Technical how to you get an engine to look like this????

Like anything else that you want to look nice and smooth and shiny, it's all about the work you put into it.

 

For anyone who is interested this is the 425 that James/saltflats is going through that I'll put into my '31 Model A sedan. I'm pretty sure that it won't keep up with Saltshaker but it should be the hottest car I've owned since the late 60's or early 70's.



While I wish it could look as good as my first pix (and many others I have saved) I'll be tickled if it can be just shiny black. The bellhousing and trans are shiny Rustoleum black and I hope this will "match."

Thanx for the response. I'll be keeping this in mind when it comes to paint time.

 

Some of that looks close to Porcelain. Not as much grinding/polishing, but sure not anything close to cheap, either. Also, afaik, no candy or flake available... ;( .

Has anyone found how to keep the exposed ex ports from burning paint - if you actually want to use it? I know of
diy-spray-on ceramic coatings avail(that could be sprayed inside the ports), but haven't heard or seen results of anyone actually using this in this way? Mark, does the epoxy sealer stop this? If so, that's worth doing just to keep the ex ports on 50's mills from burning. That is one nice looking engine!

Frenchtown, you're just being greedy w/that much polishing... showoff... . Next you'll be extolling the virtues of smoothing/polishing the *inside* of the coolant passageways - to lessen the resistance to h20 flow, so's not as much hp gets used pushing coolant... . I like your projects.
Marcus...

 

On my Pontiacs I've had some success by first putting a light coat of silver ultra high temp spray paint on the exhaust ports, then a light coat of Pontiac blue (just enough to cover, don't put it on heavy.) It will still eventually burn off, but it takes longer and won't look as bad when it does.

 

So, Joe how long has this been painted? I have been dying to paint one white. How’s it holding up?

 

But did you paint the inside of the bellhousing?

 

The top of my head is all nice and smooth and shiny and I didn't put any work into it at all; it did it all on it's own!

 

In full disclosure, I haven't driven it yet. Still finishing up the rest of the engine swap, but I plan on driving the absolute ball off it once it's up and running so I can fully sort it before I send it off for some body and paint issues.

That being said, I see no reason why it wouldn't be fine to keep clean. Of course the white is expected to get a little dirty, but it's buried in 4 coats of clear. It should just wipe off. And the car is less than an inch off the ground, so only ants are going to see whether the bottom of the engine is dirty.

 

Yep!

It's at a pinstriper friend's now. I didn't tell him what or how; just make it cool. I'm anxious to see how it turns out.

There's a small boo boo right at the hole where the trans slips in. I might or might not try to fix that when I get it back.

 

I love the look.

But don't start smoothing your block and heads and other cast iron pieces unless you're pretty sure you're going to finish.

Some parts smooth and some parts not isn't a good look. And there's no way to restore the original surface texture.

I did get "most" of that 425 nailhead block nice and smooth before it got sold.

 

Thanx. I never intended this thread to be about my engine; I was only looking for education.

I really don't see me trying to smooth the castings. I also know that the look of those two original pix won't be achieved with paint only, which is what I'll be doing on my engine. If salftlats hadn't posted a pic of my engine it never would have entered into this thread. He's going to make it run good; we'll make it look the best we can with paint. Sherry wants the "A" to have hood sides anyway. We'll just have to see how that turns out.

 

I painted my Windsor "Lightning" motor with white paint... Still looks good!...

 

What kind of paint?

Pix (fresh and after miles down the road)?

 

This one is in my garage, good enough for me

 

Mark; Thanks for the reply.
Marcus...

 

Ok,,not an engine but it is the same work effort.Cleaning,smothing,cleaning,etchprimer,filler and 2 layer paint.

 

It’s one of the first things I look at when I walk up to a car. Some guys look at stance, or wheels and tires. I look for the details.

To me it’s worth the effort to make it look refined. It’s a personal preference and not everyone will see the value. That’s why it’s hot rodding….

 

I cleaned up my exhaust manifolds, quite a bit of work to get the risers, nubs, casting lines, lettering off. Did I mention it was as dirty as fork?

 

Here is a set of old double humps I started on.

 

I definitely appreciate the work that goes into making an engine look like that. But, I also don’t see myself ever even considering doing it since I can’t seem to make progress or find time to get stuff done as it is. To me, it’s not worth it and one of the things we like to give Chris @Roothawg a hard time about.

 

Duplicolor engine enamel....

 

Those heads remind me of this one... Could be a Crane Fireball head.....

 

Ma always said "ain't no sense in puttin' a roof on an empty barn"

 

Looks incredible and kudos to you guys with the guts to see it through, but with my free time at a premium, I'd put the extra time into other things like block sanding body panels.

I think if I told my Wife I spent 40-100 hours in the garage polishing an engine, she's immediately think I'd rather do ANYTHING BUT spend time with her, lol.

I paint all my engines black (yes no factory colors such as Chevy orange), then bolt on as much polished aluminum and stainless as possible. No worries about oil seepage, burned paint, etc.

 

Nah, just plain old 462’s. Dad relieved them to match the headers on his gasser back in the day.

 

Give it some color Atch, black paint on an engine just kind of makes them disappear. Get creative and give it some nice color.

 

I'm not smoothing my nailhead any. I don't think many will notice.