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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: nativetexan on June 11, 2008, 12:28:26 pm

Title: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: nativetexan on June 11, 2008, 12:28:26 pm
Hey guys, I was wondering what is the proper steps in repainting the engine compartment a different color. I am going to be taking the engine out soon so i was planning on painting it myself. Any advice on a start-to-finish guideline would be much appreciated.
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: Captkaos on June 11, 2008, 02:03:50 pm
What color are you painting it?  Factory everything was black except the firewall, which was body color.  Are you talking about painting everything body color?
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: ccz145a on June 11, 2008, 02:35:28 pm
I thought the only thing black were the inner fenders and core support. Inside of the fenders and firewall where body color. Am I mistaken?
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: Captkaos on June 11, 2008, 02:37:23 pm
Oops, forgot the fenders...
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: hotrod24 on June 11, 2008, 03:06:58 pm
i thought the motors was chevy orange
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: ccz145a on June 11, 2008, 03:17:56 pm
Quote
i thought the motors was chevy orange
there's always a smart alec in the crowd  ;D
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: choptop on June 11, 2008, 03:20:34 pm
Quote
i thought the motors was chevy orange
there's always a smart alec in the crowd  ;D

Depends on what years for the motor, early ones were orange, next was blue, then the gutless wonders were all black. Mines Caterpillar yellow. Got to be different.
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: hotrod24 on June 11, 2008, 03:31:28 pm
what was 78
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: 2502 on June 11, 2008, 04:11:32 pm
steam clean it before prep to get all the muck out.
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: choptop on June 11, 2008, 05:02:19 pm
what was 78

I believe it was blue
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: Fordeatinz71 on June 11, 2008, 05:41:48 pm
Quote
i thought the motors was chevy orange
there's always a smart alec in the crowd  ;D

Depends on what years for the motor, early ones were orange, next was blue, then the gutless wonders were all black. Mines Caterpillar yellow. Got to be different.

 :'( my motor's black...lol
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: nativetexan on June 11, 2008, 08:04:03 pm
Yeah the firewall and the fenders are body color. I want to paint it black. The truck will be black eventualy so i thought, since I have the motor out might as well. Two birds kind of a thing. Anyway, I remove everything(?) and then steam clean? What about a good power washer? Then sand and primer? Then put the color on? is that it?
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: choptop on June 11, 2008, 08:21:44 pm
I have found out that some good oven cleaner works wonders in these areas. Spray it on liberally, wait, and wash off with a hose. May have to do it a couple of times, depending on how bad it is.
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: 78BBSTEPSIDE on June 11, 2008, 08:41:17 pm
I'm sure you will get a mix of direction in an effort to paint your engine compartment as everyone has different goals and opinions, but the bottom line is that your results are purely based on your effort put forth to meet your goals of a clean engine compartment. Whether you just "scuff and shoot" or sand/strip to bare metal or even media blast some of the items, it just depends on what your needs are. One thing for certain, make sure it is clean and grease free. Good Luck.
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: VileZambonie on June 11, 2008, 09:11:45 pm
scrape all of the grease, grime and undercoating out of there. Powerwash and degrease everything. If you want it to look really good eliminate all unecessary wiring, fill all holes in, and primer all the bare metal. Por-15 the frame, then paint the crossmember etc with a brush. Then spray the entire compartment gloss black. Gloss black engine compartments look the best in my opinion unless you are going to smooth and hide everything.
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: hotrod24 on June 11, 2008, 09:56:55 pm
was it dark blue or light blue for the 78s
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: Blazin on June 12, 2008, 12:42:16 am
I have found the best method for a perfect end result is clean the heck out of it. Then i sand blast everything. The metal is thick enough and has enough bends, & contors in it so it shouldn't have warping issues.
 If not sand blast then oven cleaner, and lastly plenty of Castrol Super Clean, uncut strait out of the bottle. Use a spray bottle, an old paint brush, a parts washing brush, wire brush, a bottle brush etc. All of them used together is what my choices are. Then sand everything with 320, & a maroon scuffy pad. Any surface rust cover with Chassis      Saver
http://www.savesautobodysupply.com/chasissaver.html
Or POR 15, Chassis Saver is the same thing but half the price. Any bare metal should be hit with a few coats of self etching primer. Then top coat it with Imron in my opinion. It holds up the best in under hood conditions.
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: Captkaos on June 12, 2008, 11:44:33 am
Harold, what is the procedure you use to topcoat Chassis Saver?  I haven't ever used it but once and it was covered with Duraback not paint.  Is it like POR15?
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: nativetexan on June 16, 2008, 03:58:09 pm
This might sound kinda cheesy but, What if I primed it and and painted it with a spray can app? Or rolled on with a thinner?? I mean it might look good with the spray cans from duplicolor right? Thanks for the advice so far guys.
Title: Re: Need advice on engine compartment
Post by: choptop on June 16, 2008, 04:23:24 pm
I have rattle canned many of them, being as it isn't in the sun or weather it usually comes out ok. Not necassarilly show quality, but if done with care, comes out nice.