Anyone ever try to paint the ratty looking firewall

[Dhos1]

I was looking at my engine firewall and it looks kind of ratty. Anyone try to paint it with the engine in. Possibly spraybomb it.

 

[toofastforyou]

Yes but engine has to be taken out to do it properly. Really no other way to do it right.
Claude.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

Claude is right.

But you can clean it up quiet nicely if you are supper detail orientated. First it needs to be clean. Start by removing as much as possible, coil pack, wiper motor, ground wires, wiper actuation rods, cowl weather strip, maybe the lower windshield trim, or anything else you can depending on how far you want to go.

Then use aluminum foil to tightly wrap components, masking tape, old towels to shove into spaces, newspaper, you know the deal. Use semi gloss black. it will loose some of its sheen over time. Don't use gloss unless you want it to look absolutely ridiculous next to the rest of the shit that is 30 years old. By the way......you might as well take every other accessory of the engine and clean detail and paint it as well.

Or take the whole car apart and clean everything with a q-tip and toothbrush and then paint it.

What's the difference? You may not be going anywhere for a while. I know I'm not.

 

[KC87]

Claude is right.

But you can clean it up quiet nicely if you are supper detail orientated. First it needs to be clean. Start by removing as much as possible, coil pack, wiper motor, ground wires, wiper actuation rods, cowl weather strip, maybe the lower windshield trim, or anything else you can depending on how far you want to go.

Then use aluminum foil to tightly wrap components, masking tape, old towels to shove into spaces, newspaper, you know the deal. Use semi gloss black. it will loose some of its sheen over time. Don't use gloss unless you want it to look absolutely ridiculous next to the rest of the shit that is 30 years old. By the way......you might as well take every other accessory of the engine and clean detail and paint it as well.

Or take the whole car apart and clean everything with a q-tip and toothbrush and then paint it.

What's the difference? You may not be going anywhere for a while. I know I'm not.

Lets not go overboard, never know if you might have to throw the bug out bag in the trunk and the pup in the front seat to get out of Dodge in a hurry. Notice I said the pup and not the Mrs.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

Lets not go overboard, never know if you might have to throw the bug out bag in the trunk and the pup in the front seat to get out of Dodge in a hurry. Notice I said the pup and not the Mrs.

And where will you go? Mars?

 

[KC87]

And where will you go? Mars?

Anyplace but nyc. The Adirondacks perhaps since 99% of people can't stand the cold. Mars was the first choice until Musk's rocket blew up again on the launchpad.

 

[Speed Demon]

I was looking at my engine firewall and it looks kind of ratty. Anyone try to paint it with the engine in. Possibly spraybomb it.

I originally did the top part of firewall while engine was in with the Technic like Twin Turbo suggested then when the motor was out I did the rest. I would recommend using Satin black it has a little less sheen than semi-gloss.
Also if your plastic fender wells look kinda brown, spray some No Touch tire shine on them let sit a little then wipe where you can. They come out looking new.

 

[Reedogg]

Just did mine. Engine was on the stand though. Wouldn't attempt with engine in place.

 

[Pronto]

With the car in a spot you can work on it and the engine cool, wrap everything up in foil and plastic. Spray down the firewall with degreaser and scrub where you can. Lightly spray it off, hit it with the exhaust output of a shop vac to blow off the water from the nooks and crannies. Wrap the rest of the front of the car with plastic including the windshield. Spray it with the paint you choose. I didn't paint my firewall since it's silver and was just dirty not peeling. I just cleaned it best I could. Once the engine was out I did better job but you can do a nice job with the engine in. I remember there was a post by someone that had a rough looking engine compartment and went through it without pulling the engine and it looked fantastic.

 

[toofastforyou]

Here's my car in the first picture all sanded including the firewall prior to painting…and the second pic shows the firewall painted gloss black like original.

Claude.

 

[GNRick]

I used POR15. Applied it with one of those sponge brushes on a stick. Actually came out looking pretty good!