Body color in the engine bed - is it so wrong??

[miketyler]

Have gutted this 70 Mach 1 I bought in January and am cleaning up the trunk, and interior metal. Man, am I finding some ghetto stuff. Will save that for another post, meanwhile I was thinking on prepping and repainting the firewall and fenderwells in body color as well.

The previous owner had the car bead blasted before painting and had the engine bed painted the correct flat black. What do you think? Would it be sacriledge? Honestly I never liked the black engine bed on any car; to me body color gives the engine more contrast.

Am on the fence here, do you guys REALLY like the flat black engine bed?

[Midlife]

Body color in the engine compartment can be good, and can be bad...it all depends upon the color.

White can be good, but you better be prepared to keep it clean.  Gray or silver is so/so.  Lime green is awful.  Dark hues seems to me the best.

[Jack1966]

Keeping it clean would be my issue.  The other problem for me would be aesthetics--I would want the body color not to clash too much with the engine block color.

[AzPete]

My previous 66 was done in a light blue body color. I loved it. Clean up was a dream on a polished surface, always looked sharp, very durable too.

[johnpro]

If you can swing it, body color is the way to go.  If you can't, there's always black.

[monkeystash]

Am on the fence here, do you guys REALLY like the flat black engine bed?

It's more of a semi-gloss, and personally, I like it better than body color.  Of course, do what you like best, but expect comments both positive and negative.   

[beach pony]

I kinda like the colored engine bays, but for some reason, I really like them when the engine is highly modded and the shock towers are deleted. The more stock looking including the shock towers, I prefer black.

[cmayna]

Black satinish.  Easiest to hide grime.

[miketyler]

Thanks for all the responses and opinions. I just wanted to feel the "pulse" on this issue and was glad to hear those in favor. I suppose if my car was a numbers car I would be more motivated to put it back as original looking as possible and not venture too far out.

However, this isn't the case with this car. I have always felt our cars were special and I really like the car to look like candy under the hood. I did my Cuda that way and if I can revive my crashed computer next week, will post pics of it to see what you think. Am not a chrome addict or trailer queen enthusiast, but I really do like a clean engine bay with color theme but tastefully done so as to respect the cars beautiful lines and design.    

[Sluggo]

I like them both.....to a degree. I like SG black on a Mustang. Body color can be pulled off, but looks best on a modded up engine bay.

Body color under the hood of the 'Cuda is correct for that car and would look horrific SG black.

And yes, you do need to cough up some 'Cuda pics.  :craz

[tarafied1]

the engine bay could go either way but IMO, the radiator support needs to be black, I don't like to see color thru the grille. That's just me though, do what makes you happy.

[miketyler]

Yup, agreed. I see it a lot on rotisserie restored Mopars where they leave the face of the core support the body color. Kind've like a super hot chick in thin black lingerie with colored panties.

It's quite distracting you know  

[AzPete]

My previous '66 I did in Az. I really liked that paint job. The master cyl and a couple other things that got painted were later changed out.

HArd to see the paint thru the grill but this is the best shot I could find.

[miketyler]

Cool - here is a pic of the Cuda engine. Its very dirty.

[tarafied1]

no offense, but I prefer not see stuff thru the grille.

[Laurie S.]

I like body color in the engine bay, including stripes:

[Sluggo]

A two fender tag 'Cuda in Plum Crazy.

By the way, the lingerie analogy was friggin' brilliant.

[apollard]

A two fender tag 'Cuda in Plum Crazy.

By the way, the lingerie analogy was friggin' brilliant.

Two fender tag? 'xplain please-

And the lingere analogy was friggin brilliant.

[Sluggo]

Two fender tag? 'xplain please-

Mopar used what was called fender tags to broadcast the options to be added as the car went down the line. Much like buck tag on a Mustang. You can see them there on the left fender/apron area.

A two fender tag car is pretty highly optioned and pretty impressive. A three fender tag car is 

Most had a single tag.

If 71 'Cudas would have been about 20 grand cheaper four years ago when I had wood for one, I would be running a mopar site right now.

[apollard]

Thanks for the lesson.

If 71 'Cudas would have been about 20 grand cheaper four years ago when I had wood for one, I would be running a mopar site right now.

I for one am damn glad 'cudas are so expensive (to buy and fix)  :)

[70 StangMan]

Well mine is both. Firewall and radiator support are black and the rest red. Probably would get more than a few "WTF is that" comments if I bothered to show the car anywhere, but I like it so screw it.

[lethal289]

Boy thats different, but i kinda like it too.

[67fastback]

I like the body color.  My car is going to have alot of mods.

[daveSanborn]

My engine compartment is painted body color.  If the body color was ANYTHING other than brilliant white it would probably be okay, but keeping the engine compartment even halfway respectable clean is a royal PITA for a driver car.

[miketyler]

Well I was off this past week and painted and cleared the inside metal and the engine bay. Man, it took forever to get this far. Pic's dont show it but it is glossy as hell.

No regrets though, this is what the hobby is all about.