240Z Resto - 01/1970 Car

[Careless]

Got this reply from the California Datsun

 

 

We reproduced this color from a Genuine Nissan painted NOS alternator arm that was never subjected to weather or abuse. Much of the shade has to do with the primer and prep work put into it also.

 

 Your engine has 45 years of heat, dirt and road grime and that color is faded over the years. We have sold hundreds of these cans over the last several years without a single complaint. Our engines have won national z car conventions with that shade of blue green. In addition we paint 90% of every engine we sell in that color. 

 

Nissan/Datsun had also been known to use a variety of shades from the factory too, so there is not real correct answer to the correct shade, I would not loose sleep over it.

 

Yet, this is the image I have that was taken of the engine as it came out:

 

 

:-/

 

should I buy from Banzai? this colour is too dark. yet, the alternator bracket has the darker colour on it as well, for some reason...

Edited June 25, 2015 by Careless

[jfa.series1]

See bottom on page on the link.

 

http://www.zzxdatsun.com/catRequests.php

[scarguy055]

I'm a perfectionist as well and fan of doing it right the first time, so I feel your pain. You don't want to do all of this work and end up with something you're not happy with.

It also wouldn't surprise me if they did use multiple shades of the blue over time.

What about best 2 out of 3? Anyone use the engine blue from Classic Datsun Motorsports? Which one is it closer to?

http://www.classicdatsun.com/

[Careless]

I just don't get how the colour could vary so wildly. It's definitely not different from weather/heat. It's TOO different to be that.

 

I have two cans of California Datsun paint that I don't think I can use now. But for some reason- one of the brackets and some other items I have laying around had the California Datsun colour sprayed on it. I wonder if the colour is actually the base coat they use before the dusty blue colour? 

 

[scarguy055]

I'm 2nd owner of 9/70 built Z that's very original. I'll be pulling the engine in next month or two. I already have alternator and smog pump (CA car) off. I can try to get some photos tonight that show the color of the brackets and block for comparison to yours.

[motorman7]

Attached are pics of my original 4/70 motor complete with factory drips.  Attached is the repaint with paint from Classic Datsun Motorsport.  I think it is a very good match.

[djwarner]

Here is a paint formula though they don't show any examples:

 

http://www.xenonzcar.com/s30/enginepaint.html

 

Unfortunately, modern cameras are quick to modify the colors sensed in our photographs. They can be swayed by dominant colors, typically the color of the engine bay. A professional photographer can accurately capture this color but finding an un-aged, clean sample is difficult if not impossible.

[jonathanrussell]

 

What djwarner said regarding cameras has also been my experience. The color correction of the monitor you are using matters too. The photo I have attached shows my original 24k mile block from my 72 240z. Hanging with it is a bracket I painted using the Classic Datsun Motorworks aerosol paint. Live, the block and the bracket look to be the same color and darker than this photo shows up on my monitor. The key difference between my block and the bracket is the gloss on the newly painted bracket vs the 43 year old paint on the block. Hope this helps.

 

 

 

 

 

[Mark Maras]

You bring up an interesting point. The finish will change the appearance of the color. I wonder if the original blue paint was satin or matte finish. That could explain the difficulty matching the color. I don't remember a gloss finish on my original Zs' engine, but it was 2 years old when I got it.

[Careless]

Here is a paint formula though they don't show any examples:

 

http://www.xenonzcar.com/s30/enginepaint.html

 

Unfortunately, modern cameras are quick to modify the colors sensed in our photographs. They can be swayed by dominant colors, typically the color of the engine bay. A professional photographer can accurately capture this color but finding an un-aged, clean sample is difficult if not impossible.

 

I have pretty good experience with cameras and lighting, as I studied photography for quite some time, and also have had plenty of thousands of dollars in camera equipment before I decided to move on to other interests- which is why I know for certain that the two colours vary much too wildly to be different in photos, but the same in person. The white-balance based on the cardboard, wood, and silver engine items in each photo can be used as a reference for the cold/hot levels of the photos- which generally change the hue- Plus, I've sampled parts of the other photos in Photoshop to get a better understanding of the lighting changes, and tried to adjust the overall image hue- and it really didn't do either colour any justice.

 

These two paint colours are entirely different. There are just too many online examples of the two shades with other items in the background to make it a camera sensor/lighting thing. This is my dilemma. . 

[Careless]

I'll have to get the paint from the shop and give it a good shake. Maybe bring it to home depot and see if they can shake the can for me in their shaky doohickey vibration thingamabob. perhaps some of the colour has settled to the bottom of the can.

 

doubt it, though! 

[Careless]

Update. Pictures coming soon!

Got the Intake back from the powder coater. Pretty sure it matches perfectly, and I had them do the smoothest coating possible.  The first powder supplier I visited mentioned that the colour we used is even closer than the custom colour he could supply, and it's a perfect match by his standards. It looks amazing. Just as good as the OE single stage orange without clear coat- which is what the original intake was as far as I could tell from the fresh paint under the gaskets on the inside of the unit.

 

The radiator fan was also matched as close as we could get it without a custom colour. The issue I had with the fan from the beginning was that some areas were darker, and some were lighter- I guess due to being closer to the heat radiator or having a lot more abrasion wear. But either way it ended up amazing.

 

The alternator has been rebuilt to OE spec. The case is slightly more dull than I would like the timing cover and the valve cover to be, I am sending those out for further tumbling using plastic media and then a quick run through the ringer with corn cob media.

 

I also spray painted the balancer with the California Datsun blue, and I am happy with how it looks when it's sprayed over a grey primer. A white primer would perhaps be a slight bit closer, but I had trouble finding white engine primer, so I went with the grey. I will be spraying the engine next week.

 

I also took apart the oil pump and the distributor and ran the housings through the plastic media tumbler, while keeping the oil pump ports closed off. I just removed the gerotor from the inside. It managed to get all but the smallest bit of silver paint off the housing. I will be using a q-tip and some wax & grease remover to knock that off. Then I will run those through the corn cob media for 3 hours, and it will come out looking like assembly line parts.

 

I already ran the distributor base mount through it, and it looked astounding.

 

And it actually looks even better with the Sharkhide coating. When it's that bright, it doesn't change the surface to a dull finish, it just gives it a very slight shine and will protect it for years. I tested it on the spare lower t-stat housing, and it was perfect.

 

I only wish that I had sent the alternator out to get tumbled with the timing cover and valve cover, but for the sake of getting things moving, I let the unit be put back together with just the vapor blast and sharkhide. I'd say it looks great, either way.