Hi - I’m new here on this exciting site and in this forum. I wonder whether anybody here could help me suggest heat-resistant gold paint for my E-Type Engine - types, brands, or whatever that could guide me to find and buy it. In advance, many thanks - Jan Oberg
Any good quality spray paint will hold up fine on engine blocks and cylinder heads. You only need “special” coatings for things like exhaust manifolds.
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can get some proper automotive enamel mixed, and spray it with a catalyst for a bit of added durability, but that’s probably overkill.
I ordered some gold paint for the cylinder head on my old E-type from one of the specialists, and what I received (with a healthy mark-up, of course) was just a ‘Universal Gold’ by Dupli-Color
VHT high temp is good pain, flows nice, no peels. Mine has this one which some might find too rosy
They also have this one
Welcome Jan!
I have used what is labelled “Engine Enamel” in the past which I would think is slightly ,ore heat resistant than regular spray paint.
Tell us about your car
Dennis 69 OTS
Dear Ben, many thanks for reacting so quickly 
I wonder whether that paint can be applied also on the exhaust manifolds which get warmer?
Do you know the max temperature for them - Dupli Colours homepage doesn’t seem to tell.
Many thanks!
Dear Erica
Many thanks - beautiful photo I am sure the VHT Enamel will do on the engine but if I wanted to paint the manifolds too, they get warmer. Do you have any idea about a paint that would be fine for even higher temperatures?
Have a fine day
Hi Jan welcome. Assuming you have an E-Type, the manifolds were ceramic coated from the factory. I used high temperature black oven paint on mine and it has held up well for about 6th miles. It is matte though, while the original coating was glossy.
VHT also has a flat black for exhaust. Has held up well on my manifolds for several years.
David
68 E-type FHC
Martin and Jan - just a fine point of accuracy- the original exhaust manifold were coated in Porcelain not Ceramic.
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No, for those you would definitely want a paint/coating that is designed for very high temps.
Under certain conditions, exhaust manifolds can start to approach 1,000F.
Hi Jan,
I am not sure if you intend painting the whole engine and exhaust manifolds gold. If so please feel free and go ahead.
However, I feel you might have misunderstood the ‘golden touch’.
If I may, only the cylinder head of some early E Types were painted the gold colour. I used a Hammer finish industrial paint, sold in our part of the world. Not sure if it is available world wide.
Regards
Chris
Cape Town
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Hi Chris - many thanks for your kind reply. At the moment my E Type 1969 has the original silver at the cylinder head. But I was thinking that it would match fine if the manifold was painted in gold. I tried that - using Hirsch paint (made in the US) in silver which takes up to 1100 Celsius and mixed that with a bit of golden paint. It worked fine for some time and looked beautiful but then it began to lose some of its depth. That’s the reason I wondered whether there exist a gold paint that takes very high temperatures.
I have used Hammer paint on other details and it works fine - but since it contains silicone it would not take very high temperature. My best - and thanks again, Jan
Hi Ben - exactly, and I wondered whether there is a gold paint that does just that. There are US-made Hirsch that takes 1100 Celsius for the manifolds - but they are silver or other colours, not gold. So, I am still looking. But thanks for your kind reply - Jan
Hi John and Martin - thanks for your informative answers. Good point of accuracy. I am now trying to find out whether, instead of porcelain, there exist a paint - gold-like - that would take the highest temperature. I have used Hirsch’s superfine paints to far in silver - made for jet engines - but they do not exist in gold. So I am trying to find out with people here whether there exist a gold paint that would be fine with the very high manifold temperatures over time. Have a good ay - Jan
Yes, I’ve never seen gold paint that is suitable for exhaust manifolds, but I have seen colors such as blue, so it’s very possible there is a gold option out there somewhere.
Thanks - I must keep on searching because I’ve never seen it
Try these guys.
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Many thanks, Dennis. Engine enamel is fine but it does not seem to exist in gold - or, at least, I have not found it.
It’s a 1969 Series 2, 2+2, which I have cared for since 1988. I think I can say it is in a very fine condition today - in some respects better than when it rolled off the assembly line in Coventry on June 5, 1969. It also has a new E Type engine dated February 1970 which has gone only 40 000 kilometres.
I’ve always thought that when the rest was in very good condition, I would also make the engine and its compartment look beautiful. So, when the engine was replaced (due to cracks in it) last year, I cleaned up everything and hand-painted everything - when some repairs is made in the future, I can re-do the paint myself which is an advantage. The last thing I need to do is the manifold and thought gold would be special and very beautiful. But then it must also last… Best, Jan
Many thanks, Dennis. Engine enamel is fine but it does not seem to exist in gold - or, at least, I have not found it.
It’s a 1969 Series 2, 2+2, which I have cared for since 1988. I think I can say it is in a very fine condition today - in some respects better than when it rolled off the assembly line in Coventry on June 5, 1969. It also has a new E Type engine dated February 1970 which has gone only 40 000 kilometres.
I’ve always thought that when the rest was in very good condition, I would also make the engine and its compartment look beautiful. So, when the engine was replaced (due to cracks in it) last year, I cleaned up everything and hand-painted everything - when some repairs is made in the future, I can re-do the paint myself which is an advantage. The last thing I need to do is the manifold and thought gold would be special and very beautiful. But then it must also last… Best, Jan
Many thanks, John - I shall investigate that Cerakote