Engine bay black or body color?

[Rileys68Camaro]

I'm at a cross roads, having the firewall smoothed and painted and trying to decide to stay with body color or black.

My inner fenders are body color, but the my core support is black.

Trying to decide since I'lll be repainting the firewall and dash if I want to stick with body color or go black. Regardless, the dash will be black, just because.

The car is a dark blue, GM Indigo Blue Metallic.

[Ricoch3T]

Im going with body color when I do mine. Its all on what you want to do. I will be doing body color on the inner fenders also but the core support is black (still can change that) but thats the plan.

Indigo blue sounds like the color i picked. I'm doing a dark blue off of a 05 Vette.

[PROTOUR396]

I say if its a show car do the body color. If not, paint it flat black.
Just my 00.02 :rolleyes:

[jy211]

mine's body color...I like that look better...

[vp23271]

I think either way looks good.

I have a 68 and the firewall has been smoothed, but I plan on shooting the whole engine compartment satin black. I like the less is more idea in the engine bay and would rather have the engine stand out. I also don't plan on doing any chrome what so ever in the engine bay either. For this car I want it to look more like a machine than a show piece.

If you do like the chrome and highly polished parts, I say paint the firewall and inner fenders the same color as the car. If they do a killer job on the firewall, gloss paint will show it off better than a flat black.

just my 2 cents

[1sick65]

I did mine the body color, but now have often thought of going back flat black. Below is a pic of it's current state.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2007/03/Picture008-1.jpg

[bretcopsey]

I did lots of chrome and body color on the firewall, inner fenders, rad support and subframe on my 68. That was when I was daily driving the car. it sucked trying to keep it all clean. This time around it will be a weekend cruiser and I'm going with black.

I like the analogy I heard Chip Foose use on Overhaulin "The engine compartment should be like a jewelry box, when you open the hood the engine should stand out like the diamond ring" or something like that.

[zbugger]

..."The engine compartment should be like a jewelry box, when you open the hood the engine should stand out like the diamond ring"...

That's why I prefer a black engine bay as well. I'm not going totally flat black on mine, but a semi-gloss black. I still want it to look clean, but not crazy detail clean. My engine will be Corporate Blue, so I think that should jump out just fine.

[Rileys68Camaro]

Hmm, not much into chrome, just some polished stuff like alt, the m/c will be cast aluminum color and I may spray the motor the same color(it's black now)

Polished carb, dull cast manifold.

Decisions, decisions.

[GTOnate]

Well they say black is beautiful, not sure who said it... but I think nothing looks more meaner than flat black with brushed aluminum accents. Don't do it though! Don't want too many people lookin like me.

[BA.]

I've had the same decision to make.

I think I'm going with colored inner-fenders but a black(ish) firewall. I'm open to flat, semi-gloss, dark grey or whatever,....but not body color I think. I'd like to hide that dirt if I can. :)

I haven't quite made up my mind yet but I've got pics of other cars to help me visualize what each option would look like.

[Rileys68Camaro]

That's an option too, make the firewall black and leave the inner fenders body color, not sure how it would look though. The core support would probably be black.

[jb@ridetech]

I like black, just my opinion.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/03/air_ride_challenger_003JPG-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/03/air_ride_1966_chevelle003JPG-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/03/air_ride_1970_chevelle_045-1.jpg

[Rileys68Camaro]

Whew, black is nice!!!! :drool:

That third car helps, as the outer fender that wraps into the engine bay is body color rather than black, which is how my car would be.

My firewall won't be anywhere near that smooth, just mainly smoothed over where the factory a/c and heater box was and cleaned up everywhere else.

Hmm, flat or semi gloss...

Gotta find some more pictures...

Thanks!

[Z06killinSBF]

Body match the engine bay but black out the engine....

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[jackfrost]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/03/air_ride_1970_chevelle_045-1.jpg

that's perfect.

i plan on going gloss black on all painted surfaces except the motor, which will be bare metal or aluminum/silver painted. and mix in some black hoses/looms on the motor, and silver highlights in the bay.

body color dark blue.

[Josh]

Prowler Orange

[yoboy sawyer]

go with the paint same as the car looks good .

[class67]

You can't lose either way...IMO

[bigboi]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/03/air_ride_1970_chevelle_045-1.jpg[/quote]

Is that Semi-Gloss black or Flat Black?

I really like the way that looks and will be painting my engine compartment this weekend. If anybody knows or can tell if thats semi or flat please let me know.

Brian

[West Texas Z]

semi or low gloss black IMO.