Hi,
I want to paint some things under my hood, such as my alternator cover, my fuse box, maybe a bat. cover. I was wondering if you were able to use regular car paint on these items so it is very shiny, glossy and will match the color of my car... or will the heat from the motor discolor it or even melt it. i know you can use special high temp paint you can get at walmart, and i have tried that on my old car. but it wasnt glossy at all and it didn't match the color of my car.... please help. what other parts would i be able to paint as well.....

 

Try spray cans of engine enamel. You won't find an exact match for the body color but it will withstand engine compartment heat unless it's in close proximity to the exhaust.

Also, you might have to scuff plastic parts and use some sort of primer before painting. Paint might not adhere very well to plastic.

You might also inquire about coatings from those outfits that do special purpose coatings for headers or lubrication-retaining coatings for valvetrain parts. Some of these places might have a coating that can be color-matched for your plastic parts and won't destroy them in the process with excessive heat when applied.

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