Engine bay paint ????

[juergen]

Please, can anyone explain why so many engine bays are painted flat black :scratch:. Is it a period perfect thing? Should it be a contrast to the body color? I´ll strip the front of my dart this winter and paint the engine bay, will go for the flat black and later, don´t know when, will paint the body.

 

[dbphemi]

Mopars are pretty much all painted body color in the engine compartment except for the big c bodies.GM paints there engine compartments a semigloss/flat Finnish.

 

[Poppabear]

most people like me painted it flat black so it is easier to touch up and if it gets dirty it don't show as bad, also if oil and road junk gets on it you can't see it like you would if it were a body color, also I like the contrast

 

[Longgone]

I always thought is was one of the following:
1) They think it looks cool
2) They once owned a Chevrolet and thought it was correct
3) It hides dirt really well
4) It`s the only color paint they had on the shelf in their garage at the time that wouldn`t look completely hideous.

 

[res1vw21]

Mopars are pretty much all painted body color in the engine compartment except for the big c bodies.GM paints there engine compartments a semigloss/flat Finnish.

not all c bodys had black though my original paint '68 newport is body color.

I would paint the bay body color in the long run it usually looks better, and you don't get mopar guys telling you it shouldn't be black! (unless the car is black)

 

[Twisted72]

I did my 72 Duster in body color when I put in the new motor and did a general clean up,looks better than new now,was worth the extra effort over the winter.

 

[Dusterdude72]

Not knocking on anyone here.. But I would say a couple reasons that people paint there engine bays flat black or semi black and what not is ....buying a couple rattle cans is alot cheaper then actual paint and takes less experience with painting to pull it off and some guys paint the bays while there engine is int there and find it quicker and eiser to get in there with a can and paint rather then masking the hole car off and getting out the paint gun and fireing up the compressor.

I personally like the looks of a painted body color engine bay and not only does it look nice and clean but any grease or oil or dirt that lands on your clear coat is easily wiped off,where as a flat black paint tends to soak up oils and will look blotching in spots if you have a messy engine bay.

Just my .02 cents on the hole thing.

 

[70aarcuda]

because it is their car and they can

 

[bayyum]

i agree with 70aarcuda

 

[ramenth]

because it is their car and they can

yep, pretty much. Though I like the engine compartment body color, this is best answer to your question.

 

[stroked 340]

You guys are right its your car and paint it whatever you will..but i think it makes the engine compartment look cheap,like the owner didn't want to spend the money to do it correctly..sort of like painted bumpers...

 

[Blownfish]

I always thought is was one of the following:
1) They think it looks cool
2) They once owned a Chevrolet and thought it was correct
3) It hides dirt really well
4) It`s the only color paint they had on the shelf in their garage at the time that wouldn`t look completely hideous.

I found 1 and 2 are the reasons around here and usually it's because of #2

You guys are right its your car and paint it whatever you will..but i think it makes the engine compartment look cheap,like the owner didn't want to spend the money to do it correctly..sort of like painted bumpers...

That's kind of how I see it, I think it makes the car as a whole look a little cheaper though. A good base/clear is the easiest to keep clean, oil and grease just wipe off.

 

[demon ed]

whats a fair price to pay to the engine bay painted on a black car

 

[3forty]

Once you go black,you'll never go back,... lol