What to do with Engine Bay?

[allcarfan]

Ok, I am at a crossroads before my car gets handed over to the body man. I need some opinions on what to do with the engine bay. The engine is ENTIRELY chrome, polished Aluminum, or powdercoated chrome...with some blue anodized accents. When I say everything....I mean...EVERYTHING - unless its plastic or rubber.

The car is being painted Mixing white with Sonic Blue stripes and blue-tinted pearl.

So...the engine bay....should I mix some paint and paint it a flat/satin black? With my spray gun? OR Powdercoat the engine bay chrome, or powdercoat it mirror black?

When I say engine bay I mean...firewall, radiator support, shock towers, etc. All of my wires, and starter solenoid are hidden and most of the holes for clips and what not have been welded and smoothed.

The car is a 66 coupe. 17" chrome bullet wheels, lowered, black/white/blue interior.

Suggestions?

 

[The Dan]

ACF, I say the satin if your engine is sporting all the shiney stuff. I think it would accentuate the engine more if you had the black there to contrast the bay. If you make your inner fender as shiney as the engine, you'll end up with a head ache when you try to look under the hood, not to mention the flash blindness on a sunny day

My .02

 

[NorCal66]

I don't know what mirror black looks like...but that sounds awesome. I don't think I'd ever go with chrome, that's just pushing it. If you decide to just spray it, I'd go with flat black to put more emphasis on the shiny engine.

 

[corbetts_auto]

IMHO I recomend body color. I think it offers the cleanest all around look. The only down fall is that the engine bay must be preped to the same degree as the exterior.

 

[bnickel]

IMHO I recomend body color. I think it offers the cleanest all around look. The only down fall is that the engine bay must be preped to the same degree as the exterior.

i agree, i'd paint it body color and even continue the stripes on the engine bay as well

 

[68RustBucket]

i've seen more satin black engine bays that i absolutely love. it compliments a clean engine infinately better than anything else, i think.

 

[allcarfan]

Body color was/is also an option. I will just have to get with my body man. What I'm worried about with the body color is scratching it when putting in the new engine and what not. Although, I love the way it looks. Good suggestion.

As for mirror-black.....Think of it like this....you just drained your oil into a pan. You let the bubbles settle. You look into that black oil and can see your reflection in it. THATS mirror black. So black, so deep, and so shiny that you see yourself in it. Very different look thatn clear coat.

 

[bnickel]

As for mirror-black.....Think of it like this....you just drained your oil into a pan. You let the bubbles settle. You look into that black oil and can see your reflection in it. THATS mirror black. So black, so deep, and so shiny that you see yourself in it. Very different look thatn clear coat.[/QUOTE]


i accomplished kind of the same thing when i did my engine compartment. i painted it satin black and decided it needed more gloss to it so i cleared it, it turned out really nice, but it does not look like gloss black

 

[corbetts_auto]

What I'm worried about with the body color is scratching it when putting in the new engine and what not. Although, I love the way it looks. Good suggestion.

Just be careful. LOL

I agree continue the strips into the engine bay, it'll give it that "attention to detail" look.

 

[txwoody]

On mine I was going to use a ford underhood color. If you have a new ford just look under the hood. Its a semi flat color that is in the shade of the outside color. Go and look under the hood of a mustang or ranger that is painted sonic blue from factory. If you like that let me know and I can get the code for you.

 

[txwoody]

Sorry I had your colors backwards. You are painting it white with blue stripes. I not sure if a blue underhood color would look so hot on a white car, You could use a white underhood color. That would be nice also.

 

[7DMACH1]

Here's an example of gloss black.

 

[7DMACH1]

Another.

 

[BullittStangV8]

Is gloss black a color type like red, blue ect? or is it just painted black and then clearcoated? is it a metal flake?
Mike

 

[mustangbrad]

I vote for matching the body color. I have only seen a couple early Mustangs done this way, they really stand out. One particular Mustang I've seen done this way was a '66 Shelby clone, red with white stripes, the stripes conitnued down the firewall. It was a show stopper.

 

[7DMACH1]

Here's a picture of body color with stripes...

 

[allcarfan]

upon seeing pics of engines....

The brace from the shock towers to the firewall....it looks like some peoples are bolting in. Mine is welded to the top of the shock tower, then has a piece that bolts to the welded in piece, then bolts to the firewall. Is that how it is suppose to be?

 

[SlnLax43]

black. It makes the engine stand out better. My engine bay is painted black and looks quite nice. Here are some pics:

http://groups.msn.com/Mustangs1234/shoebox.msnw?Page=Last

 

[gp001]

I vote the white with the stripes. You have paid so much attention to details on the engine and you want them to show up. The bllack kind of swallows the effects of all the shiny stuff. You want light to relfect off the bright white and make those shiny pieces stand out.

 

[mfp4073]

Gloss under the hood is much easier to keep clean. Gloss black is the best thing ever cause you dont have to worry about stains from stuff showing up. Satin or flat underhood sucks to keep clean.