Painting a Duramax 440?

[Big Bob]

I'm building a large ice chest kart. Just for scope, I'm 6' 5" The tires are 18" tall. The frame is sunburst yellow. The huge Igloo ice chest is flat black with orange-ish flames. I'm not real crazy about the blue metal work on the Duramax. I'm just painting the blue stuff. I'm thinking red or orange. Flat black could be good as well. Any suggestions?

 

[Denny]

I like blue!

 

[madprofessor]

Flat and glossy always stand out (clash) against each other. Hotrodders used to paint their hoods flat when the rest was glossy, but it was only to be functional, to reduce the glare at the track. Stay with flat, or go satin at most, to match the Igloo.

 

[Big Bob]

I use mostly rustoleum products. I like using flat black with a satin clear on it. The yellow I used is only available glossy. It will dull down quite a bit over time. I have never tried the flat or satin clear over glossy. I do like the flat clear on flat black. It looks very rich. The satin or gloss clear over flat black look very rich.
Rustoleum products are great. I mixed my own Olive Drape paint for my Jeep trailer I built. It’s a mixture of Hunter Green, Flat White, and Rusty Metal primer. I used a foam roller on that project. I have very good spray paint equipment, but without a booth the spray gets everywhere!

 

[Big Bob]

Got my Duro Max today. Got it at Lowes as I get a 5% discount.
this is a massive beast. LOL.
my briggs 208/Honda clone block next to it.

 

[Big Bob]

I now like the blue. It looks great next to the sunburst yellow frame.

 

[Denny]

You should outline the flames in a color close to the engine to tie it all together. Then bury it in clear.

 

[Big Bob]

You should outline the flames in a color close to the engine to tie it all together. Then bury it in clear.

That would look cool. I may do just that.

 

[Big Bob]

Couldn’t stand it. I painted it gloss smoke gray. I did a swirl job for the top plate.

 

[Big Bob]

I am going to build an exhaust system. Those short header pipes sound really loud and performance wise they are just too short. I may build a loop pipe and put some sort of muffler on it.

 

[madprofessor]

I did a swirl job for the top plate.

What did you use? Small wire cup in a drill? I'd like to try something like that, just more uniform. I've seen gold leaf twisted circular with just a bare thumb that looked really great (Ryan at Count's Customs), especially after the clearcoats, but raw metal is another skill altogether. Will you clearcoat it for rust protection?

 

[Big Bob]

What did you use? Small wire cup in a drill? I'd like to try something like that, just more uniform. I've seen gold leaf twisted circular with just a bare thumb that looked really great (Ryan at Count's Customs), especially after the clearcoats, but raw metal is another skill altogether. Will you clearcoat it for rust protection?

They make special tools for it. I used my pneumatic die grinder with a like 1.5” sanding disc. Clear coated the heck out of it.

 

[Big Bob]

What did you use? Small wire cup in a drill? I'd like to try something like that, just more uniform. I've seen gold leaf twisted circular with just a bare thumb that looked really great (Ryan at Count's Customs), especially after the clearcoats, but raw metal is another skill altogether. Will you clearcoat it for rust protection?

1.5” sanding disc on a die grinder.
if you want even put the disc on a bench drill.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

A wood dowel in a drill will work too.

 

[madprofessor]

A wood dowel in a drill will work too.

You got swirl on raw metal with a spinning pencil?

 

[Denny]

No you add valve lapping compound to the end of the dowel.

 

[madprofessor]

add valve lapping compound to the end of the dowel.

Duhhhhh..............Why didn't I think of abrasives? Oh yeah, not enough sleep, more than enough brain fog.

 

[Big Bob]

Getting close. Next job is setting up controls, throttle and brakes. I have both hydraulic and mechanical brakes. The mechanical brake lever is on the right side and has a lock on it to serve as a parking brake. I may need to get a 49 state carb as with the pipe and air cleaner I need to adjust the idle air mixture. California stuff has a plugged system. I'm kind of happy with the exhaust pipe. 1"-1.25"-1.5" and muffler. Electric start is great. I also added dual Honda charging coils so I can eventually run lights.

 

[Big Bob]

And the best part is--------in 2021 I had 3 fairly extensive lumbar back surgeries. During the last one in November 2021 I developed a spinal fluid leak. During the patch to leak process I had some extensive nerve damage done to the upper lumbar area. I was in the hospital and rehab for 2 weeks. I've been stuck using a walker ever since. Just in the last couple weeks I have been transitioning to a cane. I'll be a walking man again in the next couple months!

So what does a crippled 70 year old man do for fun? He builds a Ice Chest kart that should be able to do some nice wheel stands! LOL

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Need pictures of this from different angles. You sit on the cooler and steer with a bar? Sit in the bar and drink from a cooler? This is compelling.