Duplicolor Metal Specks, give it a try.

[92vig]

So I decided I wanted to paint my engine covers and whatnot today, so I bought some Duplicolor Metal Specks and gave it a whirl. Since my car is Apex Silver, I thought the silver metal specks would work well. To my surprise, after it was all said and done and the clear coat applied, it looks damn nice. Only thing is, the titanium dioxide dust fucking went EVERYWHERE. I mean absolutely all over the garage. I walked out of the garage and there was a fucking haze in there. My works shoes, my wife's shoes, my tool boxes....everything is covered in little "glitter" looking shit (which is the titanium dioxide dust) Sooooo I have to wipe everything down that will be touched so we "don't get cancer".

[RagingAsian]

Da da done.

but is it heat resistant?

[92vig]

The amount of heat the covers see is not going to be enough to fuck up the paint. I did my Vigor's few covers with basic "color matching" Duplicolor. Didn't hurt it at all...didn't even clear that.

But I did use Engine Enamel clear so it can be "chemical resistant"....ehh.

[Law Grandeur]

thats actually nice. i've always wondered how they were

[lilb_1979]

WOW, that looks great!
Nice man.

[92vig]

Garage lighting is horrible and my phone flash isn't all that great...so once I put everything back in, I will post the pictures

[new_beginnings]

Thanks to you and this thread, I will be redoing my 05 TL eng bay covers, w/this color.

[92vig]

Thanks to you and this thread, I will be redoing my 05 TL eng bay covers, w/this color.

Nice. It comes in blue, red, orange, green, silver. I wanted to keep the whole theme of the car flowing, so I went with silver. I was contemplating doing the "MIVEC" and Mitsu logo in the red, but ehh...

I used the Duplicolor paint prep wipe on all the pieces, hit it with a shop rag and then used a few coats of adhesion promoter. Let that dry (and it dried pretty damn quick) and then hit a few light coats of the Metal Specks, followed by a few light-medium coats. Let that flash, hit it with more light coats. Then hit it with a few light coats of engine enamel clear, followed by a few light-medium coats.

Now it's drying, and I may leave it until tomorrow night before even touching the parts. I ended up doing the radiator plate, intake duct, washer reservoir cap, coolant overflow cap, fuse box cover, spark plug cover and engine cover. Was thinking of doing the air box and intake tube as well but decided not to since I will EVENTUALLY get a CAI. But who knows, maybe on my next days off I will decide to hit the tube and box.

[deevergote]

That looks really good!

And yeah, I've used basic paint on valve covers, and they're in direct contact with the engine. No problems. The plastic covers see even less heat, so as long as the paint doesn't have any problem adhering to it, it should hold up.



How easily did it go on? Any difference from traditional spray paint?

[cvc7chris]

nice...

[92vig]

That looks really good!

And yeah, I've used basic paint on valve covers, and they're in direct contact with the engine. No problems. The plastic covers see even less heat, so as long as the paint doesn't have any problem adhering to it, it should hold up.



How easily did it go on? Any difference from traditional spray paint?

It went on the same as traditional. I did pretty light coats though, because I know metallic/metal flake paints can be a bitch if it isn't distributed evenly. Went smoothly though...aside from the toxic dust cloud, LOL. But no, really...I like the way it turned out and Duplicolor actually did something right for once (in my eyes)

[Tippey764]

1. Take that cover
2. find trash can
3. Throw in trash can
4. ???
5. Profit!

That cover is so stupid just take it off they all look ugly. Im not saying you did a bad job painting it ( because you did a good job ) im just saying the cover is stupid.

[crazymikey]

Looks good. I'm a big fan of Duplicolor's paint lines.

I really like their Metalcast paints. I haven't tried the Metal Specks yet,but that looks great. Their Mystify 3 stage chameleon paint works really well too.

[crazymikey]

1. Take that cover
2. find trash can
3. Throw in trash can
4. ???
5. Profit!

That cover is so stupid just take it off they all look ugly. Im not saying you did a bad job painting it ( because you did a good job ) im just saying the cover is stupid.

[Underpants Gnomes] Hey! What's phase 4? [/Underpants Gnomes]

[Law Grandeur]

[Underpants Gnomes] Hey! What's phase 4? [/Underpants Gnomes]