I’m building a high point all original 57’ Chevy convertible. Would appreciate any comments about what would be the best paint product to use when painting my engine block (Chevy Orange). Some folks suggest using a high quality exterior vehicle paint product that is slightly flattened. Other’s recommend exclusive engine paint products such as “Bill Hirsch.” I want to do this right the first time with no future problems of burn-off and/or finish defects. Thanks for the help!
http://www.hirschauto.com/prodinfo.asp?number=EE-QUART&variation=CHV ORANGE The Bill Hirsch stuff may be a little pricey, but it's GOOD stuff. Oh, and get it in the quart cans, not the rattle cans, I've heard that the rattle cans suck.
POR-15 also makes a good engine paint. if it's half as tough as their rust paint it'll last longer than you will.
If you prep the engine properly, it really won't matter what kind of topcoat you use. Engines operate with around 230* oil temperatures and any automotive paint will handle that with ease. However, no paint will stick to rusty or oil contaminated metal. Paint will burn off in areas near exhaust. You can't do much about that. Exhaust ports and EGR ports in intake manifolds (your early SBC won't have this) will tend to burn paint. Clearcoats will yellow with age and heat cycles. Might not be noticeable over orange.
I'm having great luck with the Hirsch rattle cans, love em. Nice, good coverage, blends great, smooth, looks tough as nails, great color...Haven't assembled or put to the heat yet though. Found some on clearance for 4.99 a can.
I've got to say POR-15. It is a little more time consuming to apply but it's been on my block for over 10 years now and it still looks brand new. The stuff really flows out nice and has high gloss. I do know that it requires a lot of coats to get the coverage, but it's worth it as far as I'm concerned. I just painted the inline in my 36 chevy with the CHEVY ORANGE and it looks like it's still wet and you could reach way down into it. Any way thats the stuff I like. Mitch.
As mentioned, basecoat clearcoat is fine. No high temp crap needed. The outcome is all in the prep though. Might be a good idea to have the block tanked and then clean the snot out of it anyway. Keep your film build down and only use a minimal amount of coats.
I'm getting ready to paint a motor for my friends car.... he wants it smoothed out.... I laughed and said he can have fun doing that and handed him a die grinder The motor will be pearl white... just using regular ole paint, jobber said it will take engine heat fine.
I considered doing the motor 3 stage pearl white for my shoebox but I changed my mind. While it would look killer, it would be a nightmare to keep clean and I'd fear the clear to yellow and look like hell after a while. I'd like to see some pics though, kustomizingkid.
Some of you may not like their products but I used Duplicolor's engine primer, gloss red, and clear on the last engine I did. Its been through quite a few heat cycles so far and still looks brand new.
VHT! i dont care what anyone says..it works if you follow instructions and prep....It even has held up after a year and a half around the exhaust ports...same deal with their header paint...it works...some good metallic colors too... T. Hilton
Pearl basecoat-clearcoat on a sbc with over ten thousand miles and four years looks brand spanking new.
hmmm... restoration question and no intro... do yourself a favor, do an intro... and I'm real happy with the POR15 engine paints... then make a kick ass custom out of that 57...
It's a risk we are willing to take.... we went back and forth between painting it Red Black or Pearl White... the car which is slightly OT is currently Red but will be repainted Pearl White after we get it running and driving.... we have priorities.
I have use POR-15, VHT and car paint and they all are great. POR - 15 also makes a degreaser that worked well for me. Just prep the engine porperly and you are good to go.
Yes be polite and do an intro. And I believe that 1957 Chevy V8 engines were still Red, not orange. For concours type restoration, even a spray can engine paint will look and perform great if applied correctly. Welcome.
I've found the trick to long lasting paint on engine blocks is to clean completely and then apply 2 coats of Epoxy primer, let this flash off for 1/2hr and then apply either straight colour or basecoat/clear, some of my engines have now been done over 10 years and are still perfect.
As long as we're on the subject, what about if you're freshening up a used engine and not doing a complete dissassembly - is there a paint that works better than others if your prep isn't perfect, or you can't hot tank the block and so forth because the heads, block and rotating assembly is going to all stay together?
Thank you, any suggestions for thr prep of the block. It's frest no oil or rust. The areas that I was concerned about was the exhaust ports. The engine has an aluminum manifold (fuelie) so no issue there. I have a friend that uses glasurit and suggested using their single stage (22) line. Do you have any thoughts on the best way to prep the block and heads?
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226157 Here's a how to on painting an engine the "show car" way. You can ignore all the grinding, and sanding smooth stuff, just follow the clean/prep/paint instructions.
normal 2k, mine is fualt free and shiney, its fairly smooth, i die grinded for about 20 minutes on the worst bits and then sanded it all over for about 1 hour, i degreased my block and then scrubbed it with acid on a scourer then rinsed it of with water and sprayed it all with metho before wiping again with prepsol and then sat it in the hot sun to cook. i can but heavy alkaline degreasers or solvent degreasers on my engines paint and it never dulls or streaks, try that with your rattle cans.
Glasurit is a top quality Paint, and I certainly wouldn't hesitate for a moment to use it (BMW and other European Manufacturers know something's good when they see it)-I would make certain it is absolutely squeaky clean, then give it a couple of coats of Epoxy Primer, then Single Stage it-it will last for ever (well, maybe not forever, but a long, long time)-remember, it's just Metal, so normal Paint rules still apply-
It may be 'fresh', but it will still have some kind of oil that needs to be cleaned off. Clean it just like you would if you were applying paint to the body of your 57. I.E., soap and water, then some wax and oil remover (something like PPG's DX330, or Prep Sol, or equivelent). Follow chopolds tech post and you can't go wrong. And, welcome to the H.A.M.B. Mike
I've ran the BILL HIRSCH paint on my straight 6 all summer. Very good stuff!! Even out of the rattle can. I highly recommend it.
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