396 Engine Gaskets//Engine Paint

[John O.]

I'm getting ready to have my 396 reassembled and was wondering who makes a good and correct gasket set for this engine? Also, can anyone relay the current thinking on who provides the most accurate Chevy Orange paint?

Thank you,
John Osterholm

[Joe Cauvin]

Re: 396 Engine Gaskets//Engine Paint

I've used several engine paints and Quanta seems to make the closest to original paint. It has the correct amount of gloss and matched up very well when compared to original painted parts.

[Rob A.]

Re: 396 Engine Gaskets//Engine Paint

Quanta (1 800 BELTS88) has the "correct" chevy orange in spray cans and quarts. I used the cans and it worked well and seems durable on valve covers, etc. While I personally can't say how correct it is, I could not find the same shade in any brands any of the auto parts stores carry. Paragon's gasget set is an off brand they say is made by FELPRO, however, I have since been told that FELPRO doesn't make gasgets for any else.

[Joe L.]

Re: 396 Engine Gaskets//Engine Paint

John------

Paragon sells a gasket set that I think will serve your purposes about as well as any. Very few of the gaskets can be discerned when installed on the engine, anyway. Those that can be discerned can only be seen in small areas. These include the head gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, valve cover gaskets, and, to a very minor degree, the oil pan gaskets.

The original head gaskets used for these engines were of the steel shim variety. I DON'T recommend this type gasket unless you're absolutely sure that the block deck and cylinder head surfaces are absolutely true. But, if you want that exposed edge to be absolutely correct, then use the steel shim gaskets. My preference for head gaskets is Fel-Pro Permatorque Blue. ONE of these gaskets (they are sold PER EACH) costs more than the whole Paragon engine gasket set and they're easily discerned in the "exposed area". You'll ALWAYS find them on any engine of mine, though.

Chevrolet engine orange varied over the years of its use. For the "shade" being used in 1965, I think that the product manufactured by Seymour Paint Co. of Sycamore, IL is the closest. Paragon sells this product. Quanta's is also very close; I think that it may be manufactured by Seymour, too.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 396 Engine Gaskets//Engine Paint

John,

I have used the Paragon gaskets. What I would do is buy an entire Fel-Pro Performance set, and then also buy the intake gasket set from Paragon. This will give you the best balance between appearance and function.

For color, I've used the spray (good) and quart (better) from Quanta. If you have the ability to purchase a quart or two and spray it with real equipment rather than a spray can, I would.

On my 66, I just used Plasti-Cote (too bright orange and too glossy) as a base coat and then used the Chevy orange (too dark but correct sheen) sold by AutoValue stores as the topcoat. It turned out to be an excellent color match!

Patrick

[William C.]

Re: 396 Engine Gaskets//Engine Paint

If you are "going all the way" with this engine, I would in addition find an NOS set of GM intake gaskets from the '70's and use the rear seal from that to get the "GM" logo on the seal.

[John O.]

Re: 396 Engine Gaskets//Engine Paint

Thanks guys for the great advice. I'll use the fel-pro's and try and either locate an original or use the Paragon intake gasket.

-John