Engine bay: Liner or paint?

[jmangi62]

Wait, I'm not sure this is true. Weren't all Chevy's black under the hood? 'm not sure a lot of 'car guys' would make the connection of black under the hood with shoddy work. I can see Ford fanboys being worried about it, but black does sometimes look better, and it sure is easier to repair if damaged.

Exactly. I painted my whole engine bay black. I wasn't hiding anything, it just looked good. If I had to do it again, I would probably go with body color no problem. At the time though, I had bought a good amount of por, so black it was, it's protected, and that's what I was after, not looks.

 

[Broncobowsher]

You have not seen enough eBay and Barret Jackson restorations that was little more than rattle can the engine compartment and everything in it black. It may have been stock for GM stuff, but it doesn't make them look good.

 

[rguest3]

If it matters, not a single Early Bronco came from the factory with a Black engine compartment unless the truck was Ravin Black. The body color paint makes the engine bay look more detailed.

Chevys had the satin black engine compartment. So did the Mustangs. Broncos did not.

I agree with others that the Black engine compartment looks like you are trying to hide something.

 

[Timmy390]

No hiding anything here....

Tim

 

[reamer]

So DOT 5 does not destroy paint?

 

[mlarison]

Sorry to steal this thread, but I am doing the exact same thing right now and wanted to use the body color paint. I have a 74 Explorer w/ Brook Blue Metallic Code E according to my Marti report, where is the best place to get this paint? Thanks guys

 

[reamer]

Any PPG auto paint supply store.

 

[Speedrdr]

No hiding anything here....

Tim

No kidding! Now, THERE'S a good looking engine bay! I'm pretty certain mine ain't gonna look that clean and purty.

Randy

 

[EricLar80]

I will say this. Both Icon Bronco and Rocky Roads Broncos will usually undercoat the body with black Line-X. They always refer to it as a polyurea coating to make it sound fancy, but it is Line-X. The engine bay itself will be painted the same color as the body.

 

[thiswildbronco]

I will say this. Both Icon Bronco and Rocky Roads Broncos will usually undercoat the body with black Line-X. They always refer to it as a polyurea coating to make it sound fancy, but it is Line-X. The engine bay itself will be painted the same color as the body.

I had an email exchange recently with Jonathan Ward about this question exactly. I notice that in almost every Icon BR build I've seen, the engine compartment was finished in LineX. And in the few instances where I saw body color, still the firewall was finished in "heat-cured polyurea" (AKA LineX).

He acknowledged that it can present some issues if there are a ton of firewall mounted accessories due to changing tolerances pre/post paint. He also admits that "it doesn't look too good", yet I have still to see him finish a firewall in anything other than LineX.

That all said he closed by saying: "I generally find you can do more elegant barriers hidden on the interior side of the firewall."

And that is probably what I'll end up doing: Linex the interior all the way up firewall, then interior heat/sound deadener. And keep the engine bay all purdy with body color (in my case, 1989 Porsche Dunkelblau)

 

[markw]

You won't regret it. Post up some pics when you're done!

 

[EricLar80]

In person, I think it looks good on the firewall up to the top of the angled floorboard. It starts to look funny when they carry it to the vertical firewall, and the ledge above the firewall, or onto the inner fenders.

 

[mustanggarage]

Wait, I'm not sure this is true. Weren't all Chevy's black under the hood? 'm not sure a lot of 'car guys' would make the connection of black under the hood with shoddy work. I can see Ford fanboys being worried about it, but black does sometimes look better, and it sure is easier to repair if damaged.

all early mustangs were from the factory. if you see a body color painted first gen mustang engine bay it is not original. having said that, I prefer the look of the engine bays painted body color.

 

[thiswildbronco]

You won't regret it. Post up some pics when you're done!

I sure will!!! Gimme 6 to 8 weeks though (according to my painter).
I hate the waiting!

 

[thiswildbronco]

In person, I think it looks good on the firewall up to the top of the angled floorboard. It starts to look funny when they carry it to the vertical firewall, and the ledge above the firewall, or onto the inner fenders.

This is almost certainly how I'll finish my firewall. Best of both worlds.

 

[mustanggarage]

This is almost certainly how I'll finish my firewall. Best of both worlds.

that is what I did with mine also.