Auto to Manual? (Sort of)

If it is a 66 engine why is it blue? Blue factory paint started in 70 .Just because it came out of a 66 doesn't make it a 66 motor.Check the code on the pad on the deck just under the head behind where the coil bolts to the motor.If it's a 66 it will have the letter B stamped at the beginning of the series of numbers ( B 225 123456 ).Your 65 motor should have A stamped in it (A 170 123456) You need to know what you have before moving forward.A 66 225 will be drilled even if it was in front of an automatic. I've never seen one that wasn't from that era .