So, I'm painting my intercooler cover silver, which is the color of my MINI, and I am getting some ideas...I was thinking about painting the stock intake box and fuse box thing and a few other black plastic bits in that area too. I like to do shows in the summer and it has been killin' me to just have this stock engine compartment b/c I am waiting on my warranty to run out before I do any performance mods. So, I want a good-lookin' engine, but I am wondering if this is a ricer thing to paint stuff under the hood. Anybody have any input? This will be temporary, b/c once I get the ALTA intake when the warranty runs out, I will have the stock intake cover gone. Oh, and with engine compartment paint, will this harm anything under the hood. Thanks for any advice or input!

 

I think if you do a nice job with painting any plastic part it would be fine and not "Rice".

Pick a few things and do them a bit at a time. Start with those that you mentioned and use painted parts for contrast or highlights. Stick to a few colors or one color. Keep it all clean after you paint. Clear coat might be good to have over the color and choose paints that are heat resistant.

A sample of my engine bay-


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If its temporary, yeah just have fun....especially if you do shows! I agree the clear coat might class it up a bit if it can handle the heat.

 

the term rice, usually refer's to huge wings that are unnecessary, a whole lot of stickers, and odd splashs of paint here and there, like painting your side skirts yellow, and mirrors yellow but you have a silver car :smile:

Color matching engine peices is not rice. It's to make the engine look more presentable. now if you put a NOS sticker or something on it, that is rice

 

Oh yea, I'm doin' it all silver. Plus, I'm trying to do a very good job. I don't have a paint shop or anything, but I try to do what looks good. Anybody know where I can get heat-resistant clear coat. The primer and silver were heat-resistant, but I couldn't find a clear coat. Thanks

 

Here's what you do...

1) use some medium to light grit sandpaper to rough up the surface. Wipe the newly sanded surface with a wet cloth to remove particulates.

2) Hang the cover up with a metal hangar by one of the bolt holes (pull the hangar so that you can just get the hook part through a hole. This way you don't have a spot where the paint doesn't lay), and spray with 1 coat of sandable primer (from home depot). Hold the can at LEAST 1 foot away from the cover, and don't lay it on heavy.

3) Buy a can of HIGH GLOSS silver spray paint from Home Depot (while you're getting the primer). Lay one coat on using sweeping motions at least a foot away. Don't worry if it doesn't coat the whole thing immediately... that's what coats 2 and 3 are for! Let dry for 15-20 min, and lay on 2 more coats the same way.

If you do this right, and you don't lay the paint on too heavy, it'll look really good. If you rush and you're impatient with getting it on there (you you go heavy), it'll look like crap.

Good luck!

-Dan

http://www.benferperformance.com

 

I think adding color is real cool. I remember the street rods that we still see from time to time, and what people have done modding them. So too can we with MINIs.

 

Nice engine compartment minihune! Is it always that clean?

 

Hey Minihune, I wanna post pics of my new Silver IC, but I need to clean it up some. I would love to get it lookin like yours. How do you get the pieces where the arrows are pointing so clean? I have a hard time cleanin them w/o bending all the little bitty pieces on the top of the intercooler.Thanks for sharing!

 

>>Nice engine compartment minihune! Is it always that clean?

 

Sugar, are you making fun of my NOS Sticker?
It makes my car so much faster!!!

 

For the intercooler I made the ultimate tool for men (not being sexist - but it involves mans 2nd best friend behind the dog....DUCT TAPE) - i had an extension piece for my shop vac and duct taped a small tube (~5mm in diameter) to the end of the extension piece...i then put this on my shop vac and use it to suck out the debris...this seems to have worked pretty good for about 80% of the crud in there...I don't actually stick the tube in the IC as that will bend it up...but just put it right to the top of the surface.

 

Make sure you're using paint that can handle the under-hood temps, otherwise you might have a peeling, bubbling mess on your hands later on.

For the rice question, as long as you don't go painting JCW or something you do not really have, I think you're safe. You could always post a picture of the completed work on Rice Cop - Rice or Not? and let the public decide.