Need more inspiration! - Underhood beauty stuff

Folks, if you haven't read the GMC build thread, let me fill you in:

It's an exhausting, incredibly slow pain the butt which only half promises to be worth any dollars in the future.

I need some inspiration.

Post up your favorite underhood detailing. Stick with American carb V8 stuff. Let's try to aim this, so it doesn't get out of hand:

No power adders

I hate chrome

I am running manifolds

No serpentine stuff on mine, thanks

My truck will be manual everything, meaning only an alternator and a water pump for accessories

Body color is OK, but hard. Black for inners and firewall is preferred

Looking specifically for interesting ways to route wires around ramhorn manifolds, neat air cleaners, that sort of thing.

And.....

go~!

Don't know exactly what your looking for but for dress-up kit this one looks pretty good IMO.

I like the melted sensor wire laying on the exhaust manifold.

bgkast wrote: I like the melted sensor wire laying on the exhaust manifold.

I saw that - a lot of other things wrong there, too...

Keep 'em coming.

I like the valve-covers painted to match the truck:

bgkast wrote: I like the valve-covers painted to match the truck:

I like it too. I wonder if it would look as good with a flat black engine bay. This picture makes me realize the value of the yellow cad look on the booster et al as well.

I'm a big fan of minimalist form > function engine bays. Welded satin finish valve covers, nicely loomed wires, minimal paint/coatings:

I also, however, loathe black engine bays. It just screams "cheap" to me, even when factory-equipped. Plus, don't discount factory chrome. I really like a painted engine in the factory color with just the very simple original chrome valve covers and air cleaner lid:

Bangshift has a great write-up on engine bay detailing.

bgkast wrote: I like the melted sensor wire laying on the exhaust manifold.

I was just trying to show the valve covers and air cleaner. Not use it as an example of how he should run his wiring.

In reply to moparman76_69: I know, I just felt compelled to point it out.

Disregard the chrome crap, but I like them like this.

Basic, simple and plain. Well routed wiring and not a lot of junk mounted on the fenders. Semi-gloss black with the engine in the factory colors.

This one isn't too bad other than needing to be cleaned.

I've never seen a distributor/wire cover like that.

Toyman01 wrote: I've never seen a distributor/wire cover like that.

C2 Corvettes with radios came with those from the factory, since they had fiberglass bodies there wasn't any natural protection from ignition noise.

I've used the Eastwood manifold coating stuff. You put it on with a toothbrush and have to recoat it about once a year, but it makes a big but subtle difference.

That Corvette would benefit from some.

Toyman01 wrote: Disregard the chrome crap, but I like them like this. Basic, simple and plain. Well routed wiring and not a lot of junk mounted on the fenders. Semi-gloss black with the engine in the factory colors.

Factory colors would be Chevy orange, but this and the one a few above matched the valve cover and block, in this case, with the body color. That's neat.

Here a few more:

This one is a good example of bad valve covers, bad upper radiator hose, bad wire routing, and black stuff where yellow cad should be.

Here showing that only the firewall and the fenders were body color, which I could replicate technically, though I wouldn't necessarily want to:

Replace the chrome on there with yellow cad and body color accents...

I like this and I won't have A/C to clutter things up either.

An example of why I think body color everything makes it too crazy - not to mention a lot more work.

I wanted to run the ramhorns but I dig the wrapped headers in this (although that's pretty much it)

Subtract the orange alternator and air cleaner, and I think I want the small block version of this:

I know this is a gen III but I love the satin silver used here and there on this one

Those pictures all have several things wrong with them from my viewpoint. I see distributors and I see carbs.

I had enough of those evil things when I was growing up. Most of the issues we had with cars back then could be attributed to those things.

carguy123 wrote: Those pictures all have several things wrong with them from my viewpoint. I see distributors and I see carbs. I had enough of those evil things when I was growing up. Most of the issues we had with cars back then could be attributed to those things.

I think you missed the premise of this thread...

I know it is not what you are after....but it is sure pretty.

tuna55 wrote:

carguy123 wrote: Those pictures all have several things wrong with them from my viewpoint. I see distributors and I see carbs. I had enough of those evil things when I was growing up. Most of the issues we had with cars back then could be attributed to those things.

I think you missed the premise of this thread...

I didn't miss the premise, I was just pointing out the fallacy.

carguy123 wrote:

tuna55 wrote:

carguy123 wrote: Those pictures all have several things wrong with them from my viewpoint. I see distributors and I see carbs. I had enough of those evil things when I was growing up. Most of the issues we had with cars back then could be attributed to those things.

I think you missed the premise of this thread...

I didn't miss the premise, I was just trying to wreck your thread.

Yeah, thanks!

1967 Chevy II

No picture to offer, but I think the nicest thing you can do (that a lot of folks miss) is to custom-build your spark wires... and route them neatly with separators. Also, heat sleeving.

I like lots of different "looks" in the engine bay, but poorly thought out wires/hoses/looms turns me off no matter how nice the paintwork...

Gearhead_42 wrote: No picture to offer, but I think the nicest thing you can do (that a lot of folks miss) is to custom-build your spark wires... and route them neatly with separators. Also, heat sleeving. I like lots of different "looks" in the engine bay, but poorly thought out wires/hoses/looms turns me off no matter how nice the paintwork...

I like this thinking. I don't know how to do it. Furthermore, it seems every way to route wires around ram horn manifolds (trucks and Corvettes) looks terrible. I'll have to look at some examples.

I've never done custom length wires. It is as easy as it sounds?

Don't do a black firewall on one of those trucks. Either stock with just the inner fenders black, or body color everything. It sounds like you are planning to sell it, and a black firewall just makes it look poorly done.