Engine Bay black or body color?

[TARDIS]

Hello,

I just picked up a 71 240Z series I with all matching numbers. The only thing not matching is the color. I have not decided what color I am going with because the red that was sprayed in the engine compartment area is still pretty good. I'm planning on using OR-15 to coat the bottom of the chassis and interior floors. Probably going to do the engine bay as well. Believe it or not, there's absolutely no rust holes or spots in the engine compartment but coating it prevents future rots if any develops. So my question is this......from a collectors point of view, is it better to match the body color or should I black it out with the rust preventive coating that dries gloss black?

[olzed]

Definately go with body colour for the engine bay.

[grannyknot]

Black paint in the engine bay always looks like you are trying to hide something to my eye. Besides, if you are are considering it from a collectors pov then the whole car (engine bay included) should be painted whatever colour it was when it rolled off the assembly line. If you what to paint the car a different colour then just make sure you get the best job done that you can afford.
Oh, and welcome to forum! You won't find a better place for Z info.
Chris

[CEgg11]

I was planning on white for my engine bay. Helps show leaks faster, and helps with heat, I think. There has to be a reason the NASCAR boys all have white engine bays.

[siteunseen]

Here's the original color codes, 70-78 Datsun Z Paint Code Gallery

[rcb280z]

I would go with body color FWIW. Mine is black because of the PO. Was looking at what it would take to put it back to original and it would cost way too much.

[EuroDat]

I would go with the body colour. Thats the way it came from the factory and the way everyone expects it to be.

I have the same problem as rcb280Z. My engine bay is 305 light metallic blue and the rest is some kind of red the PO painted. It a hassle to do the engine bay, but eventually I do it and the body the same colour.

Welcome to the club.
Chas

[26th-Z]

From a collector's point of view, don't use "OR-15".

[TARDIS]

Thank you all for the welcome and suggestions. It sound's like I'll just be keeping the red paint. I have yet to check to see if it's actually Datsun paint code used by the PO so when I get new skin I'll have to somehow match it if it's not.

26th-Z, why will OR-15 be bad? Do you recommend something else in lieu of it? I know I want to seal the undercarriage and interior panels for sure just to prevent future rusts.

[26th-Z]

Tardis, I'm assuming you are talking about POR-15. My comment comes from a "collector's point of view". I doubt any "collector" is going to purchase a car covered up in POR-15; I wouldn't. POR-15 does not stop the rusting process. It is an encapsulator, meaning that rust may continue, unnoticed, beneath a material that is near impossible to remove. I suggest that you clean out the body seams, reseal them and paint the surface - just as it was done at the factory 40 years ago.

[grannyknot]

If POR15 is not applied exactly the way they recommend, then, yes I agree, it can hide rusting metal.
But if you follow the directions with no short cuts, well I haven't found a better coating.
As with all coatings, prep is everything.

[TomoHawk]

In my area, all engine bays are blacked-out, because they're all vintage muscle cars.

I like it black, because it hides some dirt, the black wire bundles are less visible, and if I need to touch up the paint, I have a few spare cans.

I think it highlights the blue engine block with all the cast and polished aluminum parts.

[ktm]

and if I need to touch up the paint, I have a few spare cans.

This. If you have a stock car an engine bay painted the stock color is fantastic. However, once you start modifying anything in the engine bay having a black engine bay that you can repaint yourself is invaluable.

[duffman]

Black works for me.

[grannyknot]

^ That works for me too, beautiful.

[TomoHawk]

tastefully dunn, duffman.

[duffman]

Thanks, like to accentuate the bling with the black background!!

[TARDIS]

Black works for me.

Did you use engine paint or body paint?

[duffman]

Body paint, painted by professional (Sakura Garage in Tempe, AZ). Has been very durable and minor spills easy to wipe up. Removed engine and drivetrain last year, had it done then.

[grannyknot]

Body paint, painted by professional (Sakura Garage in Tempe, AZ). Has been very durable and minor spills easy to wipe up. Removed engine and drivetrain last year, had it done then.

Yeah, that really shows. My comment in post#3 is mostly how I feel about rattle can paint jobs. I see so many of them at car shows, just makes me shake my head.

[Travel'n Man]

I second the black engine bay - if it is done correctly - but it is totally owner preference

[bpilati]

Body color, in my opinion.

[jfa.series1]

The previous posts with a black engine bay are really well done. Here's another vote for sticking with the factory approach.

[Jeff G 78]

Body color for sure. Black can look good, but it is usually hiding something, so when Z experts see the black engine bay, that's what they immediately think.

[TomoHawk]

What would it be hiding?

[Oiluj]

Engine bays are often painted black to hide a color change or stained / faded body color paint.
Is it a crime? No, and it can look very nice. Will it potentially hurt the resale value of the car? Probably.

My vote falls in the body color camp.

However, if I were refreshing a car to be my daily driver, I would using black paint in the engine bay. It's easy to apply so that it looks good and is a way to save money by doing it yourself. I would not POR-15 it though for reasons stated above. I feel the same about undercoat. Mine came to me undercoated, (from the dealer according to the paperwork), but I wish it wasn't.

[TomoHawk]

To know if a black engine bay is covering up something, you'd have to look closely at the rest of the vehicle.

For a DD, undercoating would be great. But for a sporty car driven occasionally or for show, undercoating works against you.