I am currently restoring a 91' GTA that is painted bright red metallic. My next step is to paint the engine bay before the engine goes back in. I want to get the pro's opinion of whether I should stick with the stock color or go with something else like gloss black. Please share your opinion!

Thanks!

 

Gloss black bay, then paint the engine to match the body color. That should looking pretty sharp.

 

im not a paint expert, but I painted mine flat black so the engine would be the focal point under the hood. The car itself is going to be metallic blue. I was originally going to paint the bay gloss black, but I want all the attention to be on the motor. That just my $.02

 

If you want attention on the motor paint the engine bay gloss black with a chevy orange block with crome valvecovers and accesories.

 

I've had mine both ways and it looks a million times better with a body-color engine bay and black engine. Painting the engine bay black makes it look like you didn't want to take the time to prep and paint it so you fogged it with a spray can. Just my $.02

 

Amen brother!! lol, I should note though that my car is far from show-quality, so I didnt wanna spend the time or money makin the bay look all pretty and nice, when the rest of the car looks like shiat!

 

I'd go with the gloss black, with the engine either Chevy Orange or the body color. Just be sure to get some engine dress-up to really set it off.

Firebird 383 has a good point but that could be said the other way. To me, painting the bay the body looks like you didn't feel like taking the time to do something special in there and just slapped some body paint while you were doing the exterior. But I, personally, am not a fan of colored bays.

 

i'd eat off firebird383's engine bay. Unfortunately I'm always working under my hood and knew it would never stay clean or scratch free so mine is semi-gloss black.

 

i went with $.99 gloss black. i think it looks nice, and yes haveing your engine painted close to your body color looks sharp.

 

mines body color, was going to go with gloss black originally but then thought it would look like what Firebird 383 said, like i didnt want to take the time or $ to do it. But hey, just go with what you think looks best!

 

I really appreciate your help and opinion. Wow, I am not sure what to do now. I have about 1-week to decide so I better make a decision soon. I like the way it looks when painted the same as the body, but the gloss black really puts the attention on the engine. I think it would look really sharp if I had a gloss black engine bay and the block painted the same as the body (as suggested above). I think that would make the black engine bay look planned rather than a cheap fix. Can they make any paint high temp?

 

Promise me you'll post pics of that bright red metallic!! I've been thinking of going with that color when I paint!!!

Is it the same color that's on the Mazda RX-8's?

 

Yes, I will definitely post pics! I do not think it is the exact same color but it is very close. I am going to paint the factory bright red metallic from 91' which I think is a little darker than the Mazda color. I hope to have pics of the completed engine bay and car within 2-3 weeks, so I will update then.

 

the exact reason why the next time my motor comes out (will be the 9th pull of the season...ugh...) mines getting "fogged" with some semi-gloss black paint. it looks aboslutely HORRID right now, all dirty and severly scratched.

 

Okay, I am struggling with what to do. I think I am going to paint my engine bay gloss black and paint my engine block the same color (or close to) as the outside paint. However, I do not want to have a beautiful car and someone see the engine bay and think it looks cheap. Does anyone have pics of a black engine bay and a different colored car? I have never seen this in person and I do not want to make a mistake by painting it the non factory color.

 

here ya go, taken after I just put the motor in about a year ago. There are some blue spots showing through in the pic that I ended up touching up later on.

 

Seeing as my car has the hood off most of the time....... I think the body color looks best but it needs to be clean and polished

 

I think black is the only color for an engine bay. Works with whatever colors you want the engine to be. Come on now, black goes with anything...

 

 

personally i think painting the engine bay the same color as the car looks best. it just makes the car look more complete and makes the engine stand out more. paint the engine gloss black and add all your polished goodies on there (freeze plugs, brackets, pulleys, valve covers, manifold, etc...). to really pull off the look, fill in all the little spot welds on the firewall, radiator support and inner fenders.
on Overhaulin' i heard Chip Foose say the engine should be like a jewel and the engine bay is the case. open the hood and all you see is an amazing engine.

 

what about black cars like mine?

 

That does definitely make a cleaner look. I wish I would have done that prior to putting my motor in. I didnt have access to a welder, and I didnt want bondo under the hood with those temps. All those little holes that run along the frame rails and all would look better smoothed out.

 

I painted mine satin black but I wish sometimes I did body color

 

but see how the motor is the center of attention? Thats why I like flat black in there, again though just my $.02

 

Wackytower and Spills you have just made up my mind. I like the look of the body color in the engine bay but the engine against the black look sharp. Like Spills said, it makes the engine the center of attention, especially with some chrome/polished accents. Well, I am going to paint the engine bay black and paint the block as close to the body color as I can. Now I just have to polish my runners and plenum. It is supposed to rain here for the next 4-days, so painting is out of the question. I guess I will just polish away.

In reality I think the TPI would look good in any color engine bay!

Thank you for all of your help! I have had to make about 200 decisions during this resoration and the engine bay had me stuck!

 

I say if you're going to flash it at shows then paint it body colored, but if you just want a clean bay paint it black

 

Here is a good comparison between body and black

 

damn that looks sweet!!!

 

I really do not plan on entering the car into major shows. I love to go to car shows, but I also want to drive this car and have fun in it. The most I would do would be enter it into a local show just for fun. So, any color will probably work.

 

Another option is painting it a complimentry color.

 

I definetly think you either need to go with a gloss black or the same color as the car...I am a fan of the same color as the car but thats just me...

 

While I can appreciate the work that goes into keeping an engine bay pristine, black gives me the impression of taking a "short-cut". Having a bright, shiny, body coloured engine bay looks like the owner went the extra mile. Only my personal opinion. Here's my totally stock "bright red" engine bay . . .



The TPI engine may have it's faults but it sure does look good (for a factory engine).