Greetings all.
Mr. Tilton, you inquired whether or not you could use regular old
spraypaint or need to resort to "hi-temp" paint for the valve cover of
your 77B. Well I would strongly advise you to use the hi-temp (500F)
paint and yes I have tried both types.
Both Krylon and Plasti-kote make engine enamels and they can be
found at most any local parts supplier like Pep Boys. Plasti-kote even
makes a special engine primer. I just finished repainting my valve
cover and used 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of enamel. The results
were excellent. If you are wondering about the necessity of using an
engine primer consider that the primer not only fills in the tiny
surface imperfections that may be present but also helps the paint
adhere to the surface. I've been told that the primer also extends the
life of the paint up to 30% but that has yet to be seen.
Just a few reminders:
1. Warm the can of paint in a small bath of water before painting.
the can should be warm to the touch but BELOW 120F. This pre-heating
helps to thin the paint so it goes on smoother. Hi-temp paints are
usually thicker in consistency. This step is not mandatory but helps if
the ambient temperature is significantly lower than 80F.
2. And as always, several light coats are better than one heavy
coat. Can't stess this enough.
I guess the real question though is - are you going to paint the valve
cover semi-gloss black (original) or "MG red" like early sixties cars?
Best of luck. Comments are always welcome.
Dave Hay
1977 MGB
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