TR4/4A Engine Paint

My old engine paint appears to be gloss black. Is that the common color, or is semi-gloss preferred? thx

I'm using VHT gloss black engine paint on my resto. Some parts are getting regular rustoleum satin (generator, starter, wiper motor, steering shaft, accelerator shaft, radiator down mounts), but others are getting rustoleum gloss black (headlight buckets, wiper motor mount, air filters). Trying to match original from what I cleaned/grinded/sanded off. I noticed my block was pretty clean bare steel and had no paint on it so I'm not sure if it was ever painted. My head looked bare with some green over spray which from what I've read was common on some cars.But the front covers, engine mount plate, oil pan, engine/tranny brackets and anything that can get super hot as it touches the engine will get the VHT engine gloss black. So may as well paint the block and head as well to make it look complete.

I think the Judging Standards just call for "black". It is difficult at this point to determine how glossy or flat the original was as things tend to get less glossy after 50 years of heating and cooling. My personal preference would be on the flatter side which to me doesn't shout "just painted" quite as loudly.
Don't know if others have had the same experience but I don't remember any color or primer on engines other than black. (TR3s had a red "TR3" hand painted on one side but don't know if that practice was carried to the TR4s.) I do seem to remember that some of the factory rebuilt engines, on TR3s at least, were green.
Tom

TomMull said:

...(TR3s had a red "TR3" hand painted on one side but don't know if that practice was carried to the TR4s.)...

Click to expand...

It was. On my block: