What to paint and not paint blue.

[Pakrat 1,043]

So we all know I'm not going concourse already but I am striving for a bit of a stock look just the same. I stripped all the blue paint off the water pump and I'm wondering if a natural aluminum color wouldn't compliment my weind intake more than having another hunk of blue in there?

[Spoofty 10]

Personally, if I had an aluminum water pump I would show it.:thumbup1: I would clear it, that helps to stop those stains and makes it easier to clean.

[bnickel 10,004]

i'd go blue personally, but i prefer the stock as hell sleeper look, if i had aluminum heads i'd paint those blue too. in fact when i get to build a motor for the upcoming cougar i plan to use aluminum heads and they will definitely be painted blue.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Yeah I'll need to think about it. I'd thought about making the intake blue too but it looks so purty o'natural.

[351carlo 10]

FORD BLUE BABY!

 

I had the aluminum look for a while. Aluminum intake, aluminum water pump, it looked good.........

 

Until I went further with performance. I made sure to make it look stock this time. I ground off the part numbers on the intake, and painted it blue. It looks AWESOME. If it werent for the fact that the cam is too big for these valve covers, I would have stock valve covers on the motor too. I even painted my Canton 7 qt blue, and it looks great too. I used NAPA Paint, and it turned out real good.

[351carlo 10]

Here's what it looked like before it went in. I'll have to get some ''in bay'' shots this weekend.

 

Chrome breathers were just to keep debris out before it went into the motor, think I might go and paint my cap black for the distributor, and I can't really hide the water pump, but I'd rather run the single serp belt setup.

[bnickel 10,004]

Yeah I'll need to think about it. I'd thought about making the intake blue too but it looks so purty o'natural.

 

 

the intake is the about the only thing i would leave natural aluminum, and in some cases i'd paint it blue.

[Pakrat 1,043]

FORD BLUE BABY!

 

I had the aluminum look for a while. Aluminum intake, aluminum water pump, it looked good.........

 

Until I went further with performance. I made sure to make it look stock this time. I ground off the part numbers on the intake, and painted it blue. It looks AWESOME. If it werent for the fact that the cam is too big for these valve covers, I would have stock valve covers on the motor too. I even painted my Canton 7 qt blue, and it looks great too. I used NAPA Paint, and it turned out real good.

 

It does look great carlo no doubt. I'm not really building performance though and trying for a sleeper look in my application. I used to be about stock as a rock and now I'm in between. I'm going for the slight and subtle upgrade look that has a stock feel at aglance in just about all my choices so far.

 

Lately it just seems to me that a big ole hunk of all blue under the hood is making me :yawn: now that my body is slightly modified too, it just doesn't seem to fit, like I only took the project half way.

 

I kinda want it mostly blue with a tasteful amount of aluminum and then since I went white on the headers (against almost every opinion I sought) a little touch of red anodized fittings here and there to really capture the patriotic Mustang theme.

[buening 63]

I'm gonna go against the grain and say leave all aluminum bare. If you are going for the stock look, then paint everything the color it came from the factory. If you don't care for the stock look, then leave it aluminum so you can show it off. If you open your hood at the car show and someone sees everything painted blue, you might get a few nods. If you have an engine bay full of aluminum and chrome goodies, then you'll get some ooohs and ahhhs. But it all depends on your goal and your taste. I prefer the look of aluminum (as can be seen in the pics i posted in your air cleaner/valve cover thread), but it's all in what you like. What will the rest of your motor look like? Aluminum valve covers? aluminum air cleaner?

[bnickel 10,004]

I'm gonna go against the grain and say leave all aluminum bare. If you are going for the stock look, then paint everything the color it came from the factory. If you don't care for the stock look, then leave it aluminum so you can show it off. If you open your hood at the car show and someone sees everything painted blue, you might get a few nods. If you have an engine bay full of aluminum and chrome goodies, then you'll get some ooohs and ahhhs. But it all depends on your goal and your taste. I prefer the look of aluminum (as can be seen in the pics i posted in your air cleaner/valve cover thread), but it's all in what you like. What will the rest of your motor look like? Aluminum valve covers? aluminum air cleaner?

 

 

he's going with blue painted cobra VC's and blue painted canton finned air cleaner with the fins on both natural aluminum (unless i can talk him into polished), and aluminum intake. so the aluminum water pump could go either way really. personally i'd paint it blue but natural would look good too.

 

i prefer to paint it myself because then you'd have blue block, alminum water pump and black pulleys. i prefer to have only two colors touching rather than three. it's a symmetry thing, i guess.

[Pakrat 1,043]

he's going with blue painted cobra VC's and blue painted canton finned air cleaner with the fins on both natural aluminum (unless i can talk him into polished), and aluminum intake. so the aluminum water pump could go either way really. personally i'd paint it blue but natural would look good too.

 

i prefer to paint it myself because then you'd have blue block, alminum water pump and black pulleys. i prefer to have only two colors touching rather than three. it's a symmetry thing, i guess.

 

You think talking me into ploished will be tough? :) It's just a little elbow grease right? I hear you on the symmetry though, good point. I don't much care for the layered cake look myself. Here's something you just made me think about though, I alredy went and painted my thermostat housing blue again but it connects right to the aluminum intake, should I reapint it aluminum?

[351carlo 10]

I understand what you're saying Pak, and I ran natural aluminum last time around, although I cheated with the water pump. I used that cast spray to give the stock water pump that look. I wasn't a fan of the staining of the aluminum last time, because for some reason the crevices in my aluminum intake just seem to gather small pieces of dirt and since the metal is porous, it stained.

 

Anyhow, build the motor aluminum, and if you want to switch it up, go blue. Just make sure to buy all the same paint, and extra cans. I had to repaint the valve covers and heads to match the motor and the timing cover.

 

You've had a lot of decisions to make lately, must be nice :)

[Pakrat 1,043]

I wasn't a fan of the staining of the aluminum last time, because for some reason the crevices in my aluminum intake just seem to gather small pieces of dirt and since the metal is porous, it stained.

 

I have the same problem right now, a nasty big ole stain on my intake that I am struggling to get clean. If I can I think I'll hit it with clear this time. I have another issue too, one of my fricken thermostat housing bolts snapped clean off two years ago when I had to change my thermostat. I tried driling a hole in the center to use a reverse thread puller and back it out but it is in there good. I cheated last time and I used a self tapping screw with a plastic bushing I found with the correct inside/outside diameter so there was no slack in the housing and it never once let go but I want to fix it right now. Problem is I did not get the drilled hole exactly in the center so I have to try to very carefully keep redrilling it a little bigger until hopefully it breaks out and then retap it. Not looking forward to it at all!:censored:

[Protowrxs 111]

Of course I'm no stock appearing kind of guy so I like showing the aluminum and chrome. I had blue Cobras back in the day and they looked nice but if it's alumuminum I'd let it show.

 

Carlo is going after a different look with the true sleeper world (that's an OEM Ford Demon carb right... lol)

 

Do be careful with clear coating. I clear coated my origional 351 intake and it looked great for a short time and then the heat and small leaks got to the clear coat and made it look worse. Maybe a clear power coating??

 

To me the engine has to match the work on the car though. A stocker outside with many motor mods doesn't look right nor does a radical car with a stock engine.

 

I have a polished Cobra T Pan.. but I REALLY do not want to have to polish my covers to match.. :-( Yeah, just a little elbow grease... sure. ha!

 

Just my opinion.

-Stephen

[351carlo 10]

Hey now stephen, Ford's came with Demons in 1970!

 

The Demon is covered by the STOCK air cleaner that hasn't even been repainted with original decal saying 351c-2v. So I never care about that.... lol

 

Pak, did you try to Dremel a groove in the top and use a flat head screwdriver? I've done that a few times. Normally my easy outs work pretty well though. Let it soak in PB blaster for a few days and then give it a shot. That or just drill it for the next bigger size. I had to do that in my starter/bellhousing. The threads stripped out and the bolt kept coming out. The only time it would come out is after I was out driving it, and parked it somewhere like the grocery store. It was a real bear since my headers would be hot and the car wouldn't start, I must've been burnt 3 times before I decided to get a long bolt and a nut on the other end.

[Pakrat 1,043]

To me the engine has to match the work on the car though. A stocker outside with many motor mods doesn't look right nor does a radical car with a stock engine.

 

I have a polished Cobra T Pan.. but I REALLY do not want to have to polish my covers to match.. :-( Yeah, just a little elbow grease... sure. ha!

 

Just my opinion.

-Stephen

 

Well, the outside will have Shelby rear lid and end caps custom mated to stock panel blacked out and stock lights and the Shelby side scoops and eventually the convertible roll bar too. The rest of car will be as pictured minus the rear spolier and likely with the same Mach 1 hood black out, maybe even with ghost body color flames. Undecided on what side stripes yet, maybe GT again or a custom Mach/Shelby type mid stripe. 13" Cobra front discs and 17" Billet Magnum 500 rims. As for the ploished I think B meant just the fins on the valve covers (black will be painted blue) and air cleaner lid.

[bnickel 10,004]

You think talking me into ploished will be tough? :) It's just a little elbow grease right? I hear you on the symmetry though, good point. I don't much care for the layered cake look myself. Here's something you just made me think about though, I alredy went and painted my thermostat housing blue again but it connects right to the aluminum intake, should I reapint it aluminum?

 

 

yeah, either paint the 'stat housing aluminum or get a chrome one. i have a chrome one.

 

that's a good suggestion on leaving it aluminum and painting it blue later if you don't like it.

 

i have used a satin clear before on bare aluminum parts and it looks pretty good. be careful you don't go too thick with the clear as it tends to turn yellow if it's very thick at least the gloss clear does, i haven't used the satin on an intake though. my current e'brock intake was installed originally bare but it stained bad from an oil leak from the front intake seal so now it's painted aluminum with a gloss clear.

 

Stephen, i'm just talking about polishing the fins on the valve covers and air cleaner and leaving the rest blue. guess i should have been clearer with that.

[bnickel 10,004]

i run a demon under the stock air cleaner too but i have the 69/70 shelby 351 4v ram air decal on the HI-PO lid.

[Protowrxs 111]

Ahh.. yes, polishing the fins is rather easy. That is how mine was back then.

Old school look here.. but hey, that was almost 30 years ago when it was new school... This is before the 780 center feed carb as well. Anyhow you get the idea for blue Cobras with polished fins.

 

Just kidding Carlo, very nice looking setup.

 

 

-Stephen

[bnickel 10,004]

Ahh.. yes, polishing the fins is rather easy. That is how mine was back then.

Old school look here.. but hey, that was almost 30 years ago when it was new school... This is before the 780 center feed carb as well. Anyhow you get the idea for blue Cobras with polished fins.

 

Just kidding Carlo, very nice looking setup.

 

 

-Stephen

 

 

that's what he's going for on the vc's and air cleaner top. possibly oil pan too if he gets the canton pan to match the air cleaner, i don't think at this moment he is planning on the oil pan but he is considering it, last i heard anyway. and if he puts that cobra lettered air conditioner top plate on the sides of the canton pan it might look pretty sharp.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Pak, did you try to Dremel a groove in the top and use a flat head screwdriver? I've done that a few times. Normally my easy outs work pretty well though. Let it soak in PB blaster for a few days and then give it a shot. That or just drill it for the next bigger size. I had to do that in my starter/bellhousing. The threads stripped out and the bolt kept coming out. The only time it would come out is after I was out driving it, and parked it somewhere like the grocery store. It was a real bear since my headers would be hot and the car wouldn't start, I must've been burnt 3 times before I decided to get a long bolt and a nut on the other end.

 

I tried everything man I assure you. The bolt broke off just shy of flush by about 1 or 2mm so dremeling a notch and using a screw driver is not too easy without damaging the surrounding area. I drilled straight thru since there is a valley of dead space behind it and soaked it from behind for a week but I still broke 2 heavy duty easy outs. This was all before my compressor though so maybe some power will help now. I know I'll get it eventually I just hate the thought of buying an expensive tap just for this one thing, I'd liek to get it out clean.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Ahh.. yes, polishing the fins is rather easy. That is how mine was back then.

Old school look here.. but hey, that was almost 30 years ago when it was new school... This is before the 780 center feed carb as well. Anyhow you get the idea for blue Cobras with polished fins.

 

Just kidding Carlo, very nice looking setup.

 

 

-Stephen

 

You know what's really weird, when I thought of doing this a few years ago I searched high and low for pics because I had never seen it before on a single car and I thought I'd be original, I even went and photshopped someone elses engine pic just to make sure I'd like it. Over the last week people have posted more pics than I count, lol. Anyway, I still like it and think it's the right look for my application. Plus with the way I'm setting the aircleaner up I think it will still look unique enough, we'll see.

[Pakrat 1,043]

that's what he's going for on the vc's and air cleaner top. possibly oil pan too if he gets the canton pan to match the air cleaner, i don't think at this moment he is planning on the oil pan but he is considering it, last i heard anyway. and if he puts that cobra lettered air conditioner top plate on the sides of the canton pan it might look pretty sharp.

 

Well, I am holding off on the canton pan for now until I see what if any I have left over for funding. It's not an immediately seen part like the under hood parts of the engines. I was going to apply the AC top to my stock pan as a compromise. I noticed a small issue though, after a closer look at the AC tops the bolts are not symetrical so it would look different on the left and right side. Not that anyone would ever compare the both but I get annal about shit like that, hell I even lace my shoes in mirror reverse from right to left, lol.

 

 

BTW B, the polished is only $5 more than the matt finish at VA classic ($10 more at Cal mustang) but couldn't that be polished by hand just as easy.

[bnickel 10,004]

Well, I am holding off on the canton pan for now until I see what if any I have left over for funding. It's not an immediately seen part like the under hood parts of the engines. I was going to apply the AC top to my stock pan as a compromise. I noticed a small issue though, after a closer look at the AC tops the bolts are not symetrical so it would look different on the left and right side. Not that anyone would ever compare the both but I get annal about shit like that, hell I even lace my shoes in mirror reverse from right to left, lol.

 

 

BTW B, the polished is only $5 more than the matt finish at VA classic ($10 more at Cal mustang) but couldn't that be polished by hand just as easy.

 

 

yeah you could polish them by hand easy enough. also you can fix the non-symmetrical bolt holes easy enough as well. if you'll notice the plate is also longer on end than the other and one end is slightly rounded off, all you'd have to do is file the one side dwon to match the other side and you'd be golden

[Pakrat 1,043]

yeah you could polish them by hand easy enough. also you can fix the non-symmetrical bolt holes easy enough as well. if you'll notice the plate is also longer on end than the other and one end is slightly rounded off, all you'd have to do is file the one side dwon to match the other side and you'd be golden

 

Hunh? I'm not following you hear. How I could I fix the holes if they are in the polished part? I could see if they were in the area to be painted I could fill them. Unless I cut the first two ribs off top and bottom with my cutoff wheel making it a tad narrower in height? By filing down I assuming you mean file the square side rounded?