How to Paint an Engine Surround for a Car Show

1). Sand the engine surround with a red scuff pad to rough up the surface and prepare it for paint. Paint won’t adhere properly to a smooth surface. Hold the scuff pad flat against the surface and sand all areas of the surround that you want to paint.
2). Place masking tape and paper around the engine surround to protect all the parts in the engine bay you don’t want to paint. The paint overspray is going to land on everything surrounding the engine surround. Place the paper and tape to protect the other parts.
3). Wipe the engine surround with rubbing alcohol and a microfiber towel to remove dust from scuffing and grease from your fingerprints. Both of these things can create imperfections in the paint.
4). Spray the engine surround with spray paint. Hold the can 10 to 12 inches from the surface. Spray the surround left and right beginning at the top and working towards the bottom. Let the paint dry for 10 minutes.
5). Spray another coat of paint onto the engine surround using the same techniques as before. Let the second coat dry for 10 minutes and add a third and final coat. Let the final coat dry for 10 minutes.
6). Apply three coats of clear coat paint to the engine surround. Use the same spraying techniques as with the color spray paint. Let each coat dry for 10 minutes. Let the final coat dry for three hours before handling the surround.