Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Engine Bay Gets A Second Coat

At 5:00PM we went back out to the garage to apply a second coat to the engine bay. POR-15 is not UV-resistant, and since the engine bay stands to have some exposure to sun, it needed to have a UV-resistant top coat. BlackCote is a top coat for use over POR-15 to add UV-resistance. It has the same strength, durability and rust preventative qualities that POR-15 has. 


We were down to only one 1-inch brush. Originally we ordered both 1-inch and 2-inch brushes from POR-15. This picture demonstrates how the 2-inch brushes are completely useless with the POR-15 six pack cans.


I needed to make this brush work though, so I cut some of the bristles off and worked to pull all the loose bristles out so the brush would fit into the can of BlackCote.


I started on the passenger side of the engine bay, but honestly Sara does such a great job applying the POR-15 products that I took a couple of pictures and then switched to holding the light for her. I am not sure what I would do without her.



The second coat on the engine bay is complete.




The black POR-15 is self-leveling and when it dries it looks like enamel. The finish is very smooth and glossy and there are no brush strokes if you apply it in thin careful coats (like Sara does). The BlackCote is completely different and it very much surprised me. It does show brush marks and does not self-level. It was also a little runnier. You can see a comparison between the black POR-15 which has dripped out and self-leveled itself on the front headlight panel and the BlackCote on the wheel well. The BlackCote finish leaves almost a textured look, almost like you sprayed an underbody coating on. I was really expecting a gloss smooth enamel-looking engine bay, but at least I know the engine bay will be clean, will not rust, and is UV-protected. Besides, once KITT is reactivated his engine bay is classified. (Sara would like me to mention this was the side I was originally painting, and she was not responsible for the POR-15 dripping out of the front headlight panel.) 


After we finished painting we cleaned and put away my tools and organized the garage. 


Tomorrow after work I plan to take all of the clips off the brake lines and fuel lines and then throw out the lines. I most likely will replace the clips when I install the new lines, but I think I will hang onto them for now just in case.


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