I'm in the process of stripping and rebuilding a 1979 Ford pinto engine for a good mate

This engine is the original engine that came out of a 1979 RS2000 that is being restored

I want to ensure that the engine is built back-up exactly as it left the factory and need to know what colour the engine would have been ?

Have a feeling that it will be satin black for the block & head and also the cam cover, but if there are any Ford experts out there who can confirm it that would be great


Thanks

Agree with satin black, if my memory serves me correctly, used to work as a mechanic in a Ford main dealers many years ago.

Don't know about the RS2000, but Pinto engines I've seen have been black block, head and cam cover. When I rebuilt one I opted for red block, black head and cam cover, but then I wasn't trying to recreate a specific look just avoid corrosion.

The cam cover on all RS2000 was blue which was different to other pinto engines.

J

I seem to remember, black block and head, with blue cam and belt cover, air filter too?
Could be wrong of course.

[Edited on 18/2/16 by Griff51]

A quick Google on RS2000 threw this up, which seems to confirm a blue cam cover and air filter housing...

http://www.cotswoldclassiccar.com/classic-cars-for-sale/rs2000.php

[Edited on 18/2/16 by nick205]

ISTR all the 2 litres Cortina engines had royal blue cam covers in the early 1970s. --- oh memories of replacing many worn out camshafts on Mk3 Cortinas

My 78 Mexico had a black cam cover.

Cam cover is not blue thats for a mk1 or cortina

This is one of the best RS2000's to be rebuilt to concours. Black engine, this is group 1 spec with twin 44idf and big exhaust manifold.

I can assure you they were blue in the the early 1970s I saw just too many crappy Cortina Mk3 with rattling cams to forget. The change came around the time the premature cam wear Pinto engine started to be resolved.

We had a load of Transit vans and all had blue cam covers..............

IIRC Pinto engines were blue until the start of mk4 Cortina production when they started painting pinto engines black. Then in 1983 at start of Sierra production they started painting passenger car engines grey though the light commercials were still black.

Thanks everyone for your replies

Managed to clean the years of crud off the block and it is indeed black and the cylinder head is the same
So its going to be black


So Far:

Camshaft is only suitable for a doorstop as its worn badly

RS Sump is possibly the best I've seen as its un-marked and in really good shape

Bores look ok, but the crank is going to need a grind




I'm enjoying working on the old school stuff

That Group 1 RS above is amazing, shouldn't think it even looked that good when it left the factory. Stunning!

My 74 2.0 cortina had a blue cover, my 1981 cortina and 83 Capri had black covers.

quote:

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Originally posted by mark chandler
My 74 2.0 cortina had a blue cover, my 1981 cortina and 83 Capri had black covers.

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