TR Engine Bay Color ?

[TR4]

Could anyone tell me why so many TR's engine bays are black when they were painted body color at the factory? Mine is also has black on a red car. Could I assume it was involved in an accident at some point? I can't find any body color anywhere and the engine bay appears to be original but in such good shape, maybe new inner panels. The previous owner had it painted 15 years ago by a shop so maybe they stripped the car and painted the engine bay black thinking it was supposed to be black or tried to save $$ by not painting it body color. One thing I noticed on the receipts was the PO was charged $500.00 for welding labor alone. I can't find that many spots on the car that were welded. The floor pans do look original but in very good condition. Just curious.

 

[roofman]

I think a bulk of the cars ( like mine ) that have black engine bays HAVE had a color change. My car was originally one of the dark blue colors and is now red. It doesn't look bad black and my car is a nice driver so I do not care. If I had a car that was very original or doing a restoration I may care. It may be that it is a little easier to dress up a engine bay with faded paint with a new black surface for the average Joe than trying to dress up with original paint color.

 

[toysrrus]

Hi There Gents;

This Question came up once before by someone who was "Restoring" a TR3, I believe?

In My "Non-Professional" Opinion; I would tend to believe Its one of two Factors here: One being; "Yes", It probably was hit and Its easier to cover a Multitude of Sins by Sraying Everything Black:

The other is; "No"; Perhaps Not hit, but Too Dirty, Grimey etc to clean up and Too Costly to Pull the Engine etc etc to Re-Shoot the Correct Color??

Its like roofman says; What ever turns you on: Should you want an Orig. Look, Then Body Color for sure: If you don`t care; Well Then, What differance does it make!

Mine have always been Body Color, Not by Choice but by some Good Luck:

Regards, Russ

 

[Brosky]

Make yourself happy. You're not going concours, so who cares what anyone else thinks?

I gave up on that idea a long time ago.

 

[kodanja]

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gifI totally agree with Paul! who cares!
Its a driver /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/driving.gif

PURE LAZYNESS!
(lack of time and $$)

 

[Andrew Mace]

PURE LAZYNESS!
(lack of time and $$)

That's my guess as well. It would certainly seem that way based on the underbonnet appearance of my current Herald. A previous owner apparently didn't have the time or inclination to remove the heater, wiring, master cylinders, etc., in order to clean up and refinish that part of the bulkhead, so everything got covered up with a thin layer of an undercoat-like material. Bad news is that it looks like h-e-double toothpicks; good news is that most of it is removable with enough solvent and labor! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hammer.gif

 

[cutlass29]

Kodanja,

I think I read in one of your earlier posts somewhere you had used a textured paint for your engine bay...looks like it in your picture too...and looks just fine.

I have to do something with my spitfire firewall & bulkhead. At the moment it looks like Andy's description of his Herald! It is painted black at the moment (not the same as body color)...just needs dressing up a bit and I think your idea would be a good solution and fairly easy to maintain, and provide a degree of protection in exposed wheel well areas.

What exactly did you use ?

 

[kodanja]

Go to your local NAPA and purchase Textured trunk paint, it has a very nice way of dressing up the engine bay if your not too concernded with being original.

It is kinda like a rubber based undercoating, also comes in other colors including gray, black with gray speckles...

Very easy to apply just tape off what you dont want to spray.

Nice touch up if you happen to scratch the engine bay, it blends right in!

(BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL) /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif

(BUILT TO DRIVE!)

 

[BobSands]

Hey,All!... My spin on this phenomenon stems from the "flirtation" everybody had with flat black paint in the late '60's and early '70's. Factories were paintingg hoods, "kamm backs", rear window slats, lower rocker panels...we used the stuff for "everything"! Oh, and if we had an engine out,...who knew what the paint code was...paint it black. Looked good, and these cars would NEVER last another 10 years, would they?
If we'd only known,...we'd have taken better care.
Take care Bob

 

[PATR8]

WHen I rebuilt my 8, I hit the engine bay with black textured paint, trying to keep some rust from my strut tower. I agree it is not a show look, but has worked very well

 

[cutlass29]

thanks Kodanja,
Black it will be. Looks like it's gonna be another wet miserable weekend in Rhode Island so I guess I'll have some time to "play" in the garage.

 

[tr6lover]

cutlass29 where in rhode island are you?
Randy

 

[Brosky]

Hey, another one found his way here!!!

Cutlass, where are you? I'm in Pawt & Randy is in EG.

 

[Guest]

When most TRs are repainted, they are often done with the body on the frame and the engine in place. The absolute worst thing, IMHO, is to see a nice spray job on the exterior and an totally different body color in the engine bay. A complete turnoff. (don't mean to insult anyone here) A nice fix is to use some textured black paint or finish in the engine compartment. Takes a bit of effort. One really needs to pull the wiring harness back into the firewall, or at least pull the rubber grommets out and tape or aluminum-foil everything. Take off everything you can, mask the rest (<u>especially </u>the body), and go to town. The result looks professional. My car was painted with the engine out but the engine bay paint is showing wear and tear from constant fiddling. A black rubberized finish wouldn't show wear as badly.

 

[cutlass29]

Paul, Randy,

I'm in Saunderstown...live almost at the foot of the Jamestown Bridge (mainland side, not on the island). Just joined BMCNE so might see you around and I am planning to go to the event at Harkness, CT in June.

Love it on here...it's like having your own private mechanic on call 24/7. I have been doing lots of work on the spit (the wife's car) over the winter and can't say enough good things about the folks on here that have helped me so far. Looking forward to the day I can give something back and help someone else out. Got lots of pics but most of it has been repeated on here many times before.

Thank you BCF.

For those of you that have helped, here's a shot from Beavertail, RI looking towards Newport, RI (Ocean Drive?) taken last Sunday (April 22nd).

 

[tr6lover]

hey cutlass, and paul both, if either of you ever need a hand working on your cars just give me a shout and im more than willing to help. i too need to join bmcne. cutlass, whats your name? we should all go for a cruise sometime!
Randy

 

[cutlass29]

Thanks for the offer Randy, my names David & the Mrs. is Lindsay. The Mrs is always "cruising" around Wickford & NK in the spit...give her a honk if you see her.

Was it you that posted the spit parts you were trying to offload about a week ago ?

 

[tr6lover]

hey dave, yes that is me. i have some spit and gt6 stuff im trying to get rid of. i work down by wickford, at quonset airport so maybe i will see her around. oh btw, today i saw a beautiful green tr6 down by my friends house by quidnesset country club, unfortunately i wasnt in my tr6 i was on my bike so it would have been a lil awkward to stop and randomly talk about tr6's lol
Randy

 

[kindofblue]

Mine was repainted in 1971, a GM color called Nugget gold. I have the receipt for the repaint, and it was cheap. The color doesn't look any better on an Oldsmobile than a Triumph. Fortunately, they left the engine bay and the trunk out of the respray, and they are still white. The paint is flaking off is some areas, and the white is showing through. If I wait long enough, maybe all the gold will come off an I will be back to where I started. Than I can strip it and paint it the Wedgewood blue I dream about.

Here is a pic at the Glenside Car show last year. It is the closest I have to a shot of the engine. You can see where the paintline stops. I guess I am lucky not to have a black engine bay. That is two in a row, my TR250 was green in the engine which was original, even though the car had been painted brown, and green again.

 

[Brosky]

Let's plan to meet at one of the BMCNE Friday Cruise nights in Scituate at the Gazebo. Nice people and some really nice British cars.

https://www.bmcne.com/bmcne/events.cfm?type=current