Painting an aluminum radiator?

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by rich b

I put BBQ paint directly onto a couple aluminum radiators; seemed to hold up well. Even when removing bugs from the one in my roadster.

Or my teeth....

[GB SISSON]

I primed the radiator this evening. I used the rustoleum 'self etching primer'. On the back of the can it claims it is excellent on aluminum. Maybe in an hour I will take advantage of the residual heat from the wood stove in the cabinet shop and give it a light coat of the satin black. That way I can plumb it into the six tomorrow. I really like this primer so I primed the radiator support bracket with it as well. I will get a pic or two soon.

[GB SISSON]

Here is the primer I used. I painted the black an hour later but it looks glossy until it dries. Time will tell if this works out. To me, painting shiney aluminum and it flakes off in patches, big or small looks way worse than just leaving it aluminum. It's sorta like poor rust repair.... The bubbling bondo under glossy paint looks way worse to me than some rust damage on a door bottom. BTW, the radiators made for a sbc into a flathead V8 vehicle line up nicely with the Ford flathead six. Didn't need to reinvent the wheel on this one.

[pistonbroke]

GB, Go down to East Sound marina and grab a can of outboard lower unit primer then just mist it on lightly and paint what ever color you want . It will stick! Tim

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by pistonbroke

GB, Go down to East Sound marina and grab a can of outboard lower unit primer then just mist it on lightly and paint what ever color you want . It will stick! Tim

That would be Westsound Marina Tim, and I have to say the way they paint outboards today, they look new for many, many years. I used the rustoleum self etch and now we see how it holds up. Fine , I'm sure. My stuff gets shedded all year. Give me a holler if you come to Orcas.