GMC Factory 'Wet Olive' engine paint

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CCKW owners have debated over the true color of the CCKW's from the factory paint color. Some have called it 'wet olive' yet when asked, they provide no further information... like they read it from a web site and that's all they knew.

 

Well, there are actually PLENTY of sources for FACTORY CORRECT 1930's-40's-50's-60's GM Olive paint for 6 cylinder engines.

 

I bought some and painted up a test valve cover. This is what it look like.

 

 

My jeep is painted in 319 WWII Lusterless paint (some call it an early war OD).

 

It is olive-y.

 

Anyone have any opinions if its accurate? Most of the forums that I asked about the paint have said that YES, that's the right color for a 40's era GM/Chevy/GMC engine.

 

I have added more pictures and photos of the complete process http://www.tm9-801.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=763

[N.O.S.]

Makes a change from grey :-)

 

I've not researched engine paint at all, so a very brief summary from you would be much appreciated - and would it go something like "at least some new build GMCs had wet olive engines, and some later ones had grey engines"?

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From GMC the engines were this 'wet olive', with the gray oil filters and black for most accessories.

 

After a depot rebuild the engines were painted OD (the darker color, I believe Army Jeep Parts sells it as 33070 paint, the oil filter would most likely be the standard issue black).

 

If you look at the Tankograd CCKW book, page 21 they do a picture of what APPEARS to be a crate engine, with a gray oil filter. It appears to be a proper crate motor (SNL-G-508 page 54 note details what a engine is supplied with, and what is not).

 

Here is the valve cover I painted convered to B&W (more correctly, gray scale)

 

 

Besides the obvious gloss (its an acrylic enamel paint)

 

If you look at the Tankograd photo and compare the engine bellhousing to the CCKW behind it it does look like the engine is a lighter shade.

 

I'm not sure its the same COLOR as I have...

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Gray was, as far as I can tell, never a 'factory' engine color. The Navy could have repainted its vehicles (as it did with jeeps) but as far as I know CCKWs were OD from the start (the very, very first ACKW's might have been a different color as they were lend leased and none made it to US service).

 

If you have anything that might shed light onto the engine color I would be most interested in reading it.

[N.O.S.]

Thanks for that. Sorry can't add anything useful on GMC colour.

 

Seems engines were all shades - I believe International had a greener green than the GMC olive (see Tony Corbin's International resto thread), Ward laFrance (Continental engine) were red.

 

If anyone can give colours for Autocar and Federal (both Hercules engine) that would be another mystery solved.

 

Just out of interest, what colour were Jeep (Willys and Ford), Dodge and Canadian Chevrolet (assume American Chev were same olive green as GMC?)?

 

And what abut British WW2 vehicles?

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From the jeepdraw web site the ford GPW (jeep) engines were gray (and yes, people fight over what gray is gray) and the Williys MBs engines were OD.. same as the jeep.

 

I am pretty sure that the green I painted is not it. Its not green enough... to much lime color.

[N.O.S.]

..I am pretty sure that the green I painted is not it. Its not green enough... to much lime color.

 

Are you saying you don't think it is right for GMC Olive green?

[Vulture]

CCKW owners have debated over the true color of the CCKW's from the factory paint color. Some have called it 'wet olive' yet when asked, they provide no further information... like they read it from a web site and that's all they knew.

 

Well, there are actually PLENTY of sources for FACTORY CORRECT 1930's-40's-50's-60's GM Olive paint for 6 cylinder engines.

 

I bought some and painted up a test valve cover. This is what it look like.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]61138[/ATTACH]

 

My jeep is painted in 319 WWII Lusterless paint (some call it an early war OD).

 

It is olive-y.

 

Anyone have any opinions if its accurate? Most of the forums that I asked about the paint have said that YES, that's the right color for a 40's era GM/Chevy/GMC engine.

 

I have added more pictures and photos of the complete process http://www.tm9-801.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=763

 

 

Have to say that that looks v smart

 

Vulture

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I found a picture in a TUP assembly manual that actually points me back to this color.

 

I don't have time to scan it in but its a black and white (dithered, not grayscale) photo that shows the side of an early engine.

 

YOU CAN SEE THE REFLECTION OF THE GRAY OIL FILTER ON THE VALVE COVER! I don't know what to make of it. Its CLEARLY a reflection, and not part of the printing of the manual. Several people have been saving the green is like what is used on WWII US Army ammo cans (most notably 'he who shall not be named') but I have plenty of ammo cans (with dated repack slips still in them) that are NOT semi gloss. Why would ammo cans have *any* gloss? Semi or other? So Jerry knows where you are hiding???

 

I'll scan in the picture and you'll clearly see it... but its to late now to mess with it.

[G506]

Thanks for that. Sorry can't add anything useful on GMC colour.

 

Seems engines were all shades - I believe International had a greener green than the GMC olive (see Tony Corbin's International resto thread), Ward laFrance (Continental engine) were red.

 

If anyone can give colours for Autocar and Federal (both Hercules engine) that would be another mystery solved.

 

Just out of interest, what colour were Jeep (Willys and Ford), Dodge and Canadian Chevrolet (assume American Chev were same olive green as GMC?)?

 

And what abut British WW2 vehicles?

 

Hi Tony,

I think generally the US Chev 1 1/2 tonners were a dark grey from factory, which I believe to be a standard Chevrolet shade of the time, OD being applied after workshop overhaul

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I'm starting to question exactly WHEN the factory paint comes off and the OD goes on.

 

 

But then there's this:

 

 

They don't seem to be OD.

[Richard Farrant]

I'm starting to question exactly WHEN the factory paint comes off and the OD goes on.

 

 

But then there's this:

 

 

 

They don't seem to be OD.

 

That is a familiar scene, way back when I was rebuilding Bedford 300 engines and testing them in British army workshops... they were not painted until after testing, then preserved and packed or sent straight to the vehicle overhaul section. So, no real evidence in that photo.

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The TMs don't specify when to repaint. It does reference a TM, and I have located and ordered a copy (should be here in 3-4 days).

 

The TM specifies that the engine should be cleaned with dry cleaning solvent, which would remove paint. So there are at least 3 times them the paint would be subjected to removal:

 

Disassembly (first cleaning)

After magnafluxing (remove iron used for crack detection)

After machining, before final assembly

 

One would also assume that the engine would be repainted as a general preservative.

 

But, would they really take off sub-assemblies (genny, starter, dist, etc etc) and repaint it? The picture of an uncrated motor clearly shows that the accessories are still the proper colors... decals in place. I have not seen a photo (other than post war NATO) of a truck with a solid, single color (incl. accessories).

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I spent the past weekend going over everything I can to make a decision. The GMC enamel olive green in the first picture is THE CORRECT GMC CCKW 270 ENGINE PAINT COLOR.

 

I base this primarily on 4 pieces of information:

 

First, the 'Sunderlin Articles' published by the MVPA in the late 80s early 90's. Specifically Part III on page 16 of the 49th issue of Army Motors:

 

 

This is on page 42 of the GMC assembly manual tossed in the box. NOTE THE SIGNIFICANT REFLECTION OF THE OIL FILTER LID ON THE VALVE COVER!!!

 

This reflection is the result of an enamel, high temp paint.

 

Every 40's era GM/GMC restoration shop DOES sell the exact same paint color, the color I used.

 

Back in 2006 when most of the CCKW web site popped up, this question was a hot topic, and I have basically rediscovered the same information (or, more properly, verified it). Even the most Supreme CCKW owner Joel Gopan has stated that GMC Wet Olive is the correct color.

 

If anyone has information that they believe debunks this, please post.

 

Here are more detailed threads regarding my findings and photos:

 

http://www.tm9-801.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=763

http://www.tm9-801.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=782

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Yeah, its a done deal.

 

Here is a SIGNAL CORPS photo from the National Archive showing the bell housing color.

 

It matches my green paint (when converted to B&W).

 

The paint color I posted at the beginning is the correct paint.

 

[Vulture]

Okay, the question is, where can I get this paint in the UK ? Failing that, which of these RAL codes is the closest do we think ? http://scalemodeldb.com/paintcharts/ral

 

Vulture

[N.O.S.]

50% 6011, 50% 6021

[Vulture]

50% 6011, 50% 6021

 

What about the BS range ? Any thoughts here ? http://www.e-paint.co.uk/BS381%20Colourchart.asp?pType=&pFinish=

[N.O.S.]

50% 216, 50% 218 :rofl:

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I doubt that the same paint is available in Europe. Its a high VOC acrylic enamel, evil in the eyes of ROHS.

 

I don't know if taking my painted cover to the local auto paint shop for color match will work.... but its free so I'll give it a try.

 

I'm sure there is a GM color code chart from the 30-40's that has this exact mix.... but don't look in an Army TM for it... it ain't there.