Hot Rods Need input on engine color for my Hemi transplant

I'm going to pull this small block Chevy and replace it with a 354 Hemi. I can't decide what color to paint the engine. I think it won't look very good in the same pale yellow as the car. I'm thinking black, silver or gold, with simple aluminum finned valve covers, exposed ignition wires, and probably lake type headers. I'm going to try to post photos of the car here. Assuming I can get that done, what do you guys suggest for engine color? I'm kind of leaning toward silver, but I'd like to hear your ideas.

 

Gold would stand out. Silver would make it look like a stock Hemi.

 

Dark Ruby Red, maybe with a little metallic in there.

2nd pick would be White like the firewall. I know, you say it's crazy to paint an engine White, but once you get an engine sealed up with new gaskets, you really shouldn't have many leaks or spills to cleanup. Also, freshly painted and clear-coated engines are easier to wipe clean.

~Peter

 

I would go with a wild contrasting color! With metal flake in it.
You AIN'T gonna run it under a hood....you ain't worried about a "ford-in-a-ford blue"...why not go with some
in yo face/kiss my ass loud NON matching/NON "blending" color. (HEY...it's a damn HEMI soooo!?)
Kind of a let it hang out and let'em look at it attitude !!
Orange.....Lime Green....Purple...Red....Burgandy...(a lot like Dodge/Plymouth colors of the 60's
6sally6

 

I’m going with gold on my 324 olds. It’s in my 54 88 so won’t see the engine much. The stock green is cool but can’t beat a gold engine imo.

 

That's a beautiful gold. I looked on the 'net and all I see is regular paint in that color. Wouldn't I need a hi temp paint for the engine, regardless of the color I pick? Am I wrong on that, can I just use regular paint? I would think that especially around the exhaust ports, regular car paint would burn off, wouldn't it? Also, do you think the gold would look good with the pale yellow? I guess for most, the pale yellow is way out of style, as I have looked for examples of photos on the net of open engine cars in a similar color to see what color the engines are and I see nothing in this color. Honestly, I like the color, but I've never been accused of being in style or trendy

EDIT - You can't see it in the photos, but the paint is a custom color mix with super fine gold metalflake in it, with pearl as well. Maybe the gold engine would sort of play off the metalflake, although the flake is so fine you almost can't see it.

 

Personally I'd go back with black, red and chrome/shiny.. Look at the side shot, you just see the total chopped and channeled fendereless car at first look, Nothing takes your eye away from total car. Then you start looking at the details and studying them. I can't even tell you what wheels you have on it without scrolling up the page because they are right for that car, just as the way the engine is dressed up, it is right for that car and doesn't overpower the car looking for attention. When you get the car done you want guys to go "wow cool car" then at second glance "oh damn, it's got a hemi" You don't want them to go "OH wow, hemi" and then have to go back to see what kind of car it is in. Like those guys who show up at cruise night with their 20 inch "rims" you remember how damned ugly the rims were hours later but don't remember a damned thing about the rest of the car because it is totally overpowered.

 

Red!

Dave

 

Match the valve covers! That's a nice red there and looks good against the white firewall.

.

 

I'm afraid red would be too flashy and bright. I want to go with aluminum finned valve covers. The valve covers are the distinguishing feature of the Hemi, the signature so to speak. Not sure if I'll leave them natural or polish them. I think Mr48chev makes a valid point. The Hemi will attract so much attenton as is, I don't want it to overwhelm the car, where the car is reduced to the transport for the engine only. Black would accomoplish that. Silver would give the engine, with the aluminum valve covers and intake, a monochromatic look, so to speak. That might work. The gold looks spectacular on the engine, in and of itself. The question is, how would it look in that car, and in that color. I have a hard time visualizing these things, I have no artistic abilities at all, unfortunately. Please keep the ideas coming guys, you're a tremendous help.

 

Have the guys on the "Photoshop-Thread" fix you right up!

 

Can’t go wrong with gold

 

I’m in the gold camp.

 

Do you now what color gold that is? Do most of you guys clear coat your engine after painting?

 

That’s a single stage urethane made by Kirker. Mayan Gold Metallic. No clear.

 

Thanks.

 

I really like the candy gold on Moriarity’s mill.

 

Chrome the valve covers and no one can see the color of the block and heads…

 

Mark beat me to it Pagan Gold. But the Mayan gold would be nice too. Lippy

 

Thanks so much for the photos you posted of your beautiful gold Olds engine. I love the color and the suggestion, and thats what I'm going to go with. I hope you don't mind a few questions on the product and process. I've in the past always grabbed a can of VHT engine paint off the shelf in NAPA and sprayed away. I've never painted an engine with fine product such as this. I'm not real familiar with the details of properly using a spray gun. I have an 80 gal compressor and a spray gun here at home, but I've not sprayed very much, so I'm not sure about mixes, etc. I'd never attempt it on a car without much more research and experience, but I think I'll be ok on an engine, as the textured surface will help hide all but the most extreme mistakes. It shouldn't be too difficult. I have a few old engine blocks around here that I'll take some practice on first. I'm assuming you used House of Kolor Pagan Gold Kandy (KK12)?

Questions I have are -
- Is this product availabe in a spray can? Did you use a spray can or spray gun? Can you tell me all you can abut the product, mix, etc? I see they offer a pint of "ready to spray" paint. Did you use that? How much paint did you go though to get the job done? How many coats?

2- Did you clear coat over the paint? If so, same questions as I had with the paint. What product did you use?

Any other info you think would be helpful about the details of the process would be greatly appreciated.

 

Paint it orange and people will think that it is a Chevy engine.

 

Burgundy or maroon to match the pinstripe on the car.

 

49/50 Ford flathead bronze, maybe ?? I love that mellow yellow paint, white may not be a bad idea like white coves on a Panama yellow 58 Vette.

 

paint it black you devil

 

Never heard of Hemi Orange? I paint mine black all over.

 

Maroon metallic pearl! It will look beautiful!

 

So, I just communicated with Moriarity via message and his color isn't going to work. His is a complex multi layer base, candy, color, clear deal and I just don't know how to do all that. I have to find a base/clear combo that looks to be a similar gold color to that. Obviously it won't have the same pop, of course but something that'll work in a similar gold tone.