Thread: Painting the intake or not

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I bought a new intake for shirleys mustang. The one she has now is a polished Parker Funnel Web. Two things wrong with it,

1.-It is way too much of an upper rpm flow manifold for her driving style. She is a crusier, 2500 rpm max driver, whereas I am a bruiser, hold it to floor for as long as I can, driver. She wants to have it more driver friendly for her.

2- It is polished and is a lot of work for here to keep looking nice.

So anyway, I bought this nice unpolished dual plane and am thinking of having it painted the car color with matching painted finned valve covers. But I am not sure how that will look. I might add that all of the engine bay panels are now polshed aluminum but they can be painted as well.

What do you guys think of the monochromatic engine look?
John

PS, here are the differences in manifolds

Kind of depends on the rest of the car.... I think the painted engine would look good with the polished panels--but then I'm not the one who would have to keep the panels polished!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Kind of depends on the rest of the car.... I think the painted engine would look good with the polished panels--but then I'm not the one who would have to keep the panels polished!!!!!!

Dave,
I think that is really the driving force behind our thinking too. It does get tiring having to worry about all that polished stuff every time you open the hood.
John

just for kicks, does anybody have a paint program to color the manifold in HOK Kosmic Red (a darker blood red) so I can see what it might look like?

thanks,
John

The first principle of engineering is "Form follows function". As long as the manifold functions the way it is supposed to for your needs, paint it red and forget it.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

The first principle of engineering is "Form follows function". As long as the manifold functions the way it is supposed to for your needs, paint it red and forget it.

Tech,
engineering - smengineering

Dont' you know that "Image is everything" what happened to your artistic side?

Originally Posted by 41willys

Tech,
engineering - smengineering

Dont' you know that "Image is everything" what happened to your artistic side?

I have an artsy side to me, but the older I get, the less I care about what something looks like to someone else. Practicality is the keyword with me at this late stage of my life. I'm even beginning to appreciate Rat Rods as long as the steering and brakes are addressed properly.

I have considered painting my intake and the area between the fins on my valve covers the same color as my engine. Uncle Bob suggested that to me one time, and I sort of agree that it might tie in everything on the engine better than having the aluminum jumping out at you. But the other side of me says I paid extra for that aluminum intake, so why mess it up and make it look like any other cast iron one? Plus, maybe I have waited too long and the paint on the rest of the engine has dulled down a little from use, so maybe the intake wouldn't really match after all.

That, and I have gotten lazy in my old age and don't feel like doing anything but driving it, and maybe washing it once in a while.

Don

Usually no matter what paint you use on an engine in time it deteriates and on finned covers chemicals will make it flake and look ugly between the fins .Spend the xtra $$ and have them powdercoated.

"That, and I have gotten lazy in my old age and don't feel like doing anything but driving it, and maybe washing it once in a while."

I haven't washed my old beater truck in over two years and have discovered that as much dust and dirt falls off of it as accumulates on it, so it balances out.

Consider powder coating.

I've done three and still have two of them.
One stocker that got left behind in the move and two aluminum intakes.

Many miles down the road, they still look good and clean up easily.

Originally Posted by C9x

Consider powder coating.

I've done three and still have two of them.
One stocker that got left behind in the move and two aluminum intakes.

Many miles down the road, they still look good and clean up easily.

Powder coaating it will be.

I find myself getting less interested in bling than I used to. The Willys takes way to much time and it isn't always fun to drive knowing that all of the billet and chrome will need to be cleaned when I get back. I suppose I could just not clean it but then I should have not done it in the first place . 20 years ago I enjoyed all of the polishing but now my arthritus say to he77 with it!! I guess that is why we only made it to two shows this year.

Bling can be cool.

Showin' off taillights - even cooler....

Here's one:


The other:



Can't hardly see the intake anyway.

I like chrome and aluminum as an accent.

Too much is simply that . . . too much.

if it helps any i powder coated mine! it handles the heat well and oil and dirt just wipes away