Block Color
#1
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Block Color
What color is everyone painting their engine blocks? Any suggestions? I was thinking about black, but I don't want it to look like it's covered in oil and grease. THANK YA
-Erik
This is in the wrong forum, sorry.
-Erik
This is in the wrong forum, sorry.
Last edited by zrated57; 08-28-2006 at 11:03 AM. Reason: Wrong Forum
#3
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Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Mine's painted semi-flat black. You can't see much of it anyway. The large tube headers hide the sides. The front motor plates hide the front and the heads are unpainted aluminum. That only leaves a section between the timing cover and the intake that can be easily seen.
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Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Paint it aluminum/silver and tell everyone you have an aluminum block.
My lifter valley is painted gloss white but it's now more of an eggshell/cream color.
A black block hides dirt easier. I've seen white and yellow blocks and you can see every little oil drip on them.
OK, semi-gloss then. It's not a high gloss and not a dull flat. Although I've been tempted to paint the whole car flat black. Much easier to touch up scratches. My future "rat rod", if I ever get a project going (need a vehicle first), will be flat black or primer red.
My lifter valley is painted gloss white but it's now more of an eggshell/cream color.
A black block hides dirt easier. I've seen white and yellow blocks and you can see every little oil drip on them.
OK, semi-gloss then. It's not a high gloss and not a dull flat. Although I've been tempted to paint the whole car flat black. Much easier to touch up scratches. My future "rat rod", if I ever get a project going (need a vehicle first), will be flat black or primer red.
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Car: 87 bird
Engine: enough to break stuff
Transmission: manual th400
Axle/Gears: 4.10
id vote traditional orange if your going to clean it and show it, black for sleeper or frequently driven car. i went with black also it covers stuff and i dont show my engine.
#14
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Car: 1982 Trans-Am
Engine: 355 w/ ported 416s
Transmission: T10, hurst shifter
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt, true-trac, 3.73
Mine was chevy orange, but I scratched it so bad I put a new coat on... Tremclad "international red". Close enough.
Yea, my girlfriend pointed out that you can barely see the block. But in a black engine bay, with some chrome, aluminum color painted heads, orange REALLY sticks out.
I only went with orange because there wasn't a lot of choices. I figured black or any dark color would make it harder to find the inevitable leaks.
Yea, my girlfriend pointed out that you can barely see the block. But in a black engine bay, with some chrome, aluminum color painted heads, orange REALLY sticks out.
I only went with orange because there wasn't a lot of choices. I figured black or any dark color would make it harder to find the inevitable leaks.
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Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
I was looking at mine last night. As I mentioned above, the only part of the block you can see when looking under the hood is the small area between the timing cover and the intake manifold. I should paint that part silver and you'd never notice it. Aluminum intake, chrome timing cover, aluminum front motor plates. It would blend right in. If I had a one piece front motor plate, you wouldn't even see that part of the block.
I painted my lifter valley with some enamal rust paint (tremclad etc). Use a 1" brush and paint it on. Using white, I was able to see how much coverage I got. 3 coats gave it a good coating without seeing the block through the paint. The engine has gone through a hot tank and the paint is still there. I also had the advantage of painted a new, clean block so the paint stuck to the clean metal better.
I painted my lifter valley with some enamal rust paint (tremclad etc). Use a 1" brush and paint it on. Using white, I was able to see how much coverage I got. 3 coats gave it a good coating without seeing the block through the paint. The engine has gone through a hot tank and the paint is still there. I also had the advantage of painted a new, clean block so the paint stuck to the clean metal better.
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Car: 86 T/A
Engine: HSR 355
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.77 posi
I wish mine was black, it's orange and clashes with the blue paint. Not like it's noticeable, but black just is better IMO.
#18
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Wow, that engine there looks really good. It's so clean lookin' and I like it. Do most people paint the lifter valley or it just like an added performance thing?
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Car: 1984 Z28 Hardtop
Engine: 383 Carb
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44
It doesn't matter what color it's painted, if you want it to look clean you have to actually clean it once in a while.
#20
FWIW, if you ever want to touch-up or completely paint an older orange Chevy block or head, the correct color is Allis Chalmers orange. Of course, gloss white seems to work well on the inside.
As for painting a brand new casting, you'll want to make sure you remove the excess mold release and casting impregnation chemicals. Lacquer thinner works fairly well to wash that down before painting.
As for painting a brand new casting, you'll want to make sure you remove the excess mold release and casting impregnation chemicals. Lacquer thinner works fairly well to wash that down before painting.
#21
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Is there a chance that after painting the lifter valley, the paint could come off and therefore clog the oil filter or related internals parts of the engine?
I'm somewhat worried about painting the inside of the block.
I'm somewhat worried about painting the inside of the block.
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Car: 2000 Corvette FRC
Engine: LS1
Transmission: M6
If you engine is carbed I'd go with the classic orange.
Its its TPI then engine and TPI base flat black, paint the plenum and valve covers the same grey, and polish the hell out of the runners. Simple, but its looks sharp.
Its its TPI then engine and TPI base flat black, paint the plenum and valve covers the same grey, and polish the hell out of the runners. Simple, but its looks sharp.
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Car: 1984 Z28 Hardtop
Engine: 383 Carb
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44
Not if you prep it properly and use the right paint. It's not totally necessary to paint the lifter valley though, so if you don't feel like doing it then don't bother.
#24
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Car: 1982 Trans-Am
Engine: 355 w/ ported 416s
Transmission: T10, hurst shifter
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt, true-trac, 3.73
you can always just throw some sanding cartridges on your die grinder, and just sand smooth that area. Does the same as paint but you don't have to worry about it flaking off.
Or you can do both, sand then paint.
Or you can do both, sand then paint.
#26
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Car: 1990 Firebird
Engine: 3.1L
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23's
to me block color would be determined by the engine bay color. If it had a red engine bay then i would go black, and if my car was red and the bay was black, then i would go red.
#28
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Car: 1988 IROC 5.7 Money Pit
Engine: (being built; modified TPI ZZ4
Transmission: 2200 stall/ stage 3 700R4
Axle/Gears: freshened 3.27 in 9.bolt/
paint color...
I'm going through the same issue right now. I"ve got a black IROC and I'm starting to use two different colors in the engine bay. I was going to stick just with an electric blue for parts I can powdercoat, but am thinking about adding some bright violet accents to that. It's the engine compartment/bay that I can't figure out.
If you are really thinking about black for the block, maybe a graphite or a metallic black would make the engine 'pop'. You probably wouldn't have to do as much block grinding/smoothing with a mettalic color. Nitro
If you are really thinking about black for the block, maybe a graphite or a metallic black would make the engine 'pop'. You probably wouldn't have to do as much block grinding/smoothing with a mettalic color. Nitro
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Car: 1990 Firebird
Engine: 3.1L
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23's
yeah for me if the whole car is black, i think i'd go with blue or red, or maybe some crazy green, depending on the interior i guess
#32
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i went with white on the block thinking it would help spot oil leaks and such but i should have painted the whole bay white to get the reflective proporties making it easyer to see in low light conditions (which seems to be all the time) as others have mentioned above cant really tell the color any way....tao
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Car: 82 z28
Engine: 350
Transmission: TH350
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.73
i just smoothed out my lifter valley and polished it a little on my new block i think that works alot better than painting but it takes at least 2 hours i still might put a clear coat on it though as long as you prep it right it should never chip or come off this isnt a very good pic but you get the idea i think this works alot better than painting
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
Last edited by wiseman9986; 09-25-2006 at 08:50 PM.
#35
Grabber Green with Darker International Green accents. Vehicle is electric blue, so it works OK. Engine bay is silver, which is the cars original color.
I attached some pictures, no where near complete yet...but
I attached some pictures, no where near complete yet...but
#37
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Car: '82 Z28
Engine: 350
Transmission: TH400 4,000 stall
Axle/Gears: Currie 9", 4.56 gears
I painted my 305 chevy orange and hated the look of it. The 350 got painted black, makes a nice contrast to all the aluminum on it.
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Car: 89 Z28
Engine: 350 with ads
Transmission: 700r4
White
I painted my block Semi gloss white. The accessory brackets are Semi gloss black, and the accessories and firewall / fenders are flat black. Yes it gets dirty, but it is very easy to clean. It actually helps you spot problems / leaks faster. The attached pic was taken after a day at New England Dragway.
#39
Interesting Looks kind of like a ghost. Its original for sure! Then again, thats what Hot Rodding is all about
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No Heavens no But a Fiero, now that would be the shzizzle!
Actually. the block came to me that way, I originally planned on changing it, bit it kind of grew on me... Like moss grows on a mushroom
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No Heavens no But a Fiero, now that would be the shzizzle!
Actually. the block came to me that way, I originally planned on changing it, bit it kind of grew on me... Like moss grows on a mushroom
Last edited by randyre; 10-24-2006 at 03:34 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
#40
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Car: S10
Engine: 383
Transmission: th 400
Axle/Gears: Stocker 10 bolt w/4:11's
I used flat flat on my engine and love it. If my dead *** gets motivated to borrow a camera I'l' post a pic.I also painted the k member black or to be more precise sprayed undercoating on it(if your're lazy)-no cleaning/prepping just spray it on. I think it looks good. Its not visible enough that I'm gonna clean it off, especially since it is covered in oil and other various muck. Yeah one of my friends ripped on me; but I just reminded him my car is faster than his. That will shut up the nitpickers usually
#41
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Car: 1989 RS Camaro
Engine: 350 Carb(soon a 400)
Transmission: 5-Speed/th350
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.73
i painted the 350 in my truck orange and in my camaro black. the orange is a pain because you are always seeing scratches and everything. the black is nice for hiding everything. my car is red so the black block looks nice with the chrome and aluminum
#42
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Car: 90 Formula -- tot resto in progress
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700R4 w/ 2500 stall, by Owen @ ARD
Axle/Gears: 3.23 posi disc
For about a dozen engine builds over the course of more years than
I want to admit, I've painted the lifter gallery and topside of cyl.
heads. But GE Glyptal is the only thing I would trust to withstand
the hot oil environment. (Glyptal is used for insulating electic motor
windings. Epoxy like, to withstand very high temp.)
The current project is a red 90 formula. For the the engine & heads
I'm using gray POR 15. (This is miracle stuff, dries hard as epoxy.)
Will have chrome valve, timing chain & Air cleaner covers. I don't have
the thread at hand, but another board member had a neat idea for intake
manifolds. Use the color of your choice RustOleum as a base, then finish
with a couple coats of VHT clear, baking each in the oven. He used gold
base, which looked really cool to me.
Good luck,
kk
I want to admit, I've painted the lifter gallery and topside of cyl.
heads. But GE Glyptal is the only thing I would trust to withstand
the hot oil environment. (Glyptal is used for insulating electic motor
windings. Epoxy like, to withstand very high temp.)
The current project is a red 90 formula. For the the engine & heads
I'm using gray POR 15. (This is miracle stuff, dries hard as epoxy.)
Will have chrome valve, timing chain & Air cleaner covers. I don't have
the thread at hand, but another board member had a neat idea for intake
manifolds. Use the color of your choice RustOleum as a base, then finish
with a couple coats of VHT clear, baking each in the oven. He used gold
base, which looked really cool to me.
Good luck,
kk
#44
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The current project is a red 90 formula. For the the engine & heads
I'm using gray POR 15. (This is miracle stuff, dries hard as epoxy.)
Will have chrome valve, timing chain & Air cleaner covers. I don't have
the thread at hand, but another board member had a neat idea for intake
manifolds. Use the color of your choice RustOleum as a base, then finish
with a couple coats of VHT clear, baking each in the oven. He used gold
base, which looked really cool to me.
I'm using gray POR 15. (This is miracle stuff, dries hard as epoxy.)
Will have chrome valve, timing chain & Air cleaner covers. I don't have
the thread at hand, but another board member had a neat idea for intake
manifolds. Use the color of your choice RustOleum as a base, then finish
with a couple coats of VHT clear, baking each in the oven. He used gold
base, which looked really cool to me.
#45
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Car: 1982 Trans-Am
Engine: 355 w/ ported 416s
Transmission: T10, hurst shifter
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt, true-trac, 3.73
The gold intake is probably this guys (David burke)
http://www.ws6transam.org/305HO.html
http://www.ws6transam.org/305HO.html
#46
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Car: 86 Trans Am, 92 Firebird
Engine: 408 sbc, 3.1L of raw power
Transmission: TKO600, T5
Axle/Gears: Moser 9", 3:70 trutac, 3:23 torsion
i like black, paint everything black. you can make a good sleeper this way. people look at it and dont think much of it, yet the color can hide a real monster
#48
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Car: 1988 Camaro IROC-Z
Engine: 5.7L 350 Small Block
Transmission: 700R4
Blue
My dad painted his block and heads the classic GM blue. ( I dont remem. the actual name for it.) I'll see if I can post a pic. tomm.
Its not a camaro though; its in an 86 C10 he restored...
Later,
Mark
Its not a camaro though; its in an 86 C10 he restored...
Later,
Mark
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