What do you guys think of my engine bay?

c24sc · Apr 26, 2008

mm.. i don't mind the fox center console either. maybe ill try that from my parts fox 5l.

Fast63 · Apr 26, 2008

paint the engine compartment gloss black I say, but that would require removal of the engine to do a nice job, which I am sure you don't want to go through.

I agree on that upper radiator hose. It looks ugly to me. A nice new black normal hose looks better IMO.

67&05STANGS · Apr 27, 2008

+1 on paint the engine bay.

68stang351 · Apr 27, 2008

Thanks guys! A lot of these suggestions are already on my project list, but some of you are pointing out room for improvement that I've overlooked or never noticed.

Thanks for you help!

D.Hearne · Apr 27, 2008

If you're going to paint the engine bay, use semi-gloss black. It'll look much nicer than gloss.

Fast63 · Apr 27, 2008

D.Hearne said:
If you're going to paint the engine bay, use semi-gloss black. It'll look much nicer than gloss.

I have seen flat, semi-gloss, and gloss, and I think gloss is the only way to go. Gloss might look ultra shiny at first but it will dull after a little while and look great. Semi-gloss will look perfect when it's first put on, but will not look so good a year later. That's just what I've seen anyway

ultrastang · Apr 28, 2008

I'll have to agree with D.Hearne, that semi-flat (same thing as semi-gloss) on the engine bay would look better than gloss.

Not my car, and if you like chrome, fine, but personally I'm not a fan of chrome. I think paint/powder-coat looks much cleaner than chromed objects. The good thing with painted/powder-coated items is if it gets dull or scratched, you can always re-shoot it and make it look brand new again.

If chrome gets dull, or worse, if it gets pitted from surface rust you're pretty much screwed and would have to replace the component. (you could have it re-chromed if the pitting isn't too bad, but the cost would nearly equal that of a new part).

Paint doesn't require as much up-keep, and you can spend more time enjoying your car than wasting time having to clean and polish chrome. --but this is just my opinion.

SoCalCruising · Apr 28, 2008

Semi-gloss and semi-flat are way different. Original paint was very close to today's semi-flat. The glossier paints are fine, though. Personally, I like semi-flat.
I've never been a fan of mixed theme valve covers and air cleaner top. I dig the M/T valve covers, but how about a K&N filter and extreme top? Or is there a M/T top, too. I don't know.
Since you have several red accents (shocks, dizzy, radiator pressure release ...), I'd just go with red spark plug wires.
Otherwise, the other guys have it pretty much nailed.

billbanshee · Apr 28, 2008

annother vote for take that stuff off the rad hose.get a k&n filter. im not really into the finned valve covers but thats just me.

ive really been wanting to mod a fox console to work in my 67 but the front is too wide wich has me a lil discouraged your ash tray and glove box hits the console when you open them dont they?

uk66fastback · Apr 28, 2008

As has been said, it wants a paint and a tidy. Why not lift the engine and spend a week painting it the same colour as the car will be - Azure blue wasn't it?

Then maybe make all the other colurs in there blue as well maybe.

I've got a pic of the best engine bay I've ever seen (and no, it's not mine) ...

Minimalism I think they call it - just where everything has gone though I'm not sure ...

ultrastang · Apr 28, 2008

Engine bays painted the same color as the body looks cool. The bad part is when the paint gets scratched or knicked --like in the area of the shock towers when the ratchet hits them and chips the paint while changing spark plugs.

The engine bay is not as easily touched up with it being a body color as it is if it's painted black. --just something to think about...

jamison42166 · Apr 28, 2008

uk66fastback said:
As has been said, it wants a paint and a tidy. Why not lift the engine and spend a week painting it the same colour as the car will be - Azure blue wasn't it?

Then maybe make all the other colurs in there blue as well maybe.

I've got a pic of the best engine bay I've ever seen (and no, it's not mine) ...

Minimalism I think they call it - just where everything has gone though I'm not sure ...

that has got to be the cleanest MSD ignitionbox install ive seen on a classic mustang, it looks like it belongs there. most of the time the boxes look like they were just thrown in there or the wires are all helter skeltered.

SNAKEPILOT · Apr 28, 2008

I always thought red MSD boxes looked out of place.

View attachment 319685

bnickel · Apr 29, 2008

definitely paint the engine and engine bay, they'll look much nicer. re-wrap or hide any wiring. honestly, i'd say change the valve covers too....the mickey t's are cool, but don't really go with all that chrome so well, either that or polish them

edit: canton has a cool 14" finned aluminum air cleaner lid that would look good painted black with the fins polished to match the M/T valve covers, or a plain finned aluminum oval air cleaner similar to the cobra oval units would look good too.

personally, i'd lose all the red accents, especially if you are going with blue paint on the exterior.....reb and blue combos went out with my old BMX bike back in the early 90's......seriously. for plug wires i'd either do plain old black or a cool blue wire. i'd also consider one of the accell Kool Blue air filter elements too, especially if you use a blue plug wire.

Pakrat · May 1, 2008

Bryan, you talking about the Canton air cleaner lid like the one I went with?

Aside form some fresh paint my biggest peve is like was said about not matching components. I hate seeing say a cobra cover with a ford racing lid, things like that, it looks thrown together. Also not a fan of the fake braided hose covers, I tried them once and they came right off, did nothing for the under hood look.

Keep it all neat, clean, fresh and matched and you can't go wrong.

Here's a good little write up about detailing without removal: http://www.nzmustang.com/TechData/Detailenginebay.htm

This article makes alot of good points too baout matching components, less is more and how all the little details add up to a nice looking big picture.
http://www.mustangandfords.com/techarticles/38381_engine_detailing/index.html

bnickel · May 1, 2008

yep, that's the one Pak. i think if it was painted black to match the M/T covers it would good, since it doesn't have any kind of designation on it all, that way it's not competing with something else, like you said with cobra on one thing and mortorsport on another or whatever. even a plain chrome Hi-Po lid would look good too but i think the canton lid would pull it together better.

mustang6tee8 · May 1, 2008

If you're going with an SN95 color, have you considered Bright Atlantic Blue?

the yellow on the coil sticks out more than the red distributor does... you also could get some polished stainless fender/ outer shock tower cover bolts. they make a nice difference

this is the best picture I have of my engine bay

D.Hearne · May 1, 2008

SoCalCruising said:
Semi-gloss and semi-flat are way different..

I found that out painting my Comet. The Hood is semi gloss black and the rear panel is semi flat. I didn't realize the difference till I grabbed the wrong can to touch up the rear panel. I agree though on the mixed air clearner and valve covers, but in my case I had the 83-85 Stang GT covers on the 331, till I just got tired of the mess and oil consumption due to the baffles being misssing. I've had two sets now and after tweaking the baffles, both eventually worked the rivets loose and dropped the baffles into the rockers. And I've never found any other finned aluminum covers that look as good as the 83-85's.

CraigMBA · May 1, 2008

A note for clarity

I think I've got '85 valve covers, and they are pot metal not aluminum.

I found out when I went to polish them.

68efisuper · May 1, 2008

Engine Bay same as car

Here is my engine bay that will match the color of the car when done.

What do you guys think of my engine bay?

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