I have just about everything outta my engine compartment minuse a few things.

Since i have it all out i figured i might as well prep it a little bit and then paint it.

Let me tell you that i dont have an air compressor and i planned on just getting some factory color paint put in a spray can and use that.

I know it wont look perfect, but it should look good enough for me if done right

My engine bay has some scratches and some dents here and there, but nothing major at all. Could just use some tips on what grit sandpaper to use and things like that

thanks a lot

 

Especially for an engine bay, I would do all of the prep work, and than take it to a place like maaco. Make sure YOU do most of the masking off and make sure you use the highest quality pimers, etc... than you can just have them shoot it. 3 base, 3 clear, you do the color sanding and buffing and it will look better than what you could probably do in your garage with a spray can. Also they would probably do it for like a hundred bucks, prep work will be about $50.00 for you.

 

i know i can do that, i dont have the time and money to do that.

i need to get the car running and my brother was an amazing body/paint man and you'd be surprised with what you can do with a spray can if you know some tricks

Unfortunately he died and cant help me, i'm just asking about prepping tips

 

Degrease the whole thing first.
Degrease it again.
Then once more for good measure.

Then use scotch brite pads to scuff all the paint.

Tape off everything in engine bay that you don't want painted.

Then tape off the rest of the car.

I sprayed my whole car with some stuff called "Liqui-mask". It goes on as a liquid and when it dries it turns to a film that will peel off like saran wrap. But you don't have to peel it, just nail it with a hot pressure washed or garden hose hooked up to your water heater and it melts away. Even if your car is totally taped off, paint mist WILL find its way onto your paint job. I was more sensitive to this since I had just painted my car about 8 months before doing the engine bay.

Primer and paint as needed.

 

Primered

 

Painted

 

Painted, remembering to attach picture this time......

 

I didn't know any of this stuff until my good friend showed me how it was done. That is him in the first picture. I forgot to mention that we used a thin plastic film product from 3M for masking the car off- I think the roll was 500' long and when fully unwrapped, the plastic was 16' wide. It really helped in taping off the car after we sprayed it with liqui-mask. My friend provides the expertise, and I have to buy the beer- it is a good trade off.

Attached picture shows the liqui-mask after it was sprayed on the car.

Best-
S-D

 

thank you very very much, that was very good information

 

just another trick for you try using tin foil to wrap around any wiring harnesses or anything left in the engine bay it works great

 

Thanks

another tip for those who might read/search this thread:

if you plan on using some spray paint, put the can in warm tap water for about 5-10min before you spray. It will help A LOT

 

I like the idea of the tin-foil. We used the plastic wrap on all the hoses and wire harnesses and AC stuff. It was a total drag getting it all off.
S-D

 

hmmm i think ill have to try that trick with the warm tap water for the spray can. i did some of my engine bay the other week becuz i was sick of seein primer/clear on most parts and i just degreased everything and then primered and painted and then cleared. didnt turn out to bad with spray paint, looks alot better though. this is a before shot (like a months before shot)

 

then this is how the strut towers and such came out. i still need to do the firewall and some other spots i couldnt get at right then.