The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Engine Paint

Currently my 1956 Chevy 261 is at the machine shop getting work done, so while it is there I am going to get a start on cleaning up all the tin work. Not being that familiar with all the different paint types I am looking for a recommendation on a paint system to use, the more I read the more confused I get.

Everything will be blasted to bare metal and I would prefer to spray from a gun, not a rattle can.

What would you all recommend for a primer, color coat and clear if necessary? Any specific brands you like?

Going to be painting it yellow. As you can see at some point it was painted red, but you can defiantly see the yellow was applied first.

Edit to say I am currently thinking a DTM Epoxy Primer with a Single Stage Urethane over top.

That is typically my usual plan.

Doug, I am specifically fond of the PPG line, the epoxy primer and acrylic urethane goes on like silk. See if you have a "Painters Supply" in Mason or Lansing. I'll look. Painters Supply and Equipment, 717 S. Pennsylvania Ave, Lansing.

Who will be blasting the engine? Most machine shops have a hot tank which usually removes all of the old paint and rust.

Thanks for the tip Bob, I'll look into that place.


Yes the machine shop is going to bake and blast the head and the block. I will be blasting all of the sheet metal parts.

I always let my machine shop know to not paint my block or head. I want it raw metal even if some flash rust shows up.
I then clean it up with a Scotchbrite pad soaked in acetone and scrub it down. I then apply Ospho with a paint brush, let it sit for 24 hours so that the chemical reaction is complete, then get a new Scotchbrite pad and wipe the block with it to remove the white powdery residue. SInce the rust has been converted to iron phosphate, no further chemical reaction will occur. I then wipe it down with acetone again and paint it with color. This process results in a very long lasting result.

Doug, let me know if they won't sell to you, I can get whatever you want from the branch in Ann Arbor. I bought my first Binks gun, DA, Binks Respirator, etc from the Ann Arbor branch in 1974/1975. I still have the gun and DA.