Painting a V12 engine

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Steve Meltzer
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Painting a V12 engine

Post by Steve Meltzer »

First, as usual, forgive my X-post. With the 330 engine now clean and on the stand, do you paint the block and pan, or just clean it as best you can? If you do paint, any hints? High temp rattle can, aluminum? Etching primer first?? thanx from the novice's novice. steve
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tyang
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by tyang »

Hi Steve,

Ferrari uses a green primer on the aluminum, and if you are going to use a rattle can, Krylon Dull Aluminum works well for us. Most of the cast aluminum surfaces get a silver paint. The distributors are natural.

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
Steve Meltzer
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Steve Meltzer »

thanx Tom. Picasso
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Don Micheletti
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Don Micheletti »

The green primer is probably zinc chromate
Matt McGinn
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Matt McGinn »

The Krylon Dull Aluminum is an excellent color and product and I have used it with great success. It is very easy to use, touch up, and/or redo. It also lasts a long time and is pretty heat resistant.

The only problem I have with it is that it is not very solvent and gasoline resistant as it is not a catalyzed product.

To that end, when I have to paint aluminum, here is my recipe that I have had great success with over the years, mostly on German cars. But I had particularly good luck on my Alfa (72 GTV) engine, intake, and other engine and engine bay aluminum parts:

This really only applies if you have the means to spray with a spray gun, or work with someone who does. You will have a good looking part with super durability and no yellowing of the clear over time.

Recipe:

Get the part clean in your favorite manner.

Apply a light coat of epoxy primer or self etching primer. Just enough to coat the metal usually, or more followed by sanding if some filling of texture is desired.

Get some "Felgen" (wheel) silver basecoat, BMW code 144. If purchased in Glasurit or RM brands, the metallic is so light as to be unnoticeable, which is good. The felgen silver is a nice match for dead-clean or tumbled German cast aluminum I see. On my Alfa, the castings were so much brighter that the felgen silber may actually be somewhat duller. Apply it only enough to cover the primer evenly.

Follow with a coat of "Hot Rod Clear" made by SEM. This is a great satin clearcoat that is catalyzed. This will give you durability if/when what you paint gets gas, carburetor cleaner (when trying to find vacuum leaks) or oil on it. Apply clear per instructions on the package.

The Hot Rod Clear is somewhat expensive for the sprayable volume that you get, but it is consistent and foolproof. But, any good clearcoat can be used, then flattened per manufacturers instructions if you're more familiar with this, or you can use the less expensive clearcoat for getting a thickness build, then fog over with the Hot Rod Clear as a last final coat.

Matt
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by tim »

Greetings... Many years ago, Ferrari restorer Larry Taylor suggested 57 (or 58) Cadillac rajah silver enamel with a hardener. I used this maybe 30-35 years ago and now, the the engine out, all I will need to do is give it a bath. The heads will need repainting as they have been blasted but the rest looks great. It is a bit glossier than the Krylon. Another suggestion for rattle can use is VHT universal silver. I've used it on some non-Ferrari stuff and it looks quite good as well.

Tim
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PSk
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by PSk »

Matt,

I'm surprised to read you painted Alfa 105 series aluminium parts as they were never painted by the factory. Alfa Romeo castings were not porous like Ferrari ones of the 60's.

I wonder what year Ferrari stopped painting their engines?
Pete
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Matt McGinn »

Pete-yeah, I know about the Alfa engine-they were used "as cast" and looked great when clean. This particular engine is a placeholder from a spider while the original is out so the car can get used. It was really oxidized badly and painting it hurdled a couple of bars as the best looking solution and quickest easiest solution for the problem. Luckily the original being so covered with oil was well preserved-the look of the original Alfa block casting is sublime to say the least and when that goes back in it will be bare.

I meant to illustrate the process and what I've found to work well, not necessarily the "correctness"

Matt
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Steve Meltzer »

Do most folks spray on a coat of clear before putting her back? I tried some gloss (Seymour clear engine paint) on some small pieces, but I thought it was too glossy (Believe me, i'm no expert). Is there a better rattle can product? (The SEM hot rod clear looked, at first glance, to require a paint gun, etc). thanx steve
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Jimmyr »

Have used the Harley engine silver and found it to be an excellent match and great quality. A little expensive, but HD materials usually are.
Steve Meltzer
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Steve Meltzer »

Thanx Jim, but I'm really trying to find out about the value of a "clear coat". thanx again. s
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Jimmyr »

Steve, I have never used a clear coat on the engines, may look too glossy - don't know. The HD finish closely matches the factory finish both in color and gloss. Jim
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Steve Meltzer »

thanx again. thatsa what I needed to know. s
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tyang
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by tyang »

I'm not a fan of clear coat on engine parts. As it ages, some clear coats will yellow. Not good!

Tom
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Steve Meltzer
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Re: Painting a V12 engine

Post by Steve Meltzer »

Tom, thanx so much. that's two "no" votes. s
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"I've spent all of my money on wine, a beautiful woman, and stunning cars. Then, squandered the rest."
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