Assembled Short-Block Paint Job (with PICS!!)
 

First up is the rotary clock I have at work. The first GSL-SE motor I had let go, and it kept muchching on the apex seal until it had scored every square inch of housing and rotor...... Makes for a dandy paperweight and pen holder.

Here are a few pics of my work-in-progress while the car's in the body shop. You can make out the counterbore on the FC aluminum waterpump used to mount it on an older block, as well as the RESpeed oil pedestal. I've also got a severe distaste for all the open threaded holes on the engines, so I've filled most of them with set screws to clean things up.

Everything was done with DupliColor high-temp enamel from Autozone at $5 per can - total of 2 cans each of primer, black, aluminum and clear, and one can of Ford Blue. You know, I've never been a big proponent of clean engines, but I hope to keep this one spotless. Everyting was painted with the short block assembled - primer and aluminum first, then masked for the irons.

More pics, including the 'before'. Notice the oil pan that was cut, turned 180, and SILICONED back to the flange. Of all the half-assed...... I have a new one now. GSL-SE's make good parts cars.

Good job on the motor. I did the same in my last motor-primed heavily and 2 cans of ford blue.

BTW, does anyone here have an S3 distributor that would clean up nice? Mine's pretty nasty. I'll even trade my extra pair of ingnitors if needed.

Extra Distro
 

Crit, I probably have a spare Dist out in the parts GSL-SE. (I'll check) I'll be in Atl on Nov 4-5 maybe we could swap. Let me know, Charles

Yeah, man. PM sent.

use 400 grit sand paper or finer grit, old too brush and lots of brake cleaner. that should clean up the dizzy body.


BTW: on the FC water pump housing, why not weld shut the nipple. Im assuming you're going carby.

No, the internals are all rusted to shit. The advance and such. Breather cap was left off the distributor in a previous life.

oic

sweet! Im digging the blue accents.-Erik

Make sure to bring that REPU drive shaft with you and we can all hook up and swap some parts :)

-billy

how much prep work was involved in painting the block?
motor looks good crit. since my car is orange ext and black int,
maybe i will paint the motor to match. lol

Has anybody tried using a steamer to clean there motor? I was wondering
it if they worked.

All I did was two sessions of aircraft stripper (low-odor stuff from Autozone). After one application, the brush will start to come apart, so throw it away, rinse everything and dry, and reapply with a new brush. Any paint that's still sticking after the second application can be easily scrubbed off with a screwdriver or wire brush. Then it's just prime, mask and paint as usual. The stripper makes the paint blister in extremely small cracks, and it will literally fall off with water or any physical contact.

i see, so you jsut applied the aircraft stripper on the motor, and kinda wiped it away then. and brushed some of it off as well.

You have to rinse the stripper - it's pretty aggressive and burns like mad. Apply thoroughly, let crack, rinse throughly and dry. Reapply, let crack, and chase after any stubborn spots with a screwdriver so you know it'll rinse off. Rinse, dry, and get ready to paint. You have to make sure you get it all, though.

Beautiful Job Crit!!

by risne you mean spray of with a hose or a spray bottle?

Just rinse with a hose. I put a tarp in the bed of my truck, supported the engine on a pair of 2x4s, and drove it back and forth to a pressure washer car-was between strippings.

heck if the paint strippper doesnt take a flake of paint off its probably going to stick just fine under the new paint any how.

now there is a good point.