I have my motor out and off to the Machine shop to get it bored out,and am cleaning everything up and detailing things while I have it out(What a mess!!).
My question is, I want to show this car when I get everything completed on it and wanted to know if it makes any difference in judging it if I change the color scheme of the engine or should I restore it to the original colors for that year engine.

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

if you plan on getting it judged, paint it the orgional color. if you paint it a different color and don't plan on getting it judged, everyone will look under your hood and tell you that your engine is the wrong color. if you don't mind hearing that then paint it whatever color you like except pink

Hmmmmm, I don't know.....gloss black fenders, gloss black fire wall and radiator mounts. Nice bright chrome valve covers, air cleaner, headers and ignition shielding, all new black hoses and a PINK block and heads....now what judge would have the heart NOT to give it a prize for best engine? ( you realize we are not talking NCRS here )!
Whatever color you choose, remember the car is yours and you can do with it what you want. The only right or wrong is if you plan on getting it judged by NCRS, then it better be the color it was when it left the factory.

I stand corrected, Pink block with matching pink velvet seats sounds like a winner to me.

OK.....I see I left myself wide open to that one , I was just tring to decide between Black or Chevy Blue that it had been when it came out.
I guess it doesn't really matter that much since I plan on installing all the californa emissions back on it. no one will see under all those hoses anyway.
Thanks for your input.

i'd go with the black paint. thats the orgional color isn't it. you can always add pink plug wires to dress it up.

I think the orignal color was Blue or at least the engine I pulled out is blue. If any one here knows the original color of the 1981 Corvette engines out of St. Louis plant, please let me know. If it was blue or black, I know that the manifold was repainted silver when they replaced the timing chain but thats all I thought had been touched before I bought it.

Thanks

HIDE ALL THE WIRERING, PULL OUT ANY CRAP RELAYS,,''HIDE THEM'', PULL OUT THE AIR CON, THIS WILL BE THE BEST CLEAN OUT, HOSES, EVACUATIOR, ECT, ECT, IT MAKES THE ENGINE BAY CLEAN AND NEAT OF, CLUDDER,,,,,.

Pull out the air conditioning ???? Give him a break he lives in TEXAS

Hot Rod magazine years ago did a test and proved that a black engine dissipates heat better than other colors. Also hides oil leaks the best. GM uses that color almost exclusively now.
Food for thought.
Good Luck.
K & M Restorations