Correct street Hemi Orange engine paint shade?

[Cuda Cody]

If you need to paint one right now I was going to have you help test the paint.  But if you don't need it for a couple week or even a month I can get it dialed in, perfectly matched and fully tested before I send you some.

Would you prefer the Show Gloss sheen or OEM Satin finish?

In a couple of months maybe, but it's always nice to have it on the shelf.....I have an air cleaner lid I could do right now

[anlauto]

OEM....or both..... 

[Roadman]

           @Cuda Cody  put me down for one can of each when you get it dialed in.    I can paypal.   

[Headjam]

My BB is ready for paint right now. How many cans would it take to do a nice job? 

[Cuda Cody]

I'll know for sure soon, but I think 1 can is going to come up a little short if you want two full coats.  2 cans should be enough to do a full engine, six pack air cleaner, bellhousing, and inspection cover.  When I paint a 4 speed six pack engine with all the parts I normally use about 19 ounces.  Two of these rattle cans will give you 20 ounces.  So an automatic car without a six pack lid might be able to get by with 1 can.  I'll keep track when I do the tests.

My BB is ready for paint right now. How many cans would it take to do a nice job? 

[Cuda Cody]

Good question and yes, you are 100% correct.  Paint with a hardener added do have a short pot life.  That is why paint + hardener are so much better and stronger compared to normally rattle unhardened paints because there is a chemical reaction.  Shelve life on our cans we think will be about 12 months if stored around 70 degrees.

Normally pot life on a professional mixed paint is about 1 hour to maybe 3 or 4 depending on the brand of paint.  Since our paint + hardener will be completely contained in the rattle can we expect the pot life to be about 3 to 5 days depending on the temperature.  If you are around 60 degrees it will be good upwards to a week, if you are 75 degrees you might be looking at a pot life of 2 to 3 days max.  If you are 85+ degrees I would think maybe 1 day is all you are going to get.  That pot life starts once you activate the hardener to the paint with a button on the bottom of the can.

Once the paint is activated in the can never let is get below 55 degrees.  All isocyanate paints will stop curing if they are allowed under 55 degrees.  This is true for the paint once it's sprayed too.  Never let is get below 55 degrees while it is drying.  Once the paint is cured and hard you it can pretty much handle any temperature.

A good rule of thumb on isocyanate paints (paint + hardener) is for every increase of 15 degrees the Pot Life and Cure Time is cut in half.  For every decrease of 15 degrees the Pot Life and Cure Time is doubled.  Most paints with isocyanate are listed with a pot life tested in a lab at 70 degrees.

@Cuda Cody I do have a question on the paint. I will preface this that I have very limited knowledge on paint, but I thought that the paint and hardener when mixed together have a chemical reaction that requires you to use the product in a certain time frame(pot life),   

[mopar jack]

How do you prep or prime the block before you apply final finish? With the rattle cans I always sprayed on a clean bare metal block and had good results.

[Shane Kelley]

Different ways to go about it. Electrical and contact cleaner works great for cleaning before you prime. It will help get into the nook and crannies. Make sure it's completely dry before applying primer. Primer doesn't need to be applied heavy. You just want a nice even adhesion coat.

[Cuda Cody]

   I scuff with a red scotch bright first then clean, clean and re-clean.  Make sure the block is dry then I use an 2 part epoxy primer in a light color (white or beige).  Only needs a thin light coat.  We will sell the 2 part epoxy too if you need it in a rattle can.

If you have the capabilities to do this all out of a professional gun with a clean compressor, desiccant dryer, filtered air and the proper thinners and hardeners, then you will not need the rattle can paints and primers we are designing.  Once we are sure we have the perfect paint match I can get you the paint in a pint container so you can mix it yourself and spray it.  If painting a 340 (that includes the rubber bypass hose) I suggest you use PPG DP48 epoxy with the DP401 hardener.  The 401 hardener will maintenance a good flexible bond with the rubber hose because it's designed to bite on to flexible parts.

[mopar jack]

my point is that I never primed the block just shot it  with a rattle can. I think the lacquer paints tend to self etch and stick to bare metal.

[Shane Kelley]

my point is that I never primed the block just shot it  with a rattle can. I think the lacquer paints tend to self etch and stick to bare metal.

They will go on and cover.  But after time you will see them start to crack and peel in places. They will hold up longer in nice conditions but if it sits outside they will start failing faster. They usually start peeling around edges where gaskets are. Around bolts is another notorious area for failure.  Once they open up moisture starts working its way under the surface. That's when the real peeling begins.

[750-h2]

There is no doubt that acrylic enamel paint with hardener is better than rattle can paint. That being said if you have done good prep work on your block, enamel rattle can engine paint will look great and last several years even on a daily driven car. I am stating this from my personal experience.

[Gary]

I'd like to throw something out there and hear your thoughts.  From what I think I've learned here, it's my understanding that engines were originally shot in acrylic lacquer. We went thru this in the Corvette world, The difference between the buffed body and nonbuffed  jams. It got to the point that people were actually spraying flat finishes on the jams. Nonbuffed lacquer is not that dull.  It's a fallacy that you need 20 coats to get a shine out of lacquer.  We did plenty of show finishes back in the day,  and sprayed them pretty much like we spray the 2parts today.  3 coats of color and 3-4 of clear.  color sand and buff and people would think we had 20 coats on.  Are we overthinking this?  You all have seen way more original finishes than we have but those finishes are 40 50 years old.  Heat and time,  that paint will fade probably more so than the finish on the body, and we know how much 40 50 year old paint on the body fades.  How much buffing it takes to bring a shine back. I guess my question is, did they really flatten the finish back than or is what we see today the result of not spending much effort on painting the engine along with the effects of time and abuse.

[Cuda Cody]

That would be my guess too.  Time, heat and normal use.  Most likely it was not a flattened finish when they sprayed it.  Probably just normal lacquer paint that once exposed to the first heat of the engine starting looking "not glossy" right from the beginning.

...did they really flatten the finish back than or is what we see today the result of not spending much effort on painting the engine along with the effects of time and abuse.

[Gary]

We have a couple engines getting ready to paint in a week or so.  Would like to do an OEM finish, but don't want the dull look, so I guess maybe I'm trying to talk myself into the glossy look. I guess it will be up to the judges to decide.  We always got dinged for having a too good fit and finish on the vets, but that's what the customer wanted.  Let us know when you get your formula finished ,we will want a pint to compare with what we are using.