Engine Bay Finish

Yes, I like Marks myself PPG makes DURANAR which works great I have used it on stock Mustang engine bays. The key is to use Hardner in the paint and a good primer with metal prep that would prevent chipping.

I used a urethane truck bedliner finish. Comes in several colors, even could mix a custom color to match body color. No problem with heat in a normal engine compartment. Prep was easy, prime and apply with low pressure schutz (undercoating) spray gun. It took 3 quarts to shoot the engine compartment and front trunk. Scratch resistant, textured surface that cleans easily.

Will, whatever you do, don't just go with flat or satin black paint like I did. Mine is so high maintenance you'd think it was a Ferrari. I was going for a stock-looking effect and I wish I had used a bed-liner product. If (when) I need to pull my engine, that’s what’s going there. I saw Ron McCall’s black Pantera which had an epoxy bedliner coating and after a few years it looked great. Had a nice satin sheen and not as much pebbling as I expected. I guess if you practice with the spray gun you can get a variety of finishes form rough to smooth. The stuff is very hard and Ron said it withstands dropped wrenches pretty well. What colour is going on the outside? If you do a gloss body colour, that looks great too and it much easier to maintain than the flat/satin black.

I disagree totally. I did the bedliner and undercoat treatments on my old car and it was impossible to get the dirt out of the texture. Especially when it gets oily and greasy as it most certainly will.

Since I painted it satin black, I can use a dust mop when it's dusty and it looks brand new in seconds. When it's greasy and oily I use any simple degreaser or cleaner and it's shiny and new in minutes.

Next time I have the engine out I will fill in all the stupid rain- catching edges, useless holes and rough edges, then finish it like bodywork and paint it high gloss with a clear coat. So there...

Here is a picture of my grabber blue Pantera that I sold towards the end of last year, and it had a finish like some of those ( bed liner type of finish), very durable an easy to touch up!

quote:

Originally posted by deeb:
I disagree totally. I did the bedliner and undercoat treatments on my old car and it was impossible to get the dirt out of the texture. Especially when it gets oily and greasy as it most certainly will.

Since I painted it satin black, I can use a dust mop when it's dusty and it looks brand new in seconds. When it's greasy and oily I use any simple degreaser or cleaner and it's shiny and new in minutes.

Next time I have the engine out I will fill in all the stupid rain- catching edges, useless holes and rough edges, then finish it like bodywork and paint it high gloss with a clear coat. So there...

Well, we don't disagree totally. The high gloss paint would be great and I agree that a heavily textured surface isn't, but I've seen a pretty smooth finish on some of the epoxy bed-liners that is easy to wipe clean AND is scratch resistant. Here’s another piece of advice: get some foot square bits of sheet steel and test each finish and then kick them around in the dirt & grease before committing. It will cost a bit more to test them, but you’ll be more confident about which choice suits YOU best. Good luck!

Eastwood has a new, even stronger satin chassis black. Still looks stock.

On the engine bay's with the spay in bedliner type of finish, you are right about that it does catch the dust and dirt. I live on a dirt road and have to drive about 100 yds to reach pavement and it would get dusty and using your duster doesn't really work. But it cleans up really well with water and looks good afterward. On my red Pantera I have a High gloss painted engine bay and it is easy to dust, but you have to be really careful not to scratch it and you can not carry any luggage, etc any more because it will scratch the finish. the spray in bed liner finish is much more durable and easy to touch up if scratched.

When I bought my car it already had a highly detailed & painted engine bay and like Rapid I was concerned about scratching it when using the luggage tray. I looked around at several hardware stores & ran across a roll of closed cell foam type insulation about 1/8" thick X 3/4" wide with adhesive on one side that's usually used around the house. By installing this around the underside edges of the luggage tray & several spots that appeared to touch the inner wheelwells I haven't had any scratches develop in 6+ years of use. Works for me.

I've got the original stuff!

Its always covered by the trunk anyway!

Clean the engine bay? seriously?

Ha, ha, ha .............

Well to be honest, I had trouble getting the luggage tray to fit even with the foam.

I'm with you Rapid. Forget the damn trunk. When I travel with the Mrs she FedExes her clothes ahead.

I say if you can't stuff your stuff behind the seats, beside your feet or fit it in the front trunk with the tools, then ya can't bring it.

Which is probably why Mark C says he dresses better than me.

But shorts, two t-shirts and a toothbrush take up very little space, considering I have to leave room for tools, a few cans of octane booster and LOTS of 30W-50.

Working at the speed of light, 4NHOTROD has done his engine bay already (and the snow hasn't even started yet). He used the Duplicolor bed-liner and the results look great. Hopefully we'll get to see how it holds up at the next Great Canadian Classic, if not before.

I agree Mark, that looks beautiful! Great work Will!

George

Mine is shot in Line-X. Finish is easy to clean with a damp rag and can be shined with spray wax. 5 years old with no problems.

Chip

Wow both I think look execelent ... you gusy are changing my mind ... I'm all for low maintenance ..... can you tell me ... is it tacky or hard ?? if you scrape up against it does it scratch easy ?

Thanks great job and it doesnt look too far from stock ... 9138 has a stock finish that is undercoating and looks close to yours but its tacky like undercoating.

Ron

Reupli-color
It's hard and durable. The finish is satin right out of the can. Not too dull, not too bright.
Ron McCall has said he has dropped tools on it and not scratched.
I'm more than pleased with the finish.
Will D 4NHOTROD

Ron,

The surface is hard and so far not a scratch or nick in it. Seeing that it is a truck liner, it is meant to take abuse. I like the surface of the Line-X better than some of the others do to this texture, but that is a personal choice. I agree with it keeping a stock sort of look, but easy to maintain. It cost about $300.

Chip

Lookin' good Chip! Another great job.

Did you smooth out all the dimples from the spot welds, or is this bed liner material just hiding them?

cowboy from Hell

I was thinking the same thing ... I think they smoothed them out ???

I smoothed it all out and finished the sanding with 150 grit. I thought it would cover more imperfections. I actually sprayed it once, then sanded it again because of imperfections along the top.
After I scraped the old undercoating off, there was a ~3" section of paint along both sides at the top. I featheredged the paint with a grinding disk. This was not enough as I found out after the first coat. Damn, I was pissed.
But it wasn't bad. It was hard enough to sand the next evening. 150 grit took it down pretty quick.
Rule of thumb is: if you can feel it with your fingers, you'll see it after the spray.
Total cost was $100 (Canadian).
PS. Spray in a well ventilated area. My head was spinning for hours afterwards. My head was spinnin for hours afterwards.

LOL Is your head still spining ... looks great so it was worth it.

My paint experience is ,,, prime it and dry sand it with 220 ... they make a fill and sand primer that is easy to sand and fills. But you did a great job. I'm going to copy you >>OK LOL

Mine was smoothed and prepped as it was going to be painted but not to the same degree. The coating on mine will hide minor imperfections, but not all the dimples and welds you see after scraping the old coating.