Projects Rattle Can Engine Bay Resto:'55 Chevy

As if I didn't have enough projects of my own or need to be working on my 48 F1 which I haven't touched since I put it on the lift two weeks ago I jumped at the chance to detail under the hood of my dad's latest purchase. Number one its pretty open and I think I can make it look ALOT better with a little work, number two if my dad does it the fenders and everything else will be painted!

Here is a couple of shots of the car.





Here is what I'm starting with. Looks like its been in there forever, looks like from the writing on the power brake booster is was a swap meet piece that they didn't bother to paint before they installed, wiring is kind of a mess. Nothing a little paint and black tape can't fix!








Notice how they don't have any kind of breathers or anything in the valve covers, just open down into the engine. Sure am glad I noticed that before I turned the water hose to it!!

First things first, broke out the B52, this stuff is some awesome degreaser!!


Cleaned up pretty good, didn't spray a ton of water on the engine itself because I didn't want to risk getting any moisture into the engine, had the hole plugged and covered, but it still had me a little nervous.





After the wash and some car shuffling in my basement I brought her to my house where she will stay for hopefully not much more than a week!




Also noticed once I got a light on it under the hood is in desperate need of some fresh paint too.

 

Do NOT use spray cans in the basement! Start by covering everything except the inner fenders and firewall. Use a semi gloss black on the inner fenders, firewall, and most brackets.
Then use GM orange to paint the engine. You can go back and touch up black and some silver brackets and wiper motor later. I'd just paint the booster silver or gold.
That radiator appears to have a bad bracket on the passenger side tank and the radiator itself probably leaks and will need replaced. I've done touch up work using a can of paint and small brushes.
Before driving the car I'd replace the master cylinder with a Vette duel one and new brake lines and hoses everywhere. Also replace all fuel lines.

 

Not looking for a complete resto, just shining her up a little bit lol. But all the brake lines are
new, so are all the fuel lines. That is pretty much the plan for painting it. Although why shouldn't I spray it inside as long as I have proper ventilation?

 

better replace the radiator and alt belt before one or the other leaves you stranded.

 

What a nice looking 55. I'm interested in seeing this to the end....Good Luck!

 

How ironic, I got the engine out of my 55 right now and I am going to pressure wash and paint the engine bay and repaint the engine, I am subscribed

 

looks like you'll have fun, it should look a lot better when you're done. Are you gonna pull out the heater and fix the leaking valve or core in it? or just get rid of the hoses? Good call about getting the radiator fixed, if you can find an old radiator shop they should be able to leak test it and get the bracket soldered back on.

A little work and a couple hundred bucks, it'll look pretty nice under there. It's a good looking car... somehow, wire wheels work on them.

 

Here's a rattlecan rebuild I did a while back.
Took both pics the same afternoon.

Before Krylon



After

 

man, nice lookin 55... i'd love to have a 55

 

If you paint the engine 1st, you can then wrap it tight with tin foil and do all the black painting last. It covers better too.

 

Thanks!!

Yeah we've got a local shop that is gonna take care of it. For now not gonna worry about the heater, it won't be driven much on cold days. I am going to get the butchered up heater hoses off of it though for sure.

Yeah we are 50/50 on the wire wheels. At first we were like they gotta go, plus we've got a set of ralleys just sitting around that would go great on it. BUT the more we look at it they are growing on us a little bit.

Thanks

Thanks for the tip! Hadn't thought of that one!

 

after the recore on the radiator, dont paint the core or it wont cool very well.

 

Love the car, but those wire wheels are terrible!!

 

Subscribed.

I am sure the "remodel" will go great.

Personally I love the wires and white letter tires. It sticks the car square in the late 70's or early 80's and keeps it unique. Unique is good. I like it, HAMB friendly or not.

Waiting for update pics from underwood!


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Holy cow,thats amazing. What did you use to prep before paint??

 

Thats a nice looking 55 you have there.

 

Not really....radiators have been working just fine with a coat of black paint on them, for the past 80 or 90 years

 

foil is better than masking tape in an engine compartment! Great tip, Slammed!

 

Ditto on the radiator paint. Just a few hours of elbow grease and some new minor parts will make a world of difference. You might look for some original horns at a swap meet, too. Not that you want it too stock looking, but clean is nice.

 

if youlook close at a recore, the core will have a very thin coat of paint on it. the paint will barely cover it. if the paint is to thick it will not cool well.

 

The foil tip is a good one!
I also really like to use the textured spatter paint it comes in various different colors and when you clear it the stuff gets rock hard. That brings me to my next point, Clear coat any accessories you paint! The engine paint that comes in cast coate grey is pretty awesome stuff, looks like a fresh cast part. You can also just clear brand new parts with no paint. Just prep everything with brake clean or wax and grease remover, something that will evaporate! Keep up the good work!
Heres my Plymouth when I got it...

After about 10-20 rattle cans of various shapes and sizes!

This was the 56 my dad and I did...all rattle can!

 

i dont know what they used for radiators 80 or 90 yrs ago. i wasnt around then, but in the 50s and 60s cars had radiators big enough to cool a two and a half ton truck today. the invention of the radiator fan shroud changed that. todays radiators need all the help they can get.

 

Yup, and 'rallies' wouldn't be any better...

 

all spray bomb. Used rustolium textured multi-color on eng. bay called aged iron. Looks similar to trunk splatter paint, but finer speckles, and no need to clear. Used textured black on battery box, hood hinges, etc. Semi gloss on pulleys, frame, etc. Barbeque white on headers, cheaper than VHT and works better. All paint from Home Depot, except chevy orange. Has a period look to it I think.

 

Paul...I really like your engine bay! What kind of alternator bracket is that? It looks like one of the ones I used but trimmed down.

 

thanks! brkt is 69 camaro, a little trimming. Paul

 

Some great ideas and nice engine bays. Should give Cobra some inspiration. Just a little money and a lot of time and his dad's engine can look just as nice.

PS............. Even if you have plenty of respirators and ventilation those fumes are going to raise into the house from the basement. Push or drive the 55 outside.

 

Getting taped up and ready.


First thing was to pull the battery out, never know what kind of cancer you are gonna find in these old battery trays but this one wasn't too bad.


Hit it with the shop vac and get the crud out. Then to protect it in the future I hit it with some Permatex Rust Treatment.



Rust treated


Now it was on to the brake booster and alternator.

First time using this style paint.


Gotta say it works great, goes on easy and provides a really nice finish.



Went back and fourth over whether to undercoat the battery tray or not but I decided I would.




Next I sprayed under the hood itself, it was a mix of body color and surface rust so I figured black would be better than what it was. Didn't turn out perfect, but it will work.



Hood springs.


I was gonna take these horns off, look kind of tacky, but then last minute I decided hey why not just paint them.

And the rest of the black is done.



Almost forgot to paint the wiper motor!


Time to fire some orange on it!



Really wanted to swap the air cleaner out but we didn't have anything sitting on the shelf I liked any better and this car will eventually be sold so spending money that isn't needed wasn't an option. Decided to work with what I had.

Ad polish.....

Much better!

 

Went with a little bigger air cleaner, little tougher look, plus it hides the nasty greasy spark plug wires!


Also taped up some of the wires along the firewall.
Here is the finished product!




Outside shot in a little better light.


Overall I'd say it turned out pretty decent. Obviously pulling the valve covers, accessories, etc would have made it turn out a little nicer but this was meant to be a weekend project and a quick improvement. I've got probably five hours in the job so I'd say it went well. My dad is happy, he's the boss lol.

 

Much improved. Take some hand cleaner (Go-Jo, ect) to your plug wires. #0000 steel wool to the hard gas line, then repeat w/mothers mag polish. Remove one intake bolt at a time, wheel wheel it, put back w/ fresh washer-repeat till done. Same for the thermostat housing. Cleaner wax to the top of cowl where red meets the dark firewall paint. Mothers the grill. This old car has a lot left in the looks department.