Painting the engine bay...with what?

[Reverend]

Im currently having 350z coloured 240z as you can see from the pictures, original colour was the lime green. A17 is the code. BUT the engine bay is still original and due lack of money i have to prepare and paint it myself. Im just curious what do you think... should i paint it with matte orange or what? Dudes here say that pearlescent paint is PITA to paint and not recommended to beginners. I have never ever spray painted before, only rattle can painted. :ogre:

Im not doing concours restoration on my zee so it does not have to be uber bling.

[clayton 260z]

If you can paint it to match the body...

[72 OJ]

My 2 cents, yes body color is ideal,if it is done properly to match the rest of car, but a flat/mate black color,you could ease do with little care , with a good quality spray can paint , in your drive way or garage and is budget friendly.....:bulb:

Edited August 31, 2012 by 72 OJ

[jfa.series1]

Matte finishes will tend to attract and hold dirt, oil, ...etc., often will not come clean with a hose down. If opting for a rattle can job, consider a satin finish. It is pretty forgiving on the install side and will be a bit easier to maintain later.

[72 OJ]

Matte finishes will tend to attract and hold dirt, oil, ...etc., often will not come clean with a hose down. If opting for a rattle can job, consider a satin finish. It is pretty forgiving on the install side and will be a bit easier to maintain later.

Good and valid point,me bad,, :stupid:,,,,the satin is the one,,,,

[siteunseen]

I bought an gravity fed airbrush spray gun from TCP Global Paint off E-bay for $20. Acrylic enamel, a pint did the bay and then some, car color. Worked good and no taping off everything. I could dial it down to the size of a drinking straw hole.

[hr369]

I bought an gravity fed airbrush spray gun from TCP Global Paint off E-bay for $20. Acrylic enamel, a pint did the bay and then some, car color. Worked good and no taping off everything. I could dial it down to the size of a drinking straw hole.

wow, how long did it take to paint with that small gun?

[siteunseen]

1 Afternoon. It's spray size is adjustable.

[Reverend]

Back in business. Engine is almost out and time to prepare the inevitable.

I wonder could someone answer me to these questions:

-Engine bay is currently lime, will be painted with 350z orange. Should i blast it to bare metal or does it do if i only blast it matte?

-Should i use filler? there is no dings or dongs, except surface rust in battery area.

-what kinda sandpapers do you use, and in what order? (in priming stage)

[CW240Z]

If the paint in your engine bay is in a decent condition, blasting it to bare metal won't be necessary. That is, no deep gouges, major rusting, large sections missing paint, etc. Paint and primer have a better tendency to "stick to the car" when sprayed on a prepped paint surface rather bare metal. The painted surface offers more for the new paint/primer "adhere" to if that makes any sense. Filler would only be necessary if you had any dents or dings that could not be beaten out. When painting the engine bay, you will want to ensure that it is as clean as possible. All the years of oils and chemicals in there will pose a threat to your new paint. Acetone and other paint thinners will help clean the surface for prepping/painting. Depending on the condition of the paint, you could use a sand paper with enough grit to smooth out the surface without leaving scratches that would be seen once the primer is applied. Start with a paper ranging in the 180-220 grit to get a good base to spray. A lighter sandpaper would be used (320-400) on the primer to ensure a nice smooth surface for the paint to be sprayed on.

Chase

[Reverend]

I finally got it started, im only using blaster (as you suggested) on surface rust and tight spots. I have very small compressor (24liter) so it does not last long but it gets the job done. grit 200 seems to be the best option for me, does not leave too big marks and gets the dirt. My only worries are the fuel/hydraulic lines. They bend so easily.

At first i feared doing body work, but now i actually enjoy doing it