Did Bill Thomas build Camaros outside NICKEY??

[beater68427]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: resto4u</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Has it been documented that nickey/thomas engine transplants received yellow painted engines? If so, what is the color name or paint code. Roger </div></div>

In looking at pictures Bill Thomas painted some of his engines Yellow in various cars, I just decided to on this car when I got it the engine was black but had been Black Yellow and Orange on the block the heads were bare aluminum I still have those heads but they need work. The rest I threw away it was junk.

[beater68427]

I wanted to duplicate the factory undercoating it took a while but found a NOS gallon of some tar type undercoating made by evercoat probably from the 80's I cant stand the newer spray on stuff it just looks wrong to me and seems mushy, I tried on some spray cards to apply it different ways the one that looked the best was just a 1 inch brush and dabbing it on over spraying it, this is one coat down I think I will do two

[olredalert]

----Jeff,,,,Some racers (Bob Hamilton was one) painted their engines yellow as they could see oil leaks more easily. Im sure that's the reason Bill T did at least some of his engines that way....Bill S

[JoeC]

not sure why Thomas used yellow but he was old school and
in 1957 Chevy painted some 283 truck engines yellow

for some reason in 1950's Chevy used many engine colors - blue red yellow gray green orange black even a Chartreuse (lime green)

other years used different colors also

http://www.cs.siena.edu/~lederman/tr...VCCAcolor.html

[leach]

Yes engines were painted yellow to detect oil leaks that is why Nickey also painted them yellow. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

[beater68427]

Does anyone have a good picture of the factory horn mounting on a standard 68, I have lost a few pictures over the years and I cant seem to find a good picture on line.

[Stefano]

I never asked Bill Thomas that specific question, but did ask Don Swiatek.

While there may be some validity to the opinions posted, it was mainly done in order to have their engines stand out. A customer option for conversions was offered where NicKey would paint the engine any color you wanted. Since there were several magazine articles, including a cover shot with the a &quot;Yellow&quot; engine, Yellow became a popular color if and when the traditional Chevy Orange was not used.

The Yellow painted engines became associated with NicKey and Bill Thomas conversions.

[beater68427]

A little more headway on beater, I did install a big block radiator, it had a small block one in it but I figured I want to drive this without any potential issues I will have to chance it without the caution fan decal they tell me they are on nation back order.... It needed a new heater core and I went back and forth on to convert it to a big block or leave the small block 6 type in it, I decided to leave the small block 6 type in it during conversions they didn't switch them back then so I kept it that way, feels good to finally see it going back togeather after sitting all these years.

[Day2_69Z]

I noticed the None vacuum line on the distributor, can you post the stamped # and date ?
Also, the dates on the carbs with list #'s etc.?

Damn cool ass car !

[beater68427]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Day2_69Z</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I noticed the None vacuum line on the distributor, can you post the stamped # and date ?
Also, the dates on the carbs with list #'s etc.?

Damn cool ass car ! </div></div>

Thanks!! The engine in the car now is nothing special a 454 with 67 427 closed chamber heads steel crank flat top pistons comp cams 305H, I have the 074 heads dated 73 and the Offy intake is dated 73 most everything form the other engine was dated 73 the block was junk so I scraped it, some day I was going to build a 73 set up to duplicate it but for now what's in it stays.