So the motor is pulled, all the wires are out and i am prepping for paint. I have a couple questions though.

I decided to go and paint the bay black. The car is a 73 swinger with a small block. I had to re-wire the engine bay as the alternator wire fried leading to the ignition.

I was curious about two things though. I Have seen a few cars with the black bay and was wondering where the taped off. I assume the painted everything up to the radiator support and up to (excluding) the actual fender where it mates to the inner fender.

Also, has anyone ever used truck bed liner. I was thinking the texture may look kinda cool actually in contrast to the smooth paint on the engine, plus it's durable, doesn't stain, and cleans easy.

Only downside i guess would be, its sure a pain in the butt if I don't like it to remove it.

Anyone ever do this, and have any pictures?

Thoughts? remember, its a 73 swinger originally with a slant. I obviously am not concerned with it holding any value. I just want it to look good.

unless the car is black it will look like a chevy guy painted underhood.

Black is also harder to keep clean. Ever have a car with new black carpet? It shows everything. It's your decision, your car. FYI, I painted the engine bay black when I was 18 years old, on my 70 purple V code shaker cuda, I really did. Peeled the emission sticker off of it, said "void" on back of sticker, still have sticker today.....but not the cuda

if the engine was out,you sandblasted the under hood,sprayed the bed liner/textured paint/trunk splater paint it would be ok IMHO

I have seen a few rice burners with the trunk spalter stuff under hood and inside on the dash/floor/door panels before

cant say how long it looked good but on show day it looked real good

you deff want something tuff that wont peel later on

Well. EFF it then. I think I am just gonna go for it, and who knows. Maybe i'll start a trend

I have some herculiner. I painted a dakota bed with it and it looks and holds up and cleans wicked easy as a bed liner. I guarantee that the truck bed has seen more grime and abuse than an engine bay.

Worst case scenario, i do it, drop in the motor and hate it. Hell, im 21... I'll just blame it on youthful stupidity if It looks bad.

Paint it body color. You'll be much happier.

I've used the truck bedliner spray before. It dries hard and gives a nice finish. Never used it on anything visible, mostly used it for covering floors, etc. I would rather see it painted a color close to the exterior color instead of a textured bedliner spray, but the bedliner spray will look better than rust or damaged original paint. If you ever want to redo I wonder how well a chemical stripper would work...

yep,the things I could scare you with when I was 16 with a driver licens and moms 71 fury I ex highway patrol car

I would not have a A-body 8 3/4 with 12" rims in the 85 truck if I had not just went for it

I think it will do ok and look fine,I have seen the whole metal part of a 79 ferd done in the gray splatter paint also

i done the inside of my 12' alum john boat with it,used a dark green trunk splatter on it

you can allways get another mopar someday...which I know you will want another one

so live your reckless youth and enjoy while you have it and you can

keep us up to date with it,you just "might" start a trend...who knows

you get the from me

i considered bedliner type material, and ended up using undercoating. not very happy with it - pretty dull and looks kinda strange. i shoulda went with bedliner like i thought. you can put a clear coat on it too if desired.

Stacey David's Crazy Horse Bronco has bedliner (i believe) for the underhood area. i think it looks good, plus if you are going to do some actual work, there's no paint to worry about messing up. i'm 23, maybe it's a young guy thing

I am 45 and giving it some thought,I kinda like the idea

I sandblasted/udercoated the bottom of the cab while off,then used the rustoleum gloss black to piant all the under hood and wheel wells

nice and shinny black but some color splatter paint would have looked good now I thinks on it some

My thoughts are that the car is daily driver. And it will never really be worth anything. So its not like i care about a factory resto.

I could line it and it should look decent, clean easy. And as said, if i work on it and drop a wrench or anything like that, I don't have to worry about touch up.

I bought the paint an hour ago. Ill take some before and after pictures this weekend. We will see.

I looked at 2nd generation cummins powered 2500 not too long ago that did exactly that.

The truck was originally a dark green metallic paint. The previous owner or the not so discerning used car lot apparently had a budget paint job done to it.

Oddly enough the whole truck was done black, including door jams. But open the hood, and the radiator support as well as the inner fenders were still forest green.

Probably didnt want to pull the motor.

I used Dupli-Color bedliner on the inside floors and gas tank on my Challenger. I had some issues with it flaking off the gas tank because the surface was too smooth (I stripped it with a wire brush instead of sanding/grinding). At least the Dupli-Color bedliner needs a rougher surface to adhere properly. Check the directions on whatever you use!

One thing that you might want to concider before painting it black, is that a lighter, brighter color would keep it brighter under the hood, and would make it easier to see what you are working on. Just a thought.

You tell me what looks better and this car came from a Mopar guy in fact he owned the drag Car THE HULK the 70's Dodge Colt with a monster big block in it that was popular in the 70's and 80's

I like my engine bays dull black. In my experience the glossy body colored engine bay paint would dull from the header heat. Plus in flat black if you scratch or nick the paint the touch up is just a spray can repair. Very low maint. Yes its a chevy thing but I am choosing functionality for me over OEM correctness. Cowl hoods are a chevy thing and they look great on mopars.

You're right. I vote for the body-matching K-member and torsion bar look.

Looks good.