El Camino Engine Bay - Cherry Bay

After a thorough soaking, it was time to get the real elbow grease started. There was no easy way about it; we jumped in the engine bay armed with putty knives-you could use a screwdriver or any sort of flat scraping implement-and began the long process of removing the grime and muck.

Next, after some scraping, we fired up the power washer, threw on some safety goggles, stuck on the sheeting nozzle, and washed off the mess. If a pressure washer isn't available, any high-pressure garden hose will work.

After sufficiently washing away most of the oil and grease buildup, we called in some heavy-duty removing equipment: an electric grinding wire wheel. The tough stuff that doesn't come off with the power washer or the degreasing will most certainly be removed with the wire wheel. We spun the wheel over everything-focusing on the framerails and the crossmember, giving the metal a shiny, smooth finish.

Paint won't stick to rust, so it's crucial to remove it all. Scotch-Brite pads are great for sanding everywhere we planned on painting. Long lasting and cheap, they create a bristling action when you sand with them. They're also coarse enough to cut through old paint and create a clean, blemish-free surface to paint on. We picked up about six pads for the whole job.

We didn't bother preparing the A-arms, brake lines, the exhaust, the master cylinder, or the transmission. Instead, we removed most of it because it's going to eventually be replaced. To access the top of the crossmember, we unbolted the four bolts and removed the motor mounts and got those out of the way.

When the entire engine bay area was completely clean and free of any last clinging grime, we blew it off and wiped it down to remove any debris. Next, we masked off the area to paint with paper and tape and laid a sheet of plastic on the ground under where we were going to paint. Because the car will be fogged shortly, we weren't very concerned with overspray. To make the job a little easier, the hood can always be removed to gain easier access to crevices and hard-to-reach areas.