Painting Engine Bay!

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mullinax95

mullinax95

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Well I finally got fed up with the black engine bay. I had already relocated the battery to the trunk a year ago and didn't do anything else like I wanted. But I decided it was time and went at it. Pulled the motor totally by myself and probably will do the same going back in. LOL.

I filled the seams near the fire wall and it really jazzed it up...gave it a flush look to it. I still have a lot of work to do but thought I might share what is going on. I have never sanded, grinded, primed, filled, so much in my life. But it is slowly smoothing out. I havn't started wet sanding yet so it might look a little rough.

Engine bay resto 006.jpg


Engine bay resto 007.jpg


Engine bay resto 008.jpg


Engine bay resto 013.jpg


Engine bay resto 014.jpg
 
Very nice Ax. The only way to learn in my book is to jump right in and do it! Good luck and keep us posted.
 
71DartGuy said:
Very nice Ax. The only way to learn in my book is to jump right in and do it! Good luck and keep us posted.
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Thanks.

I wished I could say I'm almost done. I still have to do more work around were the hood latches, K-member, and steering box. My friend that paints cars is going to shoot it for me when I get it ready for free. I just have to buy the paint,clear,materials.

For the guys that do auto body work for a living YOUR JOB IS SECURE!
 
hmmmm................seems like were both doing the same thing. funny. you're ahead of me, i am still grinding down all the old paint. you will LOVE the way it looks when you're done. the long hours will pay off. looks good man.
 
redfastback said:
hmmmm................seems like were both doing the same thing. funny. you're ahead of me, i am still grinding down all the old paint. you will LOVE the way it looks when you're done. the long hours will pay off. looks good man.
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Thanks.

Yeah I saw your thread a few minutes ago. LOL
 
Have you seen the seams done like this on anything other than a show car? I would be worried about body flex ruining my pretty work. I would try an epoxy or another material that can flex, best of luck its looking really good. Dont mean to scare you just asking. Im sure there are good bodymen that can chime in.
 
daredevil said:
Have you seen the seams done like this on anything other than a show car? I would be worried about body flex ruining my pretty work. I would try an epoxy or another material that can flex, best of luck its looking really good. Dont mean to scare you just asking. Im sure there are good bodymen that can chime in.
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I have seen three but two of them I don't know what they used because they were already painted. One had the seems feeled and had a very thin layer on top of the fender wells. I didn't skim coat mine because I was worried. I will have to hope for the best becasue it is not coming out. LOL.
 
Here's a picture of one of them. I think this looks very clean and smooth.

Question??

What the heck is that hole in the left (looking at the picture) fender well near the shock?

My car had a hole there but it has a plate welded over it now.

BC.jpg
 
The seams filled does look killer. I would worry about body flex especialy with the unibody. I was thinking the same but the thought of it cracking up stopped me.
 
HemiPar said:
The seams filled does look killer. I would worry about body flex especialy with the unibody. I was thinking the same but the thought of it cracking up stopped me.
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So you have restored your engine bay?

Anything you might suggest while I am at this stage?
 
daredevil said:
Have you seen the seams done like this on anything other than a show car? I would be worried about body flex ruining my pretty work. I would try an epoxy or another material that can flex, best of luck its looking really good. Dont mean to scare you just asking. Im sure there are good bodymen that can chime in.
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Here is the second one I saw with the seams filled. I coundn't find it the other day but today I saw the thread.

Here is the link http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=27848

I love that car!

I hope b67cuda dosen't mind.

cuda z.jpg
 
Dang 'Ax, you never cease to amaze me with the way you tackle big *** jobs on the weekend.

Dude, I need to rent you out for a couple days to get my freaking cuda finished as fast as you work.

Are you sure you don't have a bunch of little Willy Wonka midgets helping you out?

You 'da man!
 
Willy Wonka midgets.....that's funny!

I wished we lived closer because I wouldn't mind working on that badass beast you have!

I didn't do anything to it this week but started back on it today. I'm trying to get everything sanded and ready for my friend to spray it after he tells me how much paint and clear I need to get. I still got to apply few more coats of primer and wet sand. I'm going to spray the K member and steering components glossy black but everything else will be green.
 
That is looking good. My engine compartment is rattle can black so I need to do the same thing next winter. Did you have to pull the dash cluster to get the windshield wiper motor disconnected or could you disconnect it from the engine side?
 
340sFastback said:
That is looking good. My engine compartment is rattle can black so I need to do the same thing next winter. Did you have to pull the dash cluster to get the windshield wiper motor disconnected or could you disconnect it from the engine side?
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It is removed from the car from the engine side. But first the wiper arms have to be disconnected from under the dash. The dash does not have to be removed or anything else. Use a drop light and remove the clip from the wiper arm. Once the arm has been disconnected remove the nuts that hold the wiper motor in place and wiggle it out. I had to cut the wires because there was not a harness plug so later when I go back with it I will have to solder them back together.
 
cudaspaz said:
I like your avatar...LOL.

Send those little bastards my way when they finish your car, huh?
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Will do!

But they love to party and get drunk.....or was that the midgets on Wizard of Oz? LOL!

I worked on the car today. Trying to get the radiator support area sanded and primed. Man my fingers are sore from sanding all of those little tight places!
 
mullinax95 said:
It is removed from the car from the engine side. But first the wiper arms have to be disconnected from under the dash. The dash does not have to be removed or anything else. Use a drop light and remove the clip from the wiper arm. Once the arm has been disconnected remove the nuts that hold the wiper motor in place and wiggle it out. I had to cut the wires because there was not a harness plug so later when I go back with it I will have to solder them back together.
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Thanks for answering Mullinax. I can't reach the wiper linkage up under the dash on my car because it has factory ac and there is no room. And I mean no room, it sucks. FSM says I can pull the motor out and remove the nut that holds the arm to the motor. But I don't know if that is gonna work or not?
 
Here is a picture of mine. Rattle can black and engine is the wrong color. I don't even bother to try to make the black look good. But you guys pulling the engines and getting to it are getting me motivated!

EngineCompartment.JPG
 
340sFastback said:
Thanks for answering Mullinax. I can't reach the wiper linkage up under the dash on my car because it has factory ac and there is no room. And I mean no room, it sucks. FSM says I can pull the motor out and remove the nut that holds the arm to the motor. But I don't know if that is gonna work or not?
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I don't see why it wouldn't. You can see the nut from the engine bay when you have the wiper motor pulled out a little.
 
340sFastback said:
Here is a picture of mine. Rattle can black and engine is the wrong color. I don't even bother to try to make the black look good. But you guys pulling the engines and getting to it are getting me motivated!
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You say wrong color but it looks good to me.

I hear ya! I saw the pictures of the motors on that thread here recently where everyone was showing their under hood engine bays. That's what got me motivated. You'll get to the point where you've had enough like I did. LOL.

I used paint striper to get the paint removed which left just smooth bare metal on the fender wells. Paint rolled up like nothing. I sanded the fire wall because there is so many tight spots, studs, etc.. Prime it a good Epoxy on bare metal especially. Then you get to sand and sand and fill and sand and scrape and prime and say I wished I just left it alone...LOL
 
mullinax95 said:
You say wrong color but it looks good to me.

I hear ya! I saw the pictures of the motors on that thread here recently where everyone was showing their under hood engine bays. That's what got me motivated. You'll get to the point where you've had enough like I did. LOL.

I used paint striper to get the paint removed which left just smooth bare metal on the fender wells. Paint rolled up like nothing. I sanded the fire wall because there is so many tight spots, studs, etc.. Prime it a good Epoxy on bare metal especially. Then you get to sand and sand and fill and sand and scrape and prime and say I wished I just left it alone...LOL
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no you don't...... it would just keeping peckin' at ya til you did it! i was gonna ask if you sanded it by hand! glad you used stripper. i used sandiscs and a 90* angle air tool.
 
Looks good! Let me ask a dumb question. What seams are you talking about? I can't seem to see them in the pics, any way to point them out?
 
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