Painting Engine Bay with Engine Installed

66 Sat · Apr 5, 2020

Hey guys, my car is citron gold with a Chevy-esque black engine bay.
I painted the engine bay at the start of the restoration when I intended to paint the whole car black, but later changed my mind and decided to keep the original color.
I want to re-paint the engine bay the correct color, but don't want to remove the engine. I can remove the radiator and everything on the firewall, but has anyone successfully re-painted their bay with the engine in place?
I'd hate to replace a decent black paint job with a crappy body color paint job.
What do you reckon?

Lionized · Apr 5, 2020

It can absolutely be done it'll just certainly take longer. The prep/masking required will be extensive but, the more time you take with prep (as with any other paint job), the better your results.
Take your time, consider what results you actually would like to achieve and work that plan.

BeepBeepRR · Apr 5, 2020

There will be places that are a pain in the *** to get paint into with the engine in place. Under the brake booster just above the frame rail for one. Thats pretty much a pocket area and would be hard to paint..

I rattle canned my engine bay. Bought 3 cans of special mixed paint. Im not really happy with the results. But I needed garage space so I did it to get my engine back in it and off the huge run stand.

493 Mike · Apr 5, 2020

I would pull the engine. I find the long way is the best way and that looks really simple to pull.
Mike

hunt2elk · Apr 5, 2020

If it was me, I would get the motor out and do it right. Don't know how far along you are on your suspension, but it is fairly easy to drop the motor out the bottom still attached to the K-frame.
After looking at your pic again, I see you don't have your hood on yet anyway. Pull it out the top. Couple of hours at the most at this stage.

turbine68rt · Apr 5, 2020

493 Mike said:
I would pull the engine. I find the long way is the best way and that looks really simple to pull.
Mike

Agreed. The time it takes to pull the engine will be well worth the accessibility to all areas to provide professional results, if that's the ultimate goal. Nearly impossible to have a gun remain parallel at an optimal distance with it installed. I painted my bay in '05 and removed everything. Yes it was a lot of work but it still looks great 15 years later.

dsd1967 · Apr 5, 2020

By the time you try to mask around everything.....you could probably have the motor out. It seems like a lot of work, but in the end you will be a lot happier with the results.

eldubb440 · Apr 5, 2020

motor is out in an hour........ just pull it :jackoff:

dvw · Apr 5, 2020

I've touched up plenty still together. Remove the booster. Pull the master cylinder away with the brake lines. Pull the fuel line away. Unplug the wiring. pull the wiper motor. Don't paint the shocks, drop them. You would pull all this stuff to do a nice job anyway. Wrap it all with aluminum foil. Easy and quick. Wrap the K frame and steering linkage. Tough to get up into the tunnel but when it's back together you wont see it. Small touch up gun is the key.
Doug

towtruckAl · Apr 5, 2020

I have used soft plastic almost like saranwrap to paint engine bay . it will stretch to fit the motor and remove or loosen and pull away anything as said wrap and tape use low presure gun . years ago we did this when we did complete colour change .

66 Sat · Apr 5, 2020

Thanks for all the replies fellas - you've pretty much confirmed what I thought, pull the engine to do a proper job.
The first photo was an early one, to show the contrast between the black and gold. The car's been on the road for nearly 2 years now, and for me, removing the engine is a big job (I'd vowed to only do it again if the engine blew).
There's also the front side of the radiator support that I also painted black - I'd have to remove the grill and all the headlight wiring to access that.
Considering all your replies I might juat leave it black for now.
I'm looking for jobs to do as we're in partial lockdown.

440 4 speed · Apr 5, 2020

All were supposed to be painted black behind the grill and head lights except for dark blue, dark green and black cars, is what I read.

Painting Engine Bay with Engine Installed

66 Sat

Well-Known Member

Lionized

Well-Known Member

BeepBeepRR

Well-Known Member

493 Mike

FBBO Gold Member

hunt2elk

FBBO Gold Member

turbine68rt

Turbine Bronze Member

dsd1967

Well-Known Member

eldubb440

more miracles than Jesus

dvw

FBBO Gold Member

towtruckAl

Well-Known Member

66 Sat

Well-Known Member

440 4 speed

FBBO Gold Member

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