

Wuss 😁

[MacGyver]

How about green? 😎
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[wile e coyote]

Black has got to be the best colour......hides natural leakage nicely!

[surfblue]

How about green?
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Yeah but proper BMC green, not that muck!