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Jay, what are your plans for the rocker bolts and air cleaner wing-nut?
I have a distaste for chrome on engines... it retains heat and eventually discolours or rusts. Nuts, bolts and washers have a tendency to crack and peel when used in service applications.

If you intend to use polished stainless - I would recommend you use an anti-seizing compound like Loctite 76769 silver paste if you fit any into alloy.
Stainless is almost a "once" only buff up and polish - all it takes is a light wipe and gentle buff to remove grime/dust etc forever-after.

For the rocker cover and side-plates, I used stainless button head screws - all they need is a bit of a work-out with a sisal and calico buff -with cutting compound bar.

I went insane with my engine bay - just about every bolt, screw, washer and nut has been replaced with stainless - I ground down and honed the id markings away on the bolt heads and worked up all surfaces with a sisal and finally calico buff - huge job overall, but worthy in appearance - and now very low maintenance.

The grille really deserves polished stainless bolts - I believe it makes a huge difference in appearance.

Took a while to find these - might give you some ideas.... http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff17 ... rhmail.jpg,
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff17 ... a20cf0.jpg

Oops, forgot - the wing-nut.... I cut out a washer from neoprene to isolate the stainless washer from the top of the cover..... I was going to Sikaflex (black, of course) the neoprene washer in place - but just couldn't bring myself to mess up the paint....

What did you spray your air cleaner with - by golly, you've managed a great finish.... I call that level "plate".... it's an art all in itself - as you very well know. Not many metal components are ever produced which afford it without considerable work to "plate" finish like you have.... great work!

frats,
Rosco

stainless looks good Rosco will be using them on the gaurds
and i have all the original bolts for the covers so will be using them
just cleaned and painted in high heat / engine enamel paint
thanks for the pics engine and bay looks great

Looks as if it flowed out beautifully for you, Jay - enamel is hard wearing.. but it takes some time to fully harden.

For my front number plate - I over-coated the acrylic with POR Glisten PC - it is rock-hard... and hopefully this trip will endure the stones which seem to find it a target... might even make the run with a temporary perspex cover.

Yes, doing away with the factory bolt heads goes a long way to improving the look of any modded bay - they are perfect if re-dipped for an original vehicle - but they are darned ugly if you can get away with them from sports and beyond....
I fitted nylon washers behind the stainless ones to hold nearly all my body fittings against the paintwork.

If you are going to buff any stainless - Bunnings have the compound blocks (grey ((coarse))and light green((extra fine)) ) and the sisal and calico wheels for your bench grinder.... and the arbor, if you don't have one.

Looking forward to seeing your 8 in the bay - but not as much as you, I guess...?

frats,
Rosco

Don't intend to swamp your post, Jay - but working through my pix and sorting them on a very hot day... came across these from when I welded in the CRS hump cover - and the "arch" I made up.

Arch - from 1" x 2" rhs, cut through three sides and removed the excess when pulled back in - this was done at every 1".
It is angled slightly backwards to follow the contour of the cover.
A "C" section was made to fit over the floor brace/subframe removed section and angled backwards to fit over the floor brace. When in place, the final section was welded to form the rectangular box.
All of this was welded in and finally the cover fitted and welded....

You can see the Rares transmission mount - which was all that was required back in the old dark days - to strengthen the missing floor former....
The mount is now welded in - but I left the bolts in place through the floor and cover plates. Didn't see any harm in leaving them there - the shape of the bolt heads can't be seen through the "moonwalk" rubber insulation and carpet..

There are about 8 coats of White Knight Pacific Blue hammered metal epoxy enamel on the entire cabin side floor and under the rear seats and rear deck.... under that is copious quantities of fishoilene and metal primers....

Since then, the sub-floor has again been painted a number of times with further primers and epoxy enamels - the last of which was with "tie coat" and two coats of POR15.
I don't believe I need concern myself with the floor again.... you could extract the metal, and no-one would ever know....

Pix of sub-floor and cabin side.

Disregard anything on the dash - the original radio has been re-fitted and that stupid central trim plate replaced.... never will drill anything into the dash again.....

pix...







frats,
Rosco

Looking good mate

Did a quick mock up with the bolt ons still need to paint the sump and starter black

Looks sweet mate... i'll be happy if mine turns out looking that nice.

now hurry up and fit it so i know what i need to do haha

Cheers
Nathan

Thanks mate got a couple of things to finish off before I get it in the bay for the first time cant wait for that
got the kids on school holidays so not getting
much time to get in the shed but on the plus side weather has been superb
and getting lots of beach time in with the kids and the good wife

Very diplomatic, Jay..... school will be "in" shortly - and so will the "8"..
Engine looks schmick...

frats,
Rosco

While im doing some touch ups on the wagon paint work I decided to repaint the dash top blue
instead of it being black as it suffered a few scratches over the last 5yrs was a bit of a mission
as I had to remove all the black paint as it was enamel and acrylic doesn't like going over the top of enamel
any way it looks better I think
so some pics

Looking good Jay, I also like your inspiration on the wall.

that's looking really good Jay so much easier to paint it now with the window out,i had to repaint my dash and couldn't do the top as the glass was still in.the motor looks great, love the old style V8's

Thanks DR been some great cars turned out on this forum got Malcoms and Mez's cars one one wall
and garry's black beast on another wall great inspiration indeed

Thanks Michaeljohn sure is mate painted the dash in my old sedan with the window in and
yeah not easy
and yep there is just something about the look of a tidy factory looking Aussie V8

I love this colour

finished cleaning and painting under the wagon
and have started putting the rear springs and shackles in

Shiny