Painting my 455 (Bunch of Pics)
April 13th, 2010, 08:53 PM
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 47
Painting my 455 (Bunch of Pics)
So to give everyone an idea of whats going on, I will start from the beginning. Im a 22 year Ontarian, and an old car enthusiast, and have been since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. So naturally, when I found a 1971 Cutlass with a 455 Rocket in good shape for $4400 CDN, I was all over it like white on rice. I bought it last Thanksgiving, and have been working on it every chance I get, trying to get it on the road this summer.
So when I pulled the motor to get my frame welded, and replace my suspension bushings, I figured it was as good a time as any to give it a fresh paint job, and make it look pretty under the hood. I've made a quick play by play of most everything I have done, along with pictures. Enjoy!
I decided to go with the POR-15 Engine painting kit, in Olds Gold. This was an awesome kit, came with everything I needed, and looks great too
http://www.canada-por15.com/merchant...gory_Code=Kits
So I pulled the motor and tranny out of the bay without much difficulty, other than making a mess all over the shop floor. It seems simply draining the fluids doesnt get every bit out haha. Heres the dirty engine bay, and dirty motor freshly pulled.
homeshowandstuff097.jpg
homeshowandstuff099.jpg
No, I didnt pull the motor out using those straps, I was using them because my engine stand didnt want to hold the motor with everything still attached. Once I got the intake, water pump, P/S pump, and Alternator off, it held up decent.... until I was removing a valve cover, and the stand gave out. My forst reaction when the motor was crashing over was to try and catch it. Bad idea. I ended up with an 8 inch scrape, and the darkest purple bruise Ive ever seen on myself. The motor itself wasnt damaged, other than the crank pulley edge being slightly bent in, but that was easily fixed. So I rigged up a more solid stand for the rest of my work. I didnt take pictures of the motor down, or my scrape as I was too pissed off to be bothered with it haha, sorry!
When I pulled the intake manifold, and the pan gasket off, I realized that I really hate "Liquid Gasket". Whoever owned this car before me, used that blue crap everywhere, to seal everything. What a pain to get it off! Why wouldnt you use real gaskets to begin with!? But more importantly the first thing that caught my eye was this pleasant little surprise:
homeshowandstuff107.jpg
That was easily fixed via $15 at the local Napa store, it was just a bent rod, and a lifter with broken pins. No valve damage came of it, and everything seemed to be in working order.
Heres what the motor looked like after degreaser and a rinse:
CIMG0084.jpg
And after about 20 hours of paint removing and grinding out rust, I sprayed it with the silver primer POR-15 paint:
CIMG0088.jpg
Then I painted it with the Olds Gold, and put it back together. Heres what it looks like without the alternator and P/S pump (they make it look ugly :P)
CIMG0092.jpg
Sorry for the quality differences in the pictures, some were taken with my phone, and some with a digital camera. I hope you guys like my thread, all questions and comments are welcome
So when I pulled the motor to get my frame welded, and replace my suspension bushings, I figured it was as good a time as any to give it a fresh paint job, and make it look pretty under the hood. I've made a quick play by play of most everything I have done, along with pictures. Enjoy!
I decided to go with the POR-15 Engine painting kit, in Olds Gold. This was an awesome kit, came with everything I needed, and looks great too
http://www.canada-por15.com/merchant...gory_Code=KitsSo I pulled the motor and tranny out of the bay without much difficulty, other than making a mess all over the shop floor. It seems simply draining the fluids doesnt get every bit out haha. Heres the dirty engine bay, and dirty motor freshly pulled.
homeshowandstuff097.jpg
homeshowandstuff099.jpg
No, I didnt pull the motor out using those straps, I was using them because my engine stand didnt want to hold the motor with everything still attached. Once I got the intake, water pump, P/S pump, and Alternator off, it held up decent.... until I was removing a valve cover, and the stand gave out. My forst reaction when the motor was crashing over was to try and catch it. Bad idea. I ended up with an 8 inch scrape, and the darkest purple bruise Ive ever seen on myself. The motor itself wasnt damaged, other than the crank pulley edge being slightly bent in, but that was easily fixed. So I rigged up a more solid stand for the rest of my work. I didnt take pictures of the motor down, or my scrape as I was too pissed off to be bothered with it haha, sorry!
When I pulled the intake manifold, and the pan gasket off, I realized that I really hate "Liquid Gasket". Whoever owned this car before me, used that blue crap everywhere, to seal everything. What a pain to get it off! Why wouldnt you use real gaskets to begin with!? But more importantly the first thing that caught my eye was this pleasant little surprise:
homeshowandstuff107.jpg
That was easily fixed via $15 at the local Napa store, it was just a bent rod, and a lifter with broken pins. No valve damage came of it, and everything seemed to be in working order.
Heres what the motor looked like after degreaser and a rinse:
CIMG0084.jpg
And after about 20 hours of paint removing and grinding out rust, I sprayed it with the silver primer POR-15 paint:
CIMG0088.jpg
Then I painted it with the Olds Gold, and put it back together. Heres what it looks like without the alternator and P/S pump (they make it look ugly :P)
CIMG0092.jpg
Sorry for the quality differences in the pictures, some were taken with my phone, and some with a digital camera. I hope you guys like my thread, all questions and comments are welcome
Last edited by 71cutlass455; April 13th, 2010 at 09:01 PM.
April 13th, 2010, 09:01 PM
#3
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 47
Because I was grossly misinformed, I was told from what I thought to be a reliable source that the 455's were all painted gold. It was too late by the time I realized it isnt the right color. but I did it anyway cuz it looks great
April 14th, 2010, 09:17 AM
#6
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 47
Ya im pretty happy with it myself, red just wouldnt look right under the hood :s
If I had the money, and didnt want it on the road ASAP, then *maybe* i would consider repainting it to match it to stock... then again, theres many things on here that arent stock, so whats the point? :P
If I had the money, and didnt want it on the road ASAP, then *maybe* i would consider repainting it to match it to stock... then again, theres many things on here that arent stock, so whats the point? :P
September 21st, 2010, 09:48 PM
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Posts: 83
Olds Gold
Just curious what Olds Gold you used. Some are more gold than others and some are better than others. Yours looks good. Doing a 330. Did you find that the silver POR15 helped the gold cover better? Thanks!
September 22nd, 2010, 03:08 AM
#8
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 47
On the POR-15 site, there was only 1 color of Olds Gold that you could buy. That was a few months back so I dont know if they have any more colors or not. The bottom of the oilpan didnt get a coat of silver primer, and the gold on top of the bare metal doesnt look the same, its slightly duller. It doesnt look bad, but the silver primer really brings the color out better.
October 4th, 2010, 09:09 PM
#9
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 114
I found this thread very useful!
Although I think I might paint my 350 blue like a 455 so I don't have to listen to cruisers that can't simply give a nice compliment and move on.
" You shouldv'e put in a 455" " Oh this car would be sweet with a 455 "
" some of these came with 455's my Dad had one"
" Did you know they made 455's? "
" Is this a Chevelle?"
I hate people
Although I think I might paint my 350 blue like a 455 so I don't have to listen to cruisers that can't simply give a nice compliment and move on.
" You shouldv'e put in a 455" " Oh this car would be sweet with a 455 "
" some of these came with 455's my Dad had one"
" Did you know they made 455's? "
" Is this a Chevelle?"
I hate people
October 4th, 2010, 10:56 PM
#10
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Antioch, Ca
Posts: 45
I found this thread very useful!
Although I think I might paint my 350 blue like a 455 so I don't have to listen to cruisers that can't simply give a nice compliment and move on.
" You shouldv'e put in a 455" " Oh this car would be sweet with a 455 "
" some of these came with 455's my Dad had one"
" Did you know they made 455's? "
" Is this a Chevelle?"
I hate people
Although I think I might paint my 350 blue like a 455 so I don't have to listen to cruisers that can't simply give a nice compliment and move on.
" You shouldv'e put in a 455" " Oh this car would be sweet with a 455 "
" some of these came with 455's my Dad had one"
" Did you know they made 455's? "
" Is this a Chevelle?"
I hate people
October 5th, 2010, 01:07 PM
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 47
I found this thread very useful!
Although I think I might paint my 350 blue like a 455 so I don't have to listen to cruisers that can't simply give a nice compliment and move on.
" You shouldv'e put in a 455" " Oh this car would be sweet with a 455 "
" some of these came with 455's my Dad had one"
" Did you know they made 455's? "
" Is this a Chevelle?"
I hate people
Although I think I might paint my 350 blue like a 455 so I don't have to listen to cruisers that can't simply give a nice compliment and move on.
" You shouldv'e put in a 455" " Oh this car would be sweet with a 455 "
" some of these came with 455's my Dad had one"
" Did you know they made 455's? "
" Is this a Chevelle?"
I hate people
Glad my post has made someones life easier
I havent had anyone ask if my Cutlass was a Chevelle yet... then again, its still not on the road 
Waiting for all the little odds and ends to be tied together for my safety.
October 29th, 2010, 07:31 PM
#12
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 177
painted mine gold also to pass it off as one of those big block 350'smine is not or never will be origional so I build it the way I like itkeep up the good work!!
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