[Shift'n Gears]

I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself here as the engine isn't out of the car yet, but does anyone know what the best engine paint is for presentation and durability? I am doing a show restoration on a 78 S/E and don't want the paint burning off quickly or chipping off from the heat.

[Stuart]

This is a commonly used reference page for engine paint colors: http://www.pontiacpower.org/enginecolor.htm You may get more responses in the 77-81 Firebird tech section.

It's pretty difficult to keep the paint from burning off on the center exhaust ports or the crossover, but one thing people have done is to put a coat of high temp silver paint on those parts first, then use the appropriate blue color. It will probably burn off eventually as well, but it does slow the process.

[ZeGermanHam]

+1 to Stuart's comment above. Personally, I'm not convinced that any high-heat enamel with ceramic will hold up better than another. You can get good results with many of them if you are meticulous with surface prep.

But yeah, there's virtually nothing you can do to keep the center exhaust ports and intake crossover from getting crispy. It's just a Pontiac badge of honor in my book.

[78w72]

ive used plasticoat in a spray can with very good results, it has lasted for 10+ years on the block & heads with no discolor or chipping... no paint i have seen will last on the exhaust ports if you actually drive the car a lot, not even the original paint GM used held up there.

ive recently been using the rustoleum brand engine enamels with excellent results too, i used black for the block on my recent stroker motor, got tired of the pontiac blues & for a non original resto mod i didnt care about correct color. i use their cast iron for lots of parts too & it looks almost real, i had my painter who restores & builds high dollar street rods & cars ask me why i dont paint my brake calipers & some suspension parts to protect from rust... i laughed & told him they are painted & he had to look close to see it was a cast iron paint & not real cast iron!

[burd]

OEM brand, 21 years later, it’s still on.