How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Looking for some suggestions on how to clean up my engine bay. Last weekend I pulled out my original 350 that had a catastrophic failure and am in the process of replacing it with another members donor 305 just to get it back on the road until i rebuild or go a different route. I'm limited to time and space right now as the truck is parked in the driveway of my condo so welding / spraying will not be an option this go around.

I'm thinking I will de-grease it, sand it and rattle-can it. Maybe relocate the MSD box (suggestions welcome) and fill any unused firewall holes the grommets. I'd really like to get rid of the ugly heater / ac box as it isn't in use and just replace it with a standard heater box with only 1 inlet / 1 outlet but I will probably leave that until next time.

Thanks for your input

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

The firewall is different on the AC and non-AC cabs, so just replacing the heater box won't work.

A good scrubbing and some paint will do wonders in there.

I started out the same way, but then I got ambitious and started pulling the radiator support, inner fenders, brake booster... Three years later I'm still looking at a bare frame from the firewall forward.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Here you can see where I mounted my MSD box. Made the sheet metal mount myself.

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...1&d=1368147848

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...2&d=1368147848

Gary

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Since you have the engine/trans out. Take your wheel wells out, sand them down and paint them. Then sand and clean your radiator supporting battery tray, and paint it to. You'll be amazed how much this will "clean things up" under the hood.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

not to hi-jack this thread but what cruise control box is that?

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Not sure if you can do this where the truck is now, but I am thinking pressure washing would be a good start. When I got my 69 home, I pressure washed the entire underside, and then, carefully did under the hood wherever I thought I could without causing damage.

After the pressure washing, a degreaser, then scrubbing. The suggestion of removing and painting the inner fenders and rad support are really good ideas.

This is so worth it, as after you do this, it becomes a pleasure to work on the truck.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Long ago in the same situation, I just used degreaser and a single stage spray gun. No other prep but tape. It was a cold January too. Two decades later the engine bay still looked great, at least it did before the tear down. Rattle cans work. I knew an old guy with a beautiful Cheyenne who rattle canned everything but the exterior body. That said, a spray gun is pretty easy. If you have the option I'd use one.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

How much money and time do you have?

If not much of either, I'd try and use a degreaser and spray paint the inner fenders, after removing them.

If you have time, money, and/or your own gear, disassemble and media blast and then repaint.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Not much time and money to spend on it this time. It will be coming back out in a year or two and hopefully I can dig a littler deeper into at that point.

I might have seen that happen to a "project" once or twice. Believe me, if I had a shop and didn't have a baby on the way I'd be tearing it down to the frame.

Thanks for all the input, I'll post pics when I get it back on the road.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

My home driveway low buck (lots of elbow grease) method follows: spray down engine compartment with a good "gunk" type cleaner. let it soak but don't let it dry, wire brush greasy areas as you let the "gunk" work. Then make a big tub of laundry detergent in some good hot water and scrub down the whole engine compartment with a big bristle brush. Hose it off, and let it dry. Should end up pretty clean, degreased and ready for some paint. do it twice if its really greasy. good luck

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

don't over think this . if its a show truck or a restoration that's different. clean it sand it some then rattle can it. I think flat black or semi gloss looks the best.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Im a big fan of powdercoating the inner fenders, core support and any other brackets for the core support. Keeps it looking nice, will never rust where you cant see it. Also gives you a chance to clean up the frame rails and firewall better.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Scotchbrite, degreaser, and a ton of work. Then some masking and a couple of cans of underhood black (or SEM Trim Black, my favorite) and it'll look like newish.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

I bet the firewall will clean up nice. Do one bite at a time. Take a spray bottle of 409 spray cleaner. Spray a 12"x12" area and wipe with a red shop rag. Do bits at a time. I bet some 409 will make that fire wall clean up nice. Clean the wires and everything. Can't tell you how many times I've made wire insulation look like new with 409!

409 is my go to cleaner. But I now use "Tub O Towels" to clean up my hand tools. Easier than spraying 409. From what I see you don't need a heavy degreasing, just some elbow grease.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

409 is great, Fantastik is good, and even GoJo hand cleaner works well for getting grease and grime off of wiring harnesses.

I've take the whole harness into the laundry sink and soaked it in Tide and then cleaned it to like new, but there's always a risk of water damage/rust/oxidation in the connectors when you do that. I blew it all out with compressed air fairly diligently though and no problems to date.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Here is what I did

1. Power washed the engine bay
2. Pulled the engine and whole front clip
3. Re-power washed and degreases the front frame and suspension
4. Powder coated the inner fenders, core support, battery tray and hood hinges
5. Wire wheeled and cleaned up the frame
6. POR-15 the frame and then painted satin black over that
7. Buffed and waxed the firewall and inside the front fenders
8. Re-installed all the parts and pieces

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

It's the "dealer option" cruise control that is installed on my rig. It actually worked when I first got the truck. But I only have it on the fender as a conversation piece now.

To the OP of the thread looking for cleaner options. Look into the "Degreaser" offered by POR-15. Formerly called "Marine Clean". It is a spray on, let soak, hose off deal. Biodegradable and works like a charm. It's all I use for degreasing anything anymore.

Gary

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

Purple power degreaser $5-$10 a gallon at autozone,wear gloves safety glasses, big bristle brush,bucket and a hose. I had to go at the frame and suspension with a scraper before any of that. Shaved off 8 pounds of,oil,grease,mud,rock,sticks,concrete,sand.and that was just from the suspension outside of the frame rails! (Now it's lighter and faster.) Then hit the firewall with some 80 grit to rough it up,then some 120 to smooth it out and rattle canned it with some semi gloss black. Wire brushed and red scotch-brite the frame,same rattle can treatment and color. I'm happy with it for the time being. (Front clip is painted grey for now, saving up for a good paint job.) Custom heater delete plate.😆
I know you can't see the frame, but that's where I really took my time and made it look good because I knew I didn't want to have to do it again later.

Re: How would you clean up this engine bay
 

local dude uses upholstery cleaner for degreaser/cleaner

He has a 5 gal container of it. Has the hazmat sticker on it too.

He puts some in a little 16oz hudson sprayer thing and sprays it on, let sit , hose off

Somethin like this https://www.amazon.com/Nanoskin-NA-U.../dp/B016HNYZHW