I’d like to continue with the “stock” look of my street sleeper by having an all-red engine. Not really fooling anyone but its all about the esthetic. Wondering if anyone has painted their aluminum heads and intake with your typical Buick red “engine enamel”. If so, how has it held up? I am concerned for how well the paint will bond to aluminum and stay there.
This is Gary's (BUQUICK) engine. Very stealthy and cool. The average non Buick guy would never know what he's lookin at..............
Done it several times,..no issue at all,..it bonds to aluminum much better than it does iron actually
Also, because aluminum conducts heat so much faster than cast iron, the paint holds up very well, it won't burn off.
Matt 68...how to? Clean clean clean - remove old paint as much as possible. Clean some more. Oh, did I mention you want it really clean? Mask off with clean hands! Paint starting with lighter coats. A nice deep red perhaps!
I've had good luck with Bill Hirsch Engine Enamel. They also make early and late Buick reds IIRC. You can brush it on too.
I wash in Dawn then use preps-all or medium reducer to ensure de-grease and removal of water. Gotta be squeaky clean and dry and if there is any corrosion (pitting/dusty) then I use Ospho heavy wetting then rinse with clear water while it is still wet. This will provide a new/clean aluminum surface. Easier to wash, de-grease, Ospho than to have to paint strip and start over. I do not use primer. I have tried all sorts of primers including specific for aluminum (zinc chromate) metal etch and others, all failed and paint flakes but I have had excellent results doing the following. Start with very light misting/fogging coat. Just a bit more than over-spray (but not a dry coat), let dry, then same amount of paint, dry, x4. By the time the fourth coat is on, it should look like what a "normal" first coat looks like, then a wet medium coat, let dry, and a heavier finish coat. All dry times about 10 minutes. To short and the carrier will not flash enough, too long and the next coat will not "melt in". BBB has aluminum valve covers, and intake. (Duplicolor 1653) like Scott has above. Lights make it look orange-ish, but it looks like the parts above that Dragdoc painted. The Nailhead has aluminum valve covers, intake, valley pan, water pump and even suffered a coolant hose blow off and subsequent boiling water soak down. When it cooled, I used water and a glass/tumbler (bottle) brush to clean all the dried coolant off and no paint was affected. (Paint is "Cars")
