Show me your engine compartments!

[Astrodokk]

Come on, don't be shy. I need ideas for making mine look sharp when I open the newly insulated dog house. I want that WOW factor, I want to hear the oohs and aahs!
Here's mine...not too exciting right now. Eventually, I would like to remove, clean and replace the big block valve covers restored to original GMC blue.
Other than that, I have no clue what else to do except maybe Armorall the rubber.

[gloran]

Ooh,aah I think what you have looks pretty good already.

[Astrodokk]

Oh man, you cracked me up! LOL
I think if you saw it in person though, you wouldn't want to get near it. Cobwebs, grime, rust, old foamy oily insulation, wierd wires all over the place. Yep, that's all going to get cleaned up. That's right, I'm going to drive 75 mph on the freeway. That should do the trick. My tire codes read 303, so I may have to go a bit slower (yes, before 2000, ok?). That's a new thread in itself.
I just thought about replacing my fuel filter too. The engine hesitates somewhat. Perhaps I'll paint it yellow to brighten up the engine compartment!

[drboyd]

Put the plug wires in wire looms - chrome or color to complement or match the coach . Send out the air cleaner center cover to be chromed. Change valve covers to some fancy hot rod type - or send the existing covers out to be chromed, too.

Get wire loom to cover misc wires.

Have miscellaneous brackets chromed or powder-coated to match the wire loom?

Add covers for the hoses.

Just some random thoughts...

[ScrapIrony-2]

You could just buy a couple of cans of spray paint(your color choice) and have at it...keep the spare can for touch-ups and those pesky oil spots...

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, the only thing that I see from your pictures is wires running everywhere. In my younger years, I spent many hours wrapping wire looms, re-routing wires and hoses. I see a solenoid with several wires; I would wrap them with a good electrical tape or use convolute. I see two separate wire looms going in two different directions over the left valve cover. I would join them in one convolute and have them follow the valley if possible. I see a few plug wires that are too short and a few that are too long. I would swap them to find a more even length or re-route them to look more even. That RED wire at the rear of the engine must have a better way to get from point A to point B. I can't see it in your picture, but I used to shorten and re-route heater hoses too.

[Astrodokk]

About 10 years ago I had someone find and install all the smog stuff that was missing, and he did all the work. I never did get back into the compartment to "clean" things up because in my mind, this was not a performance engine, just an old moho.
About 5 years ago I bought a 1965 Corvette Sting Ray and a buddy and I put a high performance engine in there in my garage and I did alot of other work on it as well. I raced the heck out of it, all the while towing it with the moho, while never giving the engine compartment a glance.
Now, I've decided that I may eventually part ways with it and I decided to spiff up under the hood so it looks like what I did with the Vette...clean!
I've actually already bought some wire corrugation, blue spray paint, plug looms, and other stuff. After I'm done, I'll post a pic.
Pictures would sure help me get other good ideas too.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by Astrodokk

...Pictures would sure help me get other good ideas too.

YES, great idea for a thread! Every time I see a picture of an engine compartment I save it. I have to reconstruct the entire engine compartment of my 74 Argosy from scratch because the engine, transmission and all the associated components were gone by the time the motorhome came into my hands.

So by all means post pictures of your engine compartments along with views from the front as well.

Brad

[Keyair]

Great thread idea Astro!

Goodness Brad, collecting pics of Airstream parts... I would NEVER do that...

I hope this counts...

This is how ours looked when we got it..
Wrong carb, airfilter, missing and/or disconnected emissions stuff...
Still managed 8.4mpg on one leg of the drive home tho.


The banks airfilter top was under the bed, with the original lower housing, but it had been sawn off..

I figured out why later...
The bracket that holds the Cruise control head and battery isolator has been repostioned... and the snorkle would not fit under it, so they chopped it off!

This is what I am working toward putting in under my doghouse...

Restored Banks top... refurbished junkyard lower, plastic snorkle, and hot air feed pipe.



Correct Quadrajet.


Rebuilt and blinged up carb and Edelbrock Performer 2.0 intake!



With Banks filter.


Micky Thompson Cast Aluminum Valvecovers..


Mallory HEI Dizzy.

[bkahler]

I like those Mickey Thomson valve covers! How do you plan on connecting the remote filler to the valve cover?

[Keyair]

Originally Posted by bkahler

I like those Mickey Thomson valve covers! How do you plan on connecting the remote filler to the valve cover?

I don't....

I could with a little work, but taking the doghouse off is a small chore to fill.

[idroba]

A friend of mine with a GMC motorhome cut the top of the doghouse cover (flat on the GMC) and mounted a piece of very heavy tempered glass in it. He now can look down at the engine any time he wants. It is kinda cool, actually.

Sorry, I have no photos of it.

[Keyair]

Originally Posted by idroba

A friend of mine with a GMC motorhome cut the top of the doghouse cover (flat on the GMC) and mounted a piece of very heavy tempered glass in it. He now can look down at the engine any time he wants. It is kinda cool, actually.

Sorry, I have no photos of it.

Now THAT I want to see!

[idroba]

Keyair: I will try to get him to send me a photo so I can post it.

[idroba]

Here are two photos my friend sent me showing the glass in his 1974 GMC motorhome doghouse cover, along with his comments.

"Second one was from the rear. First one from driver's seat. I could not get the glare off but I doubt they want to see the fuel injection bonnet or my aluminum intake anyway. I need to do a little maintenance on it soon. We are going to change the carpet in the cabin area and will change and insulate the cover then. One would think there would be a lot of heat through the 1/4 inch tempered glass but not bad. We can always throw a blanket over it if we need to. I will say that it has saved us two fires. My wife keeps a better eye on it than I do."

[masseyfarm]

Now that is an idea that needs more development.

What about a double glass in a skylight type frame that lifts up for access?

If you are going to fancy up that engine compartment, you want to enjoy the money you spent.

Another thought would be, to install recessed cup holders to keep that coffee hot while running that 454.

With the glass top, you can watch the potatoes bake on the manifold.

Dave

[choctawmel]

You can see it?

How about now?

[Astrodokk]

Wow, talk about a tight fit!
When I had my headers put in, they bent the oil tube so be careful with that.
Show us again from the dog house once you get it all in place.

[jm2]

Originally Posted by idroba

Here are two photos my friend sent me showing the glass in his 1974 GMC motorhome doghouse cover, along with his comments.

"Second one was from the rear. First one from driver's seat. I could not get the glare off but I doubt they want to see the fuel injection bonnet or my aluminum intake anyway. I need to do a little maintenance on it soon. We are going to change the carpet in the cabin area and will change and insulate the cover then. One would think there would be a lot of heat through the 1/4 inch tempered glass but not bad. We can always throw a blanket over it if we need to. I will say that it has saved us two fires. My wife keeps a better eye on it than I do."

Would really like to learn about the aluminum intake your friend used? Am wanting to ditch the factory filter housing & snorkel for something that will feed cooler and better filtered air into the carb.

Thanks in advance....

[Waipio Rim]

"Would really like to learn about the aluminum intake your friend used? Am wanting to ditch the factory filter housing & snorkel for something that will feed cooler and better filtered air into the carb."

This thread: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f159...ers-62717.html
has information on a couple of different cold air intake setups. It inspired me to buy something similar that I may have talked myself out of installing.