What is the 'best' color under the cowl cover?

[Roberts280Z]

First, let me say 'hi' - I'm new here, but I've been on HybridZ for a few years.  I'm painting my 280Z Grabber Blue (a mustang color), and I've read some interesting discussions here about painting.  The car is in primer now (a light gray), and I'm curious about the cowl area under the cover.  I had to patch some swiss-cheesy areas there, and what I didn't patch I sprayed with POR, and it's now all covered in primer.  I've seen in this forum that the factory originally left the cowl in primer, and also that others have painted it black.  I was going to paint it with the blue, but now I wonder if that won't look good to see the blue through the louvers in the cover.  If so, I suppose I can always rattle-can some black on there, or should I just leave it in primer?

Thanks in advance...

[bpilati]

I think in most cars the area under the cowl is the same as the rest of the car.

[grannyknot]

Well don't leave it in primer, that will eventually rust. Ah, just noticed you are in TX. maybe it won't rust then but it should really have more protection than just primmer. I've done black and body colour and both look good but black probably gives it more depth and definition.

[zeeboost]

I have a 280zxt that I painted grabber blue several years ago, and I used flat black to accent the color. I thought it helped the color pop. 
 

You could try painting the cowl panel off the car, then just placing it over the primer that it is now or a black, and if you don’t like it then you know to leave the cowl off when having the rest of the car painted. 

 

Oh and granny, I don’t know if all Texas classic cars are assumed to come from the western part (where it’s dry), but I can promise you the cars still love to rust over here...especially in Houston where he is. It’s funny how many times I’ve heard “Texas car” used as a selling point, but having spent pretty much all my life here so far, never understood how that came about. 

[grannyknot]

7 hours ago, zeeboost said:

Oh and granny, I don’t know if all Texas classic cars are assumed to come from the western part (where it’s dry), but I can promise you the cars still love to rust over here...especially in Houston where he is. It’s funny how many times I’ve heard “Texas car” used as a selling point, but having spent pretty much all my life here so far, never understood how that came about

Ha! That state is so bloody big it has it's own climate regions? Ashamed to say I have a Hollywood movie image of dusty cattle ranches when I think of TX.  Thanks for the insight.

[Roberts280Z]

OK thanks guys.  I'll go ahead and spray color on the cowl, and if I don't like that I'll just rattle-can some black beneath the cover louvers.

And let me warn you - if you hear of a 'Houston car', it likely means that it has been under water!

 

[Pilgrim]

Texas has about six climate zones.  I was fortunate that my '83 ZXT was bought in southern OK and soon moved to Central TX, both of which are far enough north to avoid the Gulf Coast and far enough south to avoid much winter weather.  i suspect it was not driven in winter before I got it in 1990. We moved to Colorado in 1998 where the car has been a three-season vehicle. As a result, the undercarriage and body have essentially no rust. Sheer luck on my part, but I'll take it.

[Roberts280Z]

I bought this car new, here in Houston, in 1976, and drove it until 1982, when it was then mostly garaged.  I woke it up in 2000, had it painted yellow, and did some suspension upgrades, and it was again driven regularly for a few years by my sons.  Then it sat in my driveway from 2006, where rain and failing weatherstripping took its toll.  The fenders, cowl cover, floors, frame rails, rockers, lower doors, lift gate, and quarters rusted through.  I moved it into the garage 3 years ago and began work on it.

 

[Pilgrim]

I was in Bryan, 90 miles north of Houston.  It's mighty humid and rainy in Houston, fer shurr.