[TheTempest]

I know this may have been posted before, but here goes:

In the great collective experience out there, what store bought paints come close the original factory gloss levels for things like the engine bay, wheel wells, radiator, the various other componenets (brackets, air cleaner, etc)? Any suggestions for the "cast iron" look for master cylinders, etc?

I know Eastwood's and all the mail order places sell these paints, at a price, but what can be found at the local Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc? It would be kind of handy to have a list made of acceptable (read "cheap") alternatives to the stuff(read "expensive") sold by the mail order shops.

[TheTempest]

I know this may have been posted before, but here goes:

In the great collective experience out there, what store bought paints come close the original factory gloss levels for things like the engine bay, wheel wells, radiator, the various other componenets (brackets, air cleaner, etc)? Any suggestions for the "cast iron" look for master cylinders, etc?

I know Eastwood's and all the mail order places sell these paints, at a price, but what can be found at the local Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc? It would be kind of handy to have a list made of acceptable (read "cheap") alternatives to the stuff(read "expensive") sold by the mail order shops.

[jim darlington]

Most of your Pep Boys or Auto Zones sell either gloss or semi gloss spray paint . It all depends on how correct of a finish your looking for . If your looking for a good but not 100% correct finish you can use the semi gloss black on you wheel wells and fire wall . The rest of the paint should be mixed a professional to get the correct amount of flatting agent in the mix . This will get you your 20% , 30% , 40% ,or 50% gloss you need .

[GoatFever]

In Southeast Michigan we have stores cally
Quality Farm and Fleet. They have a paint
in a spray can that is near perfect for
the firewall and engine compartment.
The name is BPS number 5330-19, Low Gloss black. $3.99 a 12 0z. can
Marty

[Blackcat]

Go buy Krylon semiflat black. It was the same as the Gm factory paint. Cast iron
Use Plasticote Cast iron grey or Cast blast.
Engine paint use Plasticote Pontiac blue. The silver blue for 66-70

['ol Pinion head]

Mudhen, Krylon makes a high heat BBQ black which is 30% gloss. It looks alright on some steel brackets & at one time we used to use it for drivers on inner fenders & core supports. I personally believe most GM cars originally had a little more gloss to the black on these sheetmetal parts, so I don't use it anymore. This Krylon (along with most others) is an alklyd enamel & doesn't hold up real good over time, goes kind of milky. Mastercylinders, tierods, centerlinks, & steering arms, can be metal prepped, shot with some clear urethane, then lightly misted with CastBlast or rebuilders gray. Stock black aircleaners are somewhere around 80-90% gloss. I have never found a spray can which would get close in the gloss of black. On aircleaners, usually glassbead, prime with black primer & shoot in black laquer which has a slight amount of flattening agent, then hand colorsand & polish. Good luck on your project.