Bland looking engine

[Cobra819]

Acquired a '77 Bayliner Admiralty in June, and after some growing pains and getting to know each other, she is healthy and ready to go next summer. I will be adding some bells and whistles over time, but one thing I would like to improve right away is the appearance of the engine (302 Ford). The previous owner went crazy with a black spray bomb, and quite frankly, it looks like a turd. Can I simply use an automotive dress up kit (valve covers, breathers, maybe an intake manifold, etc), or should I use (if available) a specific marine Mercruiser kit? Have been looking online for such a kit, but haven't found one...
Can anyone give me some tips/ideas/links?
Thanks in advance

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Bland looking engine

Stay away from anything chrome. It won't hold up.

 

[ricovw]

Re: Bland looking engine

I hate to say it, but i think the best thing to do to clean it up is to disassemble it. Take the individual parts, take them somewhere to remove the paint(valve cover, etc.), then have it repainted. Clean up the wiring using wire wrap. Nice new dist cap, wires etc. Some may not agree with this because it is a lot of work, but that's how i would do it. Remove engine and all.
If you try to wire wheel it is place, then re-bomb it, you will end up with the same thing you have now.

 

[bigblocksarefun]

Re: Bland looking engine

Instead of chrome, look for cast aluminum stuff.

 

[gmcc]

Re: Bland looking engine

I have to question why you want to do this. The engine of my 77 Corvette has been detailed to look like new. The hood is up at car shows and it needs to look good. Nobody sees the boat engine except me when I work on it. I keep it clean and control corrosion, but as far as dressing it up to look good, I have better things to spend my money on. Bolt on Bling is not going to make it run better.

 

[seaboo]

Re: Bland looking engine

I have to question why you want to do this.

Nobody sees the boat engine except me when I work on it. I keep it clean and control corrosion, but as far as dressing it up to look good, I have better things to spend my money on. Bolt on Bling is not going to make it run better.

+1 I know that it is a matter of personal preference and "beauty" is in the eye of the beholder, but in my opinion a clean, detailed engine looks ALOT better than one with bolt on chrome. Anyone can bolt stuff on, but only someone who cares will take the time to clean, polish, and paint the engine and accessories.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Bland looking engine

I personally like a mix of both... decent high quality 2-part urethane single stage auto paint like Dupont nason fulthane or ppg concept in a cool color you like for the engine and components (I like to paint the aluminum intake even) and decent quality aluminum valve covers, exhaust, etc... some stainless ets... braided hoses if you like them and where appropriate / approved. I like to polish to high gloss, etch and then clear coat aluminum components with high quality automotive clear or better yet POR 15 Glisten clear, and so on... of course you can spend a lot of time and money with this kind of thing. Note that chrome won't hold up as others have mentioned and neither will the finish on aluminum if you get anywhere near salt water... A good trick on the bottom of the engine if you';ve got it out is to do the oil pain and bottom surfaces especially with 3m automotive undercoating - it's far more waterresistant than most paints and will keep the bottom of the engine from rusting...

Just my experience / two cents

 

[skargo]

Re: Bland looking engine

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bland looking engine

Jeeezee,... I thought Chrome valve covers were good for atleast 10hp....

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Bland looking engine

Jeeezee,... I thought Chrome valve covers were good for atleast 10hp....

Well why wouldn't you?? That's what they claim in the Ad's and we all know they wouldn't lie.

Actually, when I was in high school there was this kid named Art who had a camaro and he would claim stupid stuff like that. So we started assigning different mod's an "Art Value". The only rule was the mod had to add absolutely no real horsepower.

This kid once decide to paint his engine fan hot pink and he decided it would be easier to paint while it was spinning. Go figure. So he starts up the engine and proceeds to paint the fan.......and the front of everything else in his engine bay...hot pink.

 

[KRH1326]

Re: Bland looking engine

I like to dress up auto or bike engine, but when it comes to boat, I have a different attitude.

I wouldn't do it in black. I would paint with bright colors. My 351 is in bright Ford blue. I did paint the oil pan blue, but I then covered the very bottom of it in a few layers of rubberized under coating, just in case.

The brighter color, lets you see what you are doing, even if just a little, when the mud hits the fan, and you have to make a repair to get home, every little bit helps.

I would put whatever $ that I would use to "dress" to other areas to increase ease of operation and dependability.

Just my $.02.

 

[skargo]

Re: Bland looking engine

Jeeezee,... I thought Chrome valve covers were good for atleast 10hp....

No, NOS stickers give you 10ho, Chrome gets you at least 25hp!

 

[skargo]

Re: Bland looking engine

I like mine as plain as possible, my engine,

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Bland looking engine

Instead of chrome, look for cast aluminum stuff.

Just picked up 4 aluminum valve covers for our engines.

Does anyone know if you can get the valve covers off without taking the risers and/or manifolds off of a volvo 5.0?

 

[Don S]

Re: Bland looking engine

Does anyone know if you can get the valve covers off without taking the risers and/or manifolds off of a volvo 5.0?

Probably not, but let us know how it turns out.

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Bland looking engine

Probably not, but let us know how it turns out.

Haha, thanks Don. Ill be sure to post back on the outcome.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Bland looking engine

I like mine as plain as possible, my engine,

Now THAT is a beautiful engine...

 

[skargo]

Re: Bland looking engine

Now THAT is a beautiful engine...

Thanks Kev, it's 32 years old too!

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Bland looking engine

Just picked up 4 aluminum valve covers for our engines.

Does anyone know if you can get the valve covers off without taking the risers and/or manifolds off of a volvo 5.0?

Make sure that the baffles in the valve covers flow as well and work as well to keep oil down as the factory ones - a lot of the cheap after,arket valve covers have baffles that don't work well and the ones that are incorporated in the grommet / fitting venting to the breather tube are often too restrictive and can let crankcase pressure build up more than you want...

 

[mkast]

Re: Bland looking engine

The previous owner went crazy with a black spray bomb, and quite frankly, it looks like a turd.

Eating too many Oreo cookies?
The factory was more interested in stopping corrosion than keeping one individual happy with some color.
Are you more concerned with appearance than function?