[CompassLimited]

It is amazing what you can do with a rattle can, some tape and very little talent.

Before

After

My goal is to eventually enter some charity car shows.

 

[Feel for life]

This is really nice........... great idea.............I imagine the face at the dealer when a mecanic opens your hood...............Too funny !!!!
Might try something like this................maybe some kind of green.............

 

[segura15]

That looks awesome. Thats a great idea.

 

[umpire410]

It is very appealing to the beholder. Pardon my ignorance, but what is a "rattle can"?

 

[Jeepster2]

It does look nice! I have been thinking about just removing mine to see if there is an engine underneath. Are these covers really necessary?

 

[smokey01]

I've had mine out to do some work. There's a hamster cage of some sort under it. It's not really necessary to have the cover, design engineers think it makes the engine look neat and tidy. All I found them to do is hold dirt and oil that the technicians spill on them.

 

[BigDaveSCB]

It is very appealing to the beholder. Pardon my ignorance, but what is a "rattle can"?

Rattle can = spray paint in a can (when you shake it to mix it you get the tell tale rattle)

 

[umpire410]

Thanks for the explanation. I've never heard that expression before.

 

[segura15]

That was a clean rattle can job though

 

[CompassLimited]

Ffl were I you, I would choose a high contrast color or maybe one that changes color.

 

[Feel for life]

CL.............you should now that what happens under the hood..........stays under the hood..................I might just take you on that offer !!!!!!!!!!

 

[umpire410]

Yes,a very impressive rattle can paint job.

 

[eze07projectmayhem]

Looks cool. What kinda paint did you use? It looks kinda shiny up in the contours. I probably would have used more of a satin finish if I did mine but two thumbs up.:-D

 

[CompassLimited]

I will tell you the kind of paint I used ONLY because of the problems I had with it.

I first purchased a can of Dupli-Color Metal Specks in Burnt Copper. The only thing it had in it was primer gray. So I primered it but I was not happy.

I bought another can of Dupli-Color Metal Specks in a red color; when I got out to the parking lot I did a small splash on the ground to make sure it had pigment. There was color.

When I started spraying I could not see any Metal Specks I kept spraying in the hope that as it dried the metal would show. Of course not.

It always was my intent to shoot clear on it which I did. None of the paint is high temp. I did a lot of research and found that few people who have done this had used high temp.

 

[smokey01]

I think it would be cool to paint it the same color as the body. Might give it a try sometime.

 

[eze07projectmayhem]

I agree thats the only way I would paint it but my jeep is black I beat you too it!!! ha

 

[CompassLimited]

eze.... is ahead of the curve.

smoke.... considering the color of your ride thats what I would do too. Also consider installing a K&N intake and paint to match as well as the fuse cover.

http://www.challengertalk.com/forums/f19/custom-paint-project-engine-cover-full-walkthrough-15920/

some good ideas some not so much.....

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://scottcanoni.com/pictures/Mazda%25203/Other%2520Mazda%25203%2520Engine%2520Paint%2520Jobs/EngineCoverV.jpg&imgrefurl=http://scottcanoni.com/pictures/Mazda%25203/Other%2520Mazda%25203%2520Engine%2520Paint%2520Jobs/&usg=__Io40LgpV62tV4uTcLV1CibpehyI=&h=534&w=800&sz=240&hl=en&start=56&um=1&tbnid=eiUQ7u2UApSEyM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpaint%2Bengine%2Bcover%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26sa%3DN%26start%3D40%26um%3D1

It kills me that after doing all this great paint work some guys never clean the rest of the engine bay.

 

[smokey01]

I knew there would be a catch somewhere. I hadn't considered the intake, being such a pain it was to install, but that might look really good too.

 

[Feel for life]

CL,

Speaking of cleaning the engine bay......what would you recommend ?

 

[CompassLimited]

Elbow grease.

Actually I like Liquid Ice from Turtle wax. It is the only wax product I have found that you can use on flat black car parts that does not leave a white residue. I keep one applicator just for the engine bay which I wash after each use. I also wear a disposable surgical glove when using this stuff cause when you get it under under your fingernails its imposs......WHOA now I'm giving beauty tips.

I just keep applying Liquid Ice and wiping it off until things look clean under the hood. A little bit of Ice goes a loonnngggg way!

If you think you might some day paint your engine cover do NOT apply it to anything you are going to paint.


This will actually cross over to the Thread I started in Aftermarket Accessories / Parts under What products do you use to clean, polish, protect your car? when I get off my lazy rear end and take some photos.