cadillac531

Welcome to the Brotherhood, Baloneey. Thanks for the kind words from everyone.

The one tip I'd have for everyone is to paint the motor first and drive it for a while. Let the grey finish cure, then letter it. The engine enamel requires heat to cure, so if you have any overspray from the lettering it can easily be removed by gently scraping it off with a razor without affecting the grey finish. Just don't fire the motor until you have cleaned any and all overspray. Once the motor heats up and cures the letter paint, it is permanent.

Other than that, I don't think there would be anything I would do differently. The most difficult part of this task is masking everything off. Other than that, it's a walk in the park.

Hope some of that helps.

Constantine

Rex Ruby

Did you sand or scuff it up at all first?

How many hours did it take you?


I bought 2 cans of the Lingenfelter paint 3 years ago, this just got bumped up on my to do list

cadillac531

I attempted to scuff up the surface, but there wasn't anything really coming off. The surface is textured enough, so I didn't have to.

I think, overall, the project took about 4 hours to paint ( 3 hours and 55 minutes to tape and 5 minutes to paint ) and another 1 hour or so to letter.

DMark

cadillac531,

Looks Great!

I wonder if using a high temp clear coat would give the paint more shine?

cadillac531

I had thought of doing that. However, I was uncertain what kind of effect it would have on the grey. I don't know if it would yellow it or change it "ugly." I didn't want to chance it, besides I like the "stock" look.

Thanks.
Constantine

cadillac531

Thanks, Ted. How are you doing? Haven't talked to you for a while. How's the Beast running?

Constantine

dallas916

The first big tip is DO NOT wash the engine with water (power sprayer or hose) unless you plug EVERY hole, opening, gap, or crevass that will allow water under the plenum. Your starter and a lot of important "stuff" is under there. The starter will be the first to die, and it's a big, expensive job to replace it. I did do mine twice before it was powdercoated by stuffing strips of bedsheet in ALL the openings (don't forget the front).

USAFPILOT

How is that paint holding up?

MR.LT1

Wow! it simply looks awesome.....

ZR-71

cadillac531

It's perfect....looks exactly like the day I sprayed it. It hasn't turned any different colors, hasn't dulled, hasn't peeled or cracked.

I couldn't be happier with the product or the end result.

Rex Ruby

And I still haven't done this

cadillac531

Yeah, you really should take this on, if your factory finish is pitting. The LT5 is striking no matter what, but after you refinish it; you pretty much never want to have the hood shut. There are times when I park it in the garage that I leave the hood open, so when I walk past it I can look at it.

95ZR1

Hey Constantine! Again, Great job! It looks GREAT! I was just talking to Marc H. at the BG Gathering (YES!) and he likes painting better than powder coating even with the top end already disassembled.

There was a lot of reminiscing about the past LV events, especially the
Nellis mile. We would surely like to do that again, Lt. Col. Ron H. (Ret).

Are we going to have another ZR-1 West Gathering in Las Vegas?
ZR-1 ers seem to need some kind of racing event to get them together.

As for my car: runs great, don't get to drive it enough, any more mods would be mucho $$$ at this point.

C ya and say hi to the missus.
Ted

Paul Workman

I had the same question when Marc H switched from powder coating to spray. He told me that in his experience the powder coating is brittle and tends to crack and chip around the bolts, sometimes. He also had trouble with the clear turning yellow - perhaps just the wrong choice for the clear.

Taking his word, I experimented with high temp wheel paint and high temp clear. I experimented with the plenum...



I liked it so well, that I went ahead and sprayed the cam covers (work in progress). Note: In the photo, the finish almost looks grainy. Not so to the eye, but to the camera in closeup mode, it does. To the eye it looks quite nice, methinks.



I haven't decided if I'm going to mask the lettering and spray it, or hand paint it. Both have their drawbacks, I find.

The paint is high temp Dupli-Color. LGAFF suggests another maker for the paint as being superior to the DC, and I would have taken his advice (has quite a bit more experience w/ paint and heat). But, it was a case of coulda-shoulda-woulda. The plenum did not yellow with heat, so maybe the high temp wheel paint will be OK. Time will tell.

P.

P.

billybaloneey

Looks good...is some type of clear needed or recommended?

Clint aka billybaloneey

secondchance

Gotta tell you - you are a patient man!!!
I masked the engine as you did but as for the lettering I free handed.
Looks gorgeous!

Rkreigh

if the black on the lettering is in good shape and you don't want to repaint take some clay and "pack it" into the lettering and then peel it out when done you can then take a fine brush and touch it up

I just thought of this and it should work

get some precut some "circles of tape" to mask the bolts

I'd drain the coolant and remove the lines

sure beats taking everything apart, looks awesome

my engine has all the fancy signatures, but as soon as they fade away I'm going to try and repaint it in the car as you have shown.

pulling those cam coves is a chore and often the bolts have siezed and break

cadillac531

Thanks. How'd the free hand come out. I was going to attempt that, but thought spraying it would be easier.