To paint or not to paint. Now or later.

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Kent mosby

FABO Gold Member
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I am rebuilding a 1973 scamp. As it sits today, The motor and trans are out but almost ready to be put in. The car had a bad paint job that did not get sanded out and who knows what else under it. It is not bad but also not the color I want it to be. The exterior will be prepped and painted next year or so.... My question is ... Would you paint the engine bay the final color, "Plum crazy" now or go through the hassle of dropping the motor again to paint when the time comes. Plusses and minuses for each welcome. Thanks
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I guess it all depends on how realistic it will be to actually have the car painted in the near future. If it will be 5 years or more, i'd pass on painting the engine bay now. If it will get painted sooner than that, i'd do it now. But, my personal opinion is that painting everything at the same time is the best way to do it. Also, if you get the engine bay painted now and paint the rest of the car later, the engine compartment will be filled with sanding dust EVERYWHERE and require an extensive cleaning effort. Plus it will be noticeable that they were not painted together. Just my $.02
 
Well... If the engine has already been in there. I'd paint it now so you don't have to yank the engine again later. The engine bay will be done.

Just my 2 cents though. I love the grey it is now.
 
I'd put some bigger blocks in front of those rear wheels... your driveway looks pretty steep! If your luck is anything like mine... :)
I like the gray, too- gives it kind of a "stealth fighter" look.
 
@roccodart440 do you have any pics of the dart in your profile? Looks like Plum.
@Professor Fate I like the gray but the paint job is not done very well so it needs paint anyway. Driveway is not too steep. I can push the car back into the shop with the shop crane by myself. But I will pay attention to that and check next time I bring it out.
 
I would paint the engine bay now and install engine, trans, K, steering box, and trans mount from under the car. So much easier and you don't beat the crap out of the bay, especially if you using headers.
 
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dano said:
I would pain the engine bay now and install engine, trans, K, steering box, and trans mount from under the car. So much easier and you don't beat the crap out of the bay, especially if you using headers.
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We will be doing the install from below. TTIs are coming soon. When they arrive the 512 RB will go in. This is my first install from below and that appears to be the best way to do it.
 
If that car never hada big block in it before and you've never installed one I would not paint the engine bay before it has been in there. Been there done that.
 
Kent mosby said:
@roccodart440 do you have any pics of the dart in your profile? Looks like Plum.
@Professor Fate I like the gray but the paint job is not done very well so it needs paint anyway. Driveway is not too steep. I can push the car back into the shop with the shop crane by myself. But I will pay attention to that and check next time I bring it out.
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Kent mosby said:
We will be doing the install from below. TTIs are coming soon. When they arrive the 512 RB will go in. This is my first install from below and that appears to be the best way to do it.
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If your doing it with a cherry picker, a boom and leg extensions help or a fat guy like me sanding on the end of the picker raising it up with just a boom. A floor jack and a buddy under the car helps too. 10 min and 8 bolts later you'll be wondering why you ever did it any other way over a cold beverage.
 
I like the Gray a lot, like the wheels, like the stripe.

At least you are going to have a driver there you can have some fun with. Lots of guys on here wish their body and paint looked at least that nice so they can get to driving their cars.

It's not the same old, same old. I like it even better than the plum crazy purple. Like the tinted windows too.

Human nature wanting something we don't have, but not seeing the true beauty in the things we do have.

Great Car . . .
 
DesertRat said:
The first thing I painted on my car was the engine bay. I was glad I did it that way.
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X2 it will give motivation to get the rest of it done. But as somebody stated sanding dust will get in there, I found to if you just run a line of tape around the hood edges, it will keep alot out.
 
I'd leave it the way it is for now and drive it a season or two. Dropping the K member back out to pull the drivetrain for paint is a weekend deal at the most.
 
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