1650 Elmdale, Glenview, II 60025
I like restoring engines but when it came to striping, the fun
really faded away. I have restored several engines, and ignored the
striping as it seemed unnecessary. Getting an engine to run was
naturally most important. A close match with the original overall
color was always my next concern. The application of the
appropriate decal was an essential detail as well, but it seemed to
look bare somehow. Finally I realized that striping the engine
would add that final touch and complete its restoration.
I had never striped before because I didn’t know how and it
looked too difficult. How could I master the magic stroke needed
for all those -inch straight and curved lines? I bought all sizes
and shapes of brushes, and used them with all kinds of guides and
straight-edges. The harder I tried to draw a straight line, the
worse it looked. All my attempts ended in failure with crooked,
uneven lines. Restoring the engine was simple compared to this
frustrating problem. Seeing many engines at shows, I had noticed
that many are not striped. Now I knew why.
Then I realized that I could apply the same technique that I
used in my model boat building hobby: painting by the use of
masking tape. This is a two-step process that proved to be simple,
fool-proof, and actually fun to do.
First, the engine part is cleaned to the bare metal, and the red
striping line is painted on freehand. At least two coats are needed
to cover the bare metal. Don’t rush it now, as the paint should
be thoroughly dry before masking. Depending upon drying
temperatures, the time required for the paint to dry varies. In my
case, since it was mid-winter, I brought the parts into the house
to dry rather than leaving them in the outdoor engine shed, which
is unheated. Under these conditions, it took three weeks for the
paint to dry completely.
The second step is to use masking tape to define the stripe by
using a -inch tape of the kind that sign painters use. You’ll
be positioning the tape over the freehand roughly outlined red
paint, so test an area with the tape to ensure that it’s
completely dry. If the paint does not stick to the tape, it’s
ready to be masked. The real beauty of this process is that you can
reposition the tape if it doesn’t go on straight the first
time, and make any other corrections to your liking. Lightly press
the tape down, securing the edges so that paint can’t seep
under it. Then simply paint over it with the green engine color.
The tape should be removed immediately after painting, while the
paint is still wet. As it is carefully peeled off, a beautiful,
straight red line will appear on the part. Any green paint that
seeped under the masking tape can be retouched with a fine brush.
This is and easy, effective method that you should try on your next
engine restoration project. The looks of the finished striped
engine are well worth the extra time it takes to do.
