Opinions on Engine Color?!?

[BrianT]

Alright guys. I got into a spirited debate last night with a couple of buddies about what color I should paint my 408 that's being built. I plan on painting my car (eventually) in a Lexus color called Black Diamond Mica. It's basically a dark charcoal gray with flecks of red and blue in it that really POP in the bright sunlight. It looks black in any other light. I plan on painting my engine compartment that color while the engine is out. With the hood shading the sun, my engine compartment will appear black. Now, on to the debate.

Let me start by saying that my car is a mutt. It was originally a red 67 six cylinder car, that's been made into a black 68 GTS tribute by the previous owner. So all rules on originality are thrown out the window. I like it that way because there is no wrong or right. I would like to paint the short block with the Diamond Mica, leave the intake, heads and TTI headers all aluminum color, and then paint my aluminum valve covers and air cleaner also black to match the block.

Buddy number one says, no, it's a 68 tribute car so I need to keep that theme and paint the engine the correct red color for that year. Buddy number two says, F that, paint it Hemi Orange the same color of my old 340. Both of them HATE my idea of painting the engine black.

So what are your opinions? I know, everyone will say it's my car do what I want, but I am really looking for opinions. If you think that black engines look stupid, let me know. I don't care, better to ask now then to regret it later. What do you all think? If you have pictures of small blocks that you think look good, post em up!

 

[68383GTS]

I think red would really make engine pop when you open the hood.Black it would just kind of blend in with the rest of the car.I like the pop factor so I think I would paint the engine heads and all a bright red doesn't have to be a factory red either.

 

[Brad4406]

My last engine was race hemi orange. However, I used to be a fan of black on the engine, but it hides too much. My current engine is silver, which I think matches the aluminum heads well; so I guess from now on I actually prefer silver when running aluminum heads.

 

[BrianT]

I kinda like the red idea, although the factory red is a little too dark. A bright red would really pop and would match the flake in the paint. I also like engines that I have seen where people take a grinder to the intake and heads to disguise them and paint the whole thing one color.

 

[toolmanmike]

When I had my engine out I felt it necessary to spruce up the engine compartment. Eventually I will paint my car and I am thinking seriously about black so I scuffed and rattle canned it black. The original engine color for my 66 273 is red so this is what I got. tmm

 

[Competition]

I hate when engines are the same color as the body. It just has no contrast and nothing pops and says wow! I just went through the same debate myself, my engine is out of my car right now. When I bought it, the engine was red, and the car is red, and I couldn't stand it. I pulled it out literally just to paint it. I debated back and forth between black and orange for a little while, and decided on orange. However I think hemi orange is too "baby ****" looking, so I went with Chevy Orange lol...flamesuit on!

 

[buckshotbishop]

I hate when engines are the same color as the body. It just has no contrast and nothing pops and says wow! However I think hemi orange is too "baby ****" looking, so I went with Chevy Orange lol...flamesuit on!

totally agree. i ended up with epoxy primer then single stage go mango and it looks great. much better then both chebby orange and hemi orange.

also its hard to find hemi orange that covers and sticks well.

although if you were to make your car a 67 again i would defiantly go with red like toolmanmike

 

[ocdart]

I'm a firm believer in "It's my car and I'm the one who has to be happy with it."
But since you asked. I don't care for engines that are painted the same color as the car - especially if everything is black. Everything gets lost. As others said, there's no 'pop' when you open the hood.
I also think too many Mopar guys get hung up on 'Hemi Orange' being the only color to paint Mopar engines. My '69 Dart will be painted 'Viper Red' and Hemi Orange would look washed out next to such a bright red - there would be no visual 'pop'. My 360 engine is going to be blue, and not a stock Mopar blue engine paint color because I don't like any of them.
So, in order to not raise the wrath of the Mopar purists my engine will be painted a "custom-mix blue" - or at least that's what color I'll tell them it is if they make any comment. The "custom-mix blue" will 'pop' against the Viper Red.
It will also be a good color to show off any of the various valve cover combos I have for the engine - depending on what 'look' I want. I have a set of polished finned "Mopar Magnum" valve covers with the area between the fins powder-coated by Leanna at PSC to match the engine color.

View attachment MyMagnumValveCoversByPSC.jpg

I also have my old polished and paint-detailed finned Cal Custom valve covers from my old '69 340 Swinger. And I have a brand new set of gold-anodized Moroso valve covers.
Different looks for different shows.

 

[fratzog lover]

I have a pp1 68 dart so 72 mopar blue looks much better. Its not a stock resto so who cares?

 

[abodyjoe]

if the engine is done body color then do the heads and intake also. then break up all the black with the accessories. i can't stand the looks of bare alumn heads and intake on mopars. i think it will really pop that way..

 

[barbee6043]

I vote red....

 

[Bad Sport]

I tend to agree with the "black hides too much" process here. IMO it would be boring. I think red would contrast the black much better.

 

[UDUST81]

idk i think black makes it look more like a racing motor if that's what your looking for. i personally really like the look of black with bare aluminum, and it tends to stay cleaner looking down the road if you don't detail your engine just my 2 cents.

 

[75slant6]

I definitely wouldn't match it to the body but that's just me... Outside of that I have no idea what I'd paint it... What I DO know is those valve covers would give Miranda lambert a run for her money in a beauty contest!!! They're just plain sexy!!!

 

[Kmrumedy]

My car is Hemi orange but my engine is black. I like the look but it hard to see any leaks or issues with the motor that would jump out if painted an orange, blue, red. Only draw back on black. Here is pic....

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Red.

 

[pishta]

newer truck motors are black. F it, paint it OLD truck yellow! Ya know, I never seen a white motor...? I think turquoise would look so out of place it would be cool.