3 tone engine painting?

[urbex]

I've started running with a red and tan color scheme on my K5..it's OK if you don't like it, as I'm building what I want, not what I think will impress others and I don't give a flying hoot what it does to resale value

I've come up to a bit of an impasse on the engine though. I normally do engines in two tone - block in the primary color, same with heads if they're iron. Steel accessories - valve covers, timing chain covers, etc get painted in the block color. Any aluminum bits get clear coated if I can sufficiently clean them up, but if there is any discoloration, I'll hit them with aluminum colored engine paint.

But now I'm thinking about switching it up a bit. I've already sprayed the block in a gloss red color, will be spraying the serpentine drive brackets and intake in aluminum paint, but I'm thinking about doing the timing chain cover, valve covers, air cleaner base & lid, etc in tan.

I tried googling for this, but it kept trying to assume I wanted pictures of 3 ton engine hoists Trying to decide if it's going to look like a box of crayons exploded in the engine bay, or it might end up looking decent.

 

[Justin V]

As you stated, only matters to you...

I used orange and gray with black. There are some polished aluminum and cast aluminum bits, as well as rusty crusty exhaust manifolds.

If you like it, who care's if anyone else does...

 

[urbex]

As you stated, only matters to you...

That was a bit of tongue in cheek, in reference to the red and tan combo, lol. As in whether 3 colors together would look good in general, not necessarily whether my specific color choices would look good together. Mainly to try to head off the usual "why not just paint it black or Chevy orange like everyone else?!??!" comments that always seem to end up in these threads.

Also a bit of maybe "nah..I tried it...looked like a box of crayons exploded in the engine bay" I just don't know if I'll like it or not, as I've never done it before. Stripping it all again and respraying is kind of a pain, and was hoping to nail it first time.

 

[YOUNGBLOOD13]

We recently had a 71 Cuda in my shop with a 440 4 speed. Motor was two toned, front bright red, faded into black half way back. Wasn't my thing but a lot of people really liked it. Do what you want. It's yours and you're paying for it

 

[6872xtc]

My imagination says that your idea makes sense with the colors.
Go for it!

 

[diesel4me]

I saw a military K5 that was the usual cammo paint,but the owner painted everything,including the engine & frame with a matching cammo pattern..

 

[Recon 78]

Take a pic and photoshop it
Should be able to get a feel for how it would turn out

 

[USSkoval]

Go for it, IMHO. Personally, I would've done black on the brackets and such, then the red iron and tan tinwork. But just do what you want and if you don't like it, just paint stuff again until you do.

 

[ryoken]

I've started running with a red and tan color scheme on my K5..it's OK if you don't like it, as I'm building what I want, not what I think will impress others and I don't give a flying hoot what it does to resale value

I've come up to a bit of an impasse on the engine though. I normally do engines in two tone - block in the primary color, same with heads if they're iron. Steel accessories - valve covers, timing chain covers, etc get painted in the block color. Any aluminum bits get clear coated if I can sufficiently clean them up, but if there is any discoloration, I'll hit them with aluminum colored engine paint.

But now I'm thinking about switching it up a bit. I've already sprayed the block in a gloss red color, will be spraying the serpentine drive brackets and intake in aluminum paint, but I'm thinking about doing the timing chain cover, valve covers, air cleaner base & lid, etc in tan.

I tried googling for this, but it kept trying to assume I wanted pictures of 3 ton engine hoists Trying to decide if it's going to look like a box of crayons exploded in the engine bay, or it might end up looking decent.

i went 3 color on the 12v for Mutt... i've done it before.... black and silver as secondary colors... heck, technically it's 4 with the dark gray on the exhaust stuff...