Painting engine

[IdahoKidd]

I have a fully prepped rebuilt L28 ($5200.00 in receipts) engine on an engine stand destined for my 240. The shop painted the entire engine, head, valve cover, pan, a dark Ford blue. I am wanting/planning to paint the block 110 red/orange/Persimmons to match the body color and the valve cover I have polished and trimmed out to match body color (different post here). I think having the head painted body color is too much, but am concerned about getting the blue paint off without staining the aluminum and not sure it is worth the effort to polish. I guess the question is, what are you guys doing with the cylinder head when dressing up the car? I am not building a show car, not keeping to exact oem, am intending to keep it period correct, and definately building it suit me. Should I just get it back to bare aluminum and let it go at that? Should I get some Hi Temp aluminum colored paint? Open to all suggestions.

Thanks!

Leonard

[jackneuf]

NO responses!!!!!! aaahhh

I was wondering what to do with the cylinder head too? etc.

[Zup]

media blast it with glass beads to natural satin---detail lettering with fine grit paper---soak it with Gibbs Brand---wipe off excess

I'm not a fan of aluminum paint

I'm simple, but it suits me just fine---

Jim D.

"Zup"

p.s. that front engine slinger is friggin' UGLY----anybody got a nice one they would sell??---

[ZCurves]

I did what Zup did. I painted the block after I masked off the brass Water Jacket plugs. I kept the Head and Intake clean- brushed aluminum. I got tired of polishing the valve cover so I had it powder coated silver (I have a couple of spares in case I get motivated to go back to a polished finish). I purchased a can Stainless High-Temp paint from Eastwood and painted the exhaust manifold and heat shields with that.

P.S. If you want to remove paint, try coating it with Brake Fluid. It should peel off without messing up the aluminum finish.

Edited April 25, 2012 by ZCurves

[Diseazd]

A trick I use when painting blocks.........If you want to mask off the freeze plugs, use an old freeze plug or a pill bottle the size of the freeze plug. Get a roll of wide masking tape and trace the 8 circles (the size of the freeze plugs). Cut 'em out with scissors and press them over the freeze plugs. It's a hell of a lot easier than trying to mask them off with little strips of tape.

[Reverend]

Im planning to remove my engine next winter and i'd love to hear more stories and see more pictures of this subject. Glass blasting or media? What kind of equipment is needed? (other than the obvious compressor etc) Best paint for engine/head? Colour codes? etc etc