Painting Engine Bay!

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That would be a MIG; Metal Inert Gas welder I.E. a wire feed welder. NICE machines especially for a beginner.

TIG is Tungston Inert Gas, is very expensive for a good one, and difficult to master without a lot of experience.
George
 
Sorry mullin. i have been off the net for a few days. Thanks George. Yea, I have a MIG welder. There are two basic ones, with or without gas. I bought the cheaper one (without). with that i have to set the heat re=ange as low as i can or it will blow holes in the thin sheet metal for the body. it does good on thicker metal like floors and other things around the house.
 
HemiPar said:
Sorry mullin. i have been off the net for a few days. Thanks George. Yea, I have a MIG welder. There are two basic ones, with or without gas. I bought the cheaper one (without). with that i have to set the heat re=ange as low as i can or it will blow holes in the thin sheet metal for the body. it does good on thicker metal like floors and other things around the house.
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Not knowing much about them I found one that looks user friendly.


http://www.millerwelds.com/products/mig/millermatic_140_autoset/
 
Trying to clean up everything that is going on the motor and decided to polish the valve covers. It is a three step process in which I used three different buffing compounds and three different buffing wheels. It takes a lot of work but the end result pays for itself. The lettering on the valve cover comes with a brushed look but I went a little further and polished the letters. I like the way it looks.:-D

Still got to clean between the letters. Now I got to do the other one. * big long sigh *

The first picture is the valve cover before I did anything to it.

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Hey Nice Looking engine and valve covers! I like the black and your right it is different. I have a quick question what was the name of the polishing compounds you used. I have an aluminum radiator and it is dull aluminum and i was wondering if i could polish it to a shine like "polished aluminum". Like aluminum rims how do they get it to shine like that from just plain dull aluminum?
 
MOPARTEEN said:
Hey Nice Looking engine and valve covers! I like the black and your right it is different. I have a quick question what was the name of the polishing compounds you used. I have an aluminum radiator and it is dull aluminum and i was wondering if i could polish it to a shine like "polished aluminum". Like aluminum rims how do they get it to shine like that from just plain dull aluminum?
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Thanks!

Everything I used was made by Dico http://www.dicoproducts.com/

On the valve covers top part which was just brushed aluminum I used a palm sander and 120 grit sand paper until I worked my way up to 1500 grit. That got the everything smoothed up. Then I started with 6" buffing wheels which are #40 wheel and compound TC6, then #38 wheel and WR1 compound, then #60 wheel and JR1 compound. I did this to the sides in which the first wheel (firm) removed the major scratches.

They have all different type buffing wheels and compounds and it really according what you are gong to work on. I always try to do as much as I can with the sand paper first.

Hope this helps.

I know that if it is metal and you got the time it will shine like new money!

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Well I have successfully got the unnecessary holes welded up and primed out in the engine bay. I welded them myself with a stick welder. I have never did any welding at that angle and after some foul language and sticking rods I finally got it done! Of course the last time I did any welding it was in high school.

I decided to take the hood latch, hood spring, and the bracket out and strip it down. It had some deep scratches so I'm going have some fresh paint applied on it and some work around the front hood area. The painter didn't do a good job in these areas so I'm fixing it.

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Those are the nicest MP valve covers I've ever seen. I wouldn't try to polish inside the fins or around the letters as I think the different finish really brings them out.
NICE work there Mullinax!

I had aluminum LT-1 valve covers on my last Corvette, and if I still had the car I would do the exact same thing to them.

George
 
looking good!!!! can't wait to see paint. when do you think that might happen?
 
George R said:
Those are the nicest MP valve covers I've ever seen. I wouldn't try to polish inside the fins or around the letters as I think the different finish really brings them out.
NICE work there Mullinax!

I had aluminum LT-1 valve covers on my last Corvette, and if I still had the car I would do the exact same thing to them.

George
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Well thank you sir. It was a lot of buffing believe me. Oh I'm not going to buff inside the letters...... it was a total PITA to get the letters shiny so I'm not going do any more than I have too! LOL!
 
redfastback said:
looking good!!!! can't wait to see paint. when do you think that might happen?
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Well if I would quit digging up stuff to fix then I might get it sprayed. Just like today I saw some places I didn't like and the next thing I know I'm yanking the front hood latch area off to get down to bare metal. LOL!

I would really like to get it sprayed next weekend but I have to work with my friends schedule. He has the gun and is experienced in painting automobiles. He is a busy man. I would like to spray it myself but that would be pushing some. I can get the body work done as you can tell but if I was to spray anything it should be a old door off a junk car. But if I don't that's alright because this is my hobby.
 
Well tomorrow I supposed have it sprayed and you won't have to look at primed pictures anymore. LOL!

Here she is all taped out and ready to go.

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Well I told the painter to hold off. There was some places on underneath side of the hood that was not painted correctly. I needed to get them fixed or I just couldn't live with myself. LOL!

The painter (before I bought the car) did a great job on the outside of the car but didn't spend time on the inside of the fenders or hood and the paint is easy to chip. So now I got it all taking care of. I striped the entire hood down to the metal and worked my way out from there.

I also took some pictures of what the headers will look like on the motor. I found out that I will have to use the short oil filter instead of the long type. I guess this thread has lost interest but I guess I can call it a documentary of my progress and can look back it one day. LOL! :-D

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Hey Mullian, we have not lost interest. it is still coming to my email so i see ever time you update. i just have not been commentng. You are doing a great job. I just wish i would get off my a$$, out in the garage and get something done to mine. keep up the great work and i hope to see some paint soon.
 
HemiPar said:
Hey Mullian, we have not lost interest. it is still coming to my email so i see ever time you update. i just have not been commentng. You are doing a great job. I just wish i would get off my a$$, out in the garage and get something done to mine. keep up the great work and i hope to see some paint soon.
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Lol! thanks HemiPar..

In the pictures above where my finger is pointing there was a bad place. It was painted but the paint was coming off bad. Like it never got cleaned good or something. I found some other places that the paint was trying to come lose. But I feel confident that the paint will adhere now.

You and I was talking about welding and welders not to long ago. I welded up the holes with a stick welder. Let me tell you something.... you talking about a hell of a time! I was welding and of course had my welding helmet on and it seems that my leg just kept getting hotter and hotter you know more than usual with the sparks and such. MY DANG PANTS WAS ON FIRE! I jump up and start putting the fire out while using some awful language! LOL!

I don't understand how welders do it because I can't see what the heck I'm doing with that dang helmet on! I know that I have seen my friend weld without a helmet but he would close his eyes just as soon as he would start just to tack it.
 
Hey everyone, it seems like I'm in the same boat as a few of you. I've been slowly working on my 69 Barracuda convertible over the winter. Cleaning up interior pieces, fixing my grills, etc. But now that the weather has improved, my Dad and I have pulled the motor and transmission and this weekend I'm hoping to sandblast the engine bay to get it ready for painting and priming. I'm a rookie at this, never painted anything this significant before and wanted to get some advice on the primer. Should I go with an epoxy primer, a self-etching primer or something else? Any advice would be appreciated.

Here is a quick picture of my engine bay before the master cyliner, transmission and steering column/box were removed. Everything has since been removed and it's ready to be wrapped, taped and stripped.

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I also took some pictures of what the headers will look like on the motor. I found out that I will have to use the short oil filter instead of the long type. I guess this thread has lost interest but I guess I can call it a documentary of my progress and can look back it one day. LOL! :-D[/QUOTE]

First of all,great work!!

Was wondering why you are not going with the 90 deg oil filter adapter?
Looks like the perfect time and place for it.Filter changes will be easier as well.
 
Ax',

Any pictures of those wheels and "other items."

The suspense is killing me.

Am I missing something that the gold members only can see????????
 
mullinax95 said:
I don't understand how welders do it because I can't see what the heck I'm doing with that dang helmet on!.
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I'll tell you what helped me out was getting an auto darkening helmet. I had the same problem you did and couldn't see a thing until I struck an arc. By that time I was 2 inches away from where I wanted to be. I picked mine up from Northern Tool for about $40.

Also, I think any good welder has caught their pants on fire. I think it's a right of passage. At least that is what I tell myself.
 
stimpy29 said:
Hey everyone, it seems like I'm in the same boat as a few of you. I've been slowly working on my 69 Barracuda convertible over the winter. Cleaning up interior pieces, fixing my grills, etc. But now that the weather has improved, my Dad and I have pulled the motor and transmission and this weekend I'm hoping to sandblast the engine bay to get it ready for painting and priming. I'm a rookie at this, never painted anything this significant before and wanted to get some advice on the primer. Should I go with an epoxy primer, a self-etching primer or something else? Any advice would be appreciated.

Here is a quick picture of my engine bay before the master cyliner, transmission and steering column/box were removed. Everything has since been removed and it's ready to be wrapped, taped and stripped.
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stimpy,

What I did was used paint striper and got everything down to bare metal. Then I used a etching solution on the metal first and then used epoxy primer. I applied 4 coats and wet sanded with 400 girt sandpaper. Looks nice and smooth now. Just about done with the hood and maybe can get my friend to head this way to paint it.

I'm almost wondering if I could paint it myself. I need to practice with something else first. LOL!

I've did some research and come to realize that it takes a little know how far as the position of the gun, how fast you move the gun etc... or I would end up with orange peel, fish eyes, sags. I also learned a thing or two about base and clearcoat system. I thought you can spray the base and then walk away until tomorrow let's just say. But you HAVE to apply the clearcoat with in 60-90 minutes of the last coat of base. I didn't know that.

Anyways I hope maybe I answered your questions.
 
Johnny Dart said:
I also took some pictures of what the headers will look like on the motor. I found out that I will have to use the short oil filter instead of the long type. I guess this thread has lost interest but I guess I can call it a documentary of my progress and can look back it one day. LOL! :-D
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I was thinking about it not to long ago. Where do you get the adapter? I havn't looked in Summit or Mancinis yet. I really need one for my Dodge truck also.LOL!
 
mullinax95 said:
stimpy,

What I did was used paint striper and got everything down to bare metal. Then I used a etching solution on the metal first and then used epoxy primer. I applied 4 coats and wet sanded with 400 girt sandpaper. Looks nice and smooth now. Just about done with the hood and maybe can get my friend to head this way to paint it.
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Hey thanks for the detailed reply. What type of paint stripper did you end up using? Was it difficult to remove the paint?
 
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