What color were the Tunnel Port "crate engines"?

[blykins]

Since there were no Tunnel Port engines available in production vehicles, and only "crate" engines or top end packages were available from Ford, what color would the engines have been? 

I'm assuming that since they debuted in 1967, the color would have been the typical Ford blue, but I also have this auction site where it shows a TP equipped GT500 that's supposedly unmolested, and the engine is satin black.

https://www.vantagesportscars.com/showroom/shelby/1970-shelby-gt500-427-tunnel-port-7k-miles/

Anyone have a definitive answer?

[GJCAT427]

 Most of those were sent to Holman/Moody As they were they were the distributer on the east coast of the hipo parts. Most of the pictures I have seen of the stock pile of engines, all of them were black. Some were I have a H/M catalog that shows John Holman beside a bunch of crate motors and all of them are black. Also remember that there weren't that many TPs made, so it seems reasonable that H/M was made the distributer of them.

[blykins]

Most of those were sent to Holman/Moody As they were they were the distributer on the east coast of the hipo parts. Most of the pictures I have seen of the stock pile of engines, all of them were black. Some were I have a H/M catalog that shows John Holman beside a bunch of crate motors and all of them are black. Also remember that there weren't that many TPs made, so it seems reasonable that H/M was made the distributer of them.

Thanks.

I assume that since it was around '67, that any valve cover would have been valid....chrome PBF, chrome pentroof, or cast aluminum Cobra Lemans, right?

[GJCAT427]

 You may be right on the valve covers. If I can find that catalog it may show what was shipped from the factory. Guys changed them to their liking. I know I do!

[fryedaddy]

i paint mine y block ford red,i love the dark red on FEs,plus it matches the msd stuff pretty good.

[mike7570]

My old tunnel port that I bought from Mickey Thompson in 1983 was black and the valve covers were chrome PBF. This motor was built by Holeman and Moody for Mickey's Bonneville endurance records for Ford (See HR magazine Oct. 1968)

[blykins]

My old tunnel port that I bought from Mickey Thompson in 1983 was black and the valve covers were chrome PBF. This motor was built by Holeman and Moody for Mickey's Bonneville endurance records for Ford (See HR magazine Oct. 1968)

So you're under the impression then that H&M painted it that way in 68?

[mike7570]

It was supposedly a back up engine that was never used. It was sitting in his Long Beach CA warehouse and I bought during a sale to clean out some of the warehouse. I tried to negotiate the $3,500 price down and Mickey said if I didn’t want he was going to keep it and put it in a boat!
I painted it blue when I put it in a ‘67 Mustang coupe and ran super-street with it.

[cammerfe]

I got an upper end from EEE in the fall of '67 that had come from the LeMans testing program. The intake manifold was bare cast aluminum. The heads were black. Bought a 427 long block from Bill Brown Ford in Livonia and we put the whole works in Brother Lon's '67 Mustang.

KS

[428kidd]

https://www.fordfe.com/download/file.php?id=15400

Dr. Craft posted some good pictures on the old forum. https://www.fordfe.com/what-would-you-consider-to-be-the-correct-engine-c-t166604.html

[mike7570]

I read the comments on the other forum and that T pan shown was just like mine. Mickey slid a fork from a fork lift under that pan to put it in my truck and he made a small dent in it. I remember painting it and was sure it started out black. Trying to remember 39yr ago maybe I’m getting a little forgetful. I’ll ask my racing partner from back then what he remembers and go back through some old photos to see if I can confirm it.

[Joe-JDC]

You can't go wrong with black block and heads and chrome valve covers.  All the high performance engines had black long blocks during the early to mid-'60s.  Joe-JDC