crazy engine paint idea.....

[dustinmoran91]

Had anyone ever thought of using testors acrylic enamel for model cars to paint an engine? Ive tried different engine enamels like chrysler red, red, flat orange, chevy orange but im tired of paying $7 a can and still cant find the color i like. I have a kit that lets me spray paint with the little jars that are $2 and are the perfect "test size" two of them coats the block really good and i tried the blazin blue after a coat of primer and it looks amazing, but my questin is do you think it would last? Its acrylic enamel so i think it would be pretty tough

 

[Bulldozer]

it will never take the heat. it will dry up and flake/burn off. knew a guy back in my model building days that tried that very thing. it may work for awhile with a high temp primer under it, but i wouldnt count on it.

 

[dustinmoran91]

Thats what i used was the vht engine enamel primer. Maybe ford blue will be a close enough match to the model paint that ill like it. Already spent about $30 on paint and havent liked any of them

 

[Bulldozer]

Thats what i used was the vht engine enamel primer. Maybe ford blue will be a close enough match to the model paint that ill like it. Already spent about $30 on paint and havent liked any of them

i know the feeling. i went through reds and oranges before i found one i liked. what will help is the color you use under it. try a white primer. are you after the french blue?

 

[dustinmoran91]

Its a pretty light grayish white primer, my car is a peice of slap together frankensteined parts lol it was beyond saving for originality so i made a new frame, aluminum floor, got rid of the inner fenders, has universal carpet, and a cracked windshield, trailer fender wheel tubs, ford 8.8, and cut up quarters lol i want my engine to look like a million bucks. Kind of like a sleeper. Ugly outside but a heart of gold when the hood pops. I wanted a bright glossy orange but cant find one i like so i started on the blues. I hate red, black, and stock looking engines lol

 

[Bulldozer]

lmao.... i dont like reds or blacks or flourescent green lol , this is duplicolor high temp chrysler engine orange with a white primer under it. 15$ dollar paint job. this stuff has stuck like glue and has held its color. 360s on top and 318 on the bottom. i have a thing for orange

 

[4spdragtop]

For dads 273 we used eastwoods brush on paint and it went on perfect! We also used the "activator" with it.

 

[Leadfoot]

I painted my engine with the same paint I used on the body. I painted with polyurethane and it held up. I cracked a wall and had to hot tank the block. After the bath the paint was still there just like new. I haven't got a clue if enamel will work but I'm willing to bet it will hold up just as good. You know when you can fry eggs on your hood and the paint holds up for several years that high temp engine paint is somewhat of a myth. So go the the paint shop and get a quart of the color you want mixed up and paint your engine with it. Most places anymore will even put it in a spray can for you but if not a Preval bottle works quite well.

 

[dustinmoran91]

Im building a mostly stock 318 for now until i get my 360 back from machine work. But this is going together with factory flat top pistons, a healthy cam and either the 302 heads i have or the magnums. It sounds crazy but i want it to look like a "race engine" not just a stock 318 lol that may be part of why im being so picky about the color of it. Its hard to describe what a race engine looks like but everytime i see a post on here about drag car and the like, i see a cool engine color, fabricated valve covers, high rise intakes, and alot of aluminum accesories on the front. Lol i want it to look intimidating even if its not right now haha.

Also thanks guys! Your input is really helping steer me in the right directions for this. Im tired of having to wire wheel off paint i dont like and your saving me alot of work lol

 

[Bulldozer]

mopar performance also sells race hemi orange which i have used in the past and liked it alot. its slightly darker than street hemi orange

 

[dustinmoran91]

I havent been able to find hemi orange paint locally and dont wanna risk payin the extra shipping for a hope that ill like it. I think i might just go ford blue in the engine enamel

 

[derrangedgadgeteer]

I painted my engine with Single stage urethane I had left over from painting under the hood of my car. Holds up great. Heat, oil, gas, leaky header gaskets, nothing seems to phase it. (actually, it's held up better than the rust oleum engine black I painted the accessory brackets, water pump, pulleys etc. with.)

 

[crackedback]

U-tech 3.8 is good stuff. You can get it mixed and shoot it from a gun. Primer the block and the stuff is TOUGH!

 

[Abodybomber]

Have used acrylic enamel on engines for years,works great.The kicker is,you have a bigger choice of colors.That way,you get what you want.Just get a decent brand.Most paint suppliers can put it in a areosol can for you.