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Tips

Engine Bay and Rattle Can Paint

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M

MikeH

Jedi Hopeful
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Good morning all, I'm patiently waiting for my engine machine work to be completed, and am doing a lot of little jobs that need to be done. My car really needs paint, but I can't afford it right now. Mechanicals have always been more important to me. Any way, My engine bay is cleaned up and has two different paint colors. Can a reasonable good paint job be done with rattle can paint? Would like the bay to look half way decent before the engine goes back in. Thanks, Mike

63 TR4 Surrey Top
 
Yes, you can get a decent paint job from a rattle can. Especially if your engine is out and you can get to the hard to reach areas. As with any paint job, prep work is the key. Degrease, sand lightly and prime. I did my engine bay 4 or 5 years ago and it's held up well. Check the photos where my bay went from silver to red. Click my web site link below and go to TR4A. It's really worth doing. Looks great and I can work in there without getting so dirty.
 
Rattle cans do a great job on engine bays. I would strongly suggest using some engine bright and a powerwasher to degrease if there is alot of it. Otherwise you could spend all day just degreasing the bay.
 
You didn't mention if you were going to paint the engine bay the same color as the exterior, but if so, and color match is important, Tower Paint can match your color if you give them the paint code. The cans of paint aren't exactly cheap, but my son put some tupperware on his VW GTI, and used the tower paint. The color was a perfect match. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Matrix has a good point, dont cheap out and ruin the engine bay with a crummy colormatch. In my opinion the bay is the showplace of the entire vehicle. More work and toil goes into a well done compartment than anywhere else. Good paint is critical, its just too much trouble to re-do it later, and the money you save now will cost you BIGTIME down the road.
MD(mad dog)
 
Thanks for the replys. Match is not critical to me, nor is originality. I'm thinking of Royal Blue when I can get the paint done. Car is really straight and being in Colorado all it's life, is pretty rust free. I plan to use a good quality paint in a dark blue that will ( hopefully ) compliment the Royal Blue. Thanks, Mike

63 TR4 Surrey Top
 
I think all the automotive pain suliers will mix up a rattle can for you with whatever colour you need. So you don't have to go out of your way or mail order it or anything like that. I had it done (several differnt colours) before I had my TR4 painted, just so that I could see what the colours would look like to help pick one. It is not that bad price wise (maybe twice the price of the cheapest can elsewhere) and they did it while I waited. I would recommend it.
 
FWIW -- I have used Tower Paint for both cars (Signal Red & Triumph Racing Green [Conifer]) and have been amazed at the color match and quality of finish.

You say it is a really straight TR4 with a surrey top... in my opinion that is worth the small extra effort and expense to get a good looking finish under the bonnet that will match the body color you eventually go with.

When I see a car on eBay listed with a lot of pics, the first one I click on is the engine bay. What I see there usually says a lot about how the car has been maintained &/or restored.
 
Hi All,

I remembered there was some info on this a while back. Take a look through this and you should pic up a few tips & info.
You'll find the general opinion is that automotive touch up works very well & can give very impressive results when done with care & preporation. Remember to post pics of the end result so we can all drool, good luck.

https://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthread...true#Post111581
 
i painted the engine bay of my '81 with rattle cans. my local auto paint supplier made up two cans for me. cost was around $40 for two cans (minimum of 1 quart paint mixed). it turned out quite good. i cleaned and degreased and removed all i could before painting.
 
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