Painting engine compartment, frame and underbelly.

[peanutman]

Ok, this is probably a stupid question but here goes. My truck is in pretty good shape. Doing work such as replacing things that no longer works. Has good drivetrain, straight body. Needs chrome work. Not doing a off frame restore.
Ok here comes te the funny part. Is there any way to paint the engine compartment,frame and underbelly without making a complete mess?

[fordman]

sure just tape off what you dont want painted. it can be done. even if you just rattle can it. we used to drag cars and trucks down to the car wash before reinstalling the engines and wash the engine compartments and then rattle can them black were they were black before.. if your engine is still in there just drap a tarp or some plastic over it before you start.

[peanutman]

That sounds to easy. but makes sense. I need to paint the moter too. Guess i'll do that first. Thanks fordman i think you have an answer to almost every problem.

[fordman]

no i dont

[72stepside]

I did this with rattle cans. I didn't take the engine out but took everything off that I could. I cleaned everything. I even poked the pressure washer wand in there to give it a good bath. The very bottom the oil pan didn't get painted because of the cross member, but you can't see it anyway.
It has held up surprisingly well after about a year of daily driving.

[1971fordcustom]

You can use a paint gun to spray ever thing under the truck like the frame! if you get over spray no one will see! Then you can put undercoating on the bed and and the underside of the cab with out having the bed and cab off! I am going to use some eastwood auto can spray sliver color for the gaslines and stuff like that even tho no one will see them

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb31 ... 666666.jpg I don't have a photo of what the under side of the bed and cab looks like now!! I did a frame off in a way!! Body man and I had the cab 1 foot off the frame so I guess its a frame off!!!! I did not paint the engine sense I Did not have money to pull it or work on it, But it runs grate and like my mom tells my dad IF ITS NOT BROKE DON"T FIX IT.

[Teacherman]

Chris, I officially have engine envy. I don't know what it's going to take to get my looking like that. Perhaps some quality weekend time with my favorite mechanic.

[ezernut9mm]

rattle can half a$$.





this is what it looked like when i picked it up. primer everywhere and a black air filter housing.



getting better, but still lots to do.

[Nausea]

Might try some POR-15. It brushes on - you just have to clean the metal well enough to loosen surface dirt/scale, pressure wash, let dry. Takes about 3 hrs to setup - or can 2nd coat at that time. Sticks better on rusty/rough metal than shiny clean. Beware that por is sortof thin - and only use disposable items around it (is a urethane base).
Its pricey but a little goes a long way. I did my frame the hard way - clean/primer/paint. Got to the bottom of the cab and finally got a hold of some por... I'm a believer now. (used about 1 pint for 2 coats over whole cab bottom)

PS: Do *NOT* get it on your skin - won't come off, stains it black. From a week ago, I still I look like I lost a fight with a permanent ink marker!

[basketcase0302]

Peanutman,

Yeah, I'd done it too like Chris and EZ said above.
A little more time consuming to mask off all the stuff, but the end result is worth it.

Perhaps some quality weekend time with my favorite mechanic.

John, that's a good one!:lol:

Basketcase

[sargentrs]

I used that textured undercoating stuff in a rattle can on my engine compartment. Covers defects and looks good.