************************************************************************************************************************
2006: ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAKEOVER: OVERVIEW
************************************************************************************************************************

So we were looking to up the quality for the show season...

From being a daily driver the car's engine and underside were a mess. One thing I always had to spend too much time cleaning was the engine bay. Between the dirt, scratches, oil leaks, oxidation, and wear; the paint in the engine bay was a lacking for a show car. The other issue was all the accesories and engine were painted at different times and with candy apple red that always leads to a matching prob! It was subtle, but there! Again, not good enough for a show car!

****************************************************
Previous Paint...
****************************************************

The engine was originally going to go Ford laser red. Well we we based it and cleared it and then realized how pinky it was. The only fix was to go over the already cleared parts with Duplicolor rattle car translucent red. It worked beautifully and the color popped, but there was no time to clear over them. This lead to a dulling of the finish over time, plus the paint was not slick and easy to wipe like a piece cleared with automotive clear. Plus this top coat, was not as resistant to the automotive fluids as cleared automotive paint would have been.

So as a fix, over time we went back and one accesory at a time was taken off or replaced with one done properly. Each item was based in pewter and covered in the translucent red, then cleared. This held up much better, but time had done a number on them as well. Use and repairs on a daily driver had led to chips and scratches on the finish and candy is not easy to touch up and have match! Now the worst offender was still the engine. It was a major eye sore, since it was not possible to simply remove and paint it as simply as the accessories.

Then you factor in the engine bay its self. Originally it was done with rattle can paint, with the engine in the car! It came out great and even. But even it had gotten scratched and chipped with use and repairs to the car. For a while we could fix it by a simple scuff and respray of the offending area, but now the SATIN paint I used to spray the engine bay with was discontinued, so paint repairs or touch ups were now impossible. Yes there was semigloss, but the semigloss was still more of a matt finish then the satin and it did not match. I sprayed it in some areas and was very dissatisfied with the match. Plus, it just did not look as good as the Satin!!! So we had to decide how to fix all the worn paint!

****************************************************
The FIX...
****************************************************

The plan was to yank the engine and redo it all. The bay would go gloss black. The engine and accessories would go real "House of Color" candy apple red. This way all would match and it would hold up to the automotive fluids.

Sounds simple enough, but you know me and Joe better then that! LOL!!!!

* It grew to doing some performance mods while it was apart. * Then came the idea to clean up the vacuum lines.
* Followed by the idea to hide all exposed wiring.
* Then reroute and hide the proportioning valve for the brake lines and replace all the lines with stainless, which would be polished.
* Then all the engine bay front lines, heater lines, and power steering lines were to be replaced with braided stainless and a power steering cooler was to be added.

WHEW! All this started in March and is still going! If only we did not ahve to work full time and have a life! LOL!

****************************************************
So let the tear down begin!!!!
****************************************************

To keep from messing up any of the other paint on the front end, we disassembled it... PLus it made it easier to get to the bay and wiring!

Where did the parts go?

Why in the Front formal dining/living room! LOL!!! Had to keep them safe!

The dirty fender lines stayed outside lol!

************************************************************************************************************************

HOME PAGE

Follow this link to additional information on the car not found on this site!
************************************************************************************************************************

DIRECTORY FOR RAIF'S ENGINE DETAILING SITE
01 Site Overview
02 Wire Looms: Version I (Pre 2006) & Version II (Post 2006)
03 Silicone Hoses: Version I (Pre 2006) & Version II (Post 2006)
04 Coolflex
05 Aftermarket Aluminum Pieces
06 Polishing Aluminum
07 Polished Stock Aluminum Pieces
08 Polished Accent Pieces
09 Fiero Valve Covers
10 Polishing Steel & Ceramic Coating It
11 Aftermarket Chrome Pieces
12 Professionally Chromed Stock Pieces
13 Miscellaneous Touches
14 Final Pics of the Engine W/ Stock 2.8 Plenum & runners
15 Truleo Custom Intake
16 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Overview <<<
17 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Battery Relocation: Installing the Battery Box
18 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Battery Relocation: Running Wiring Under Chassis
19 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Hiding the wiring: MSD Box Mounting
20 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Hiding the wiring: Part I
21 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Hiding the wiring: Part II
22 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Painting: Engine & Tranny: Stripping & Prepping
23 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Painting: Engine & Trannny: Painting Candy Apple Red
24 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Painting: Accessories: Candy Apple Red: Prep, Prime, & Base
25 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Painting: Accessories: Candy Apple Red: Clear Coat
26 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Painting: Accessories: Black
27 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Painting: Engine Bay: Welding, Stripping, & Filling
28 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Painting: Engine Bay: Prepping & Priming
29 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Painting: Engine Bay: Clear Coat
30 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Engine Installation
31 2006: Engine Compartment Makeover: Engine Installation: Accessories

************************************************************************************************************************