Underhood Appeal – A Guide to Engine Detailing Parts and Ideas
A clean and detailed engine compartment has always been a hallmark of hot rodding. Yes, chrome won’t get you home, but most rodders appreciate an engine and surrounding space that look as good as they run. It’s all part of taking pride in your craftsmanship. And the great thing is you don’t need to be a master fabricator or spend loads of cash – it can really be as simple as taking the time to install, wrap, route, and choose different components on or around the engine.
We’ve all seen the stunning, smooth, and amazing engines of award-winning pro-built cars that take design and function to another level. One of the great things about studying those rides is to find ways to adapt some of their design elements or ideas to your own engine. Relocating LS coils from the valve covers, re-routing or wrapping wiring harnesses, securing lines, replacing big plastic reservoirs, and using matching fasteners and finishes are just a few of the strategies to help clean up under the hood and improve your car’s overall persona – not to mention your own personal satisfaction!
The Buick Grand National was always considered menacing with its all-black dress and of course the turbo 3.8-liter V6 under the hood. The team at Dutchboys carried that feeling over on Angelo Vespi’s 1987 Grand National modern street machine. The first thing you notice are the twin turbos mirroring each other on the 7.0-liter LS engine, with matching custom covers and unique inlet clamps. The tubing, as well as the drive accessories and cooler tanks, are all coated with a wrinkle finish and offset nicely between the use of gloss and satin finishes throughout the engine compartment. We’re not sure where the coil packs are hidden, but it’s nice to see the clean painted valve covers and the panel work surrounding the engine is just incredible.
As a side benefit, many under-hood components and accessories can help improve the reliability of your car. Careful placement of spark plug wires, securing fuel lines, and the organized routing of the wiring harnesses all improve the aesthetics of your engine compartment but will also reduce the chance of drivability issues on the road.
Another great thing is that a lot of engine compartment improvements can be done incrementally. You can add a little here and change out something there, all while keeping your car on the road and making updates as your time and budget allow. Take a look at some of the new accessories we found that will help you detail your engine, along with several enviable examples to get a fresh idea on how to improve the details under your hood. Sometimes less is more!
Bitchin’ Bolts
Whether you’re detailing a fresh crate engine or cleaning up a donor, it’s amazing what a difference a fresh set of fasteners will make. ARP offers a convenient Engine & Accessory Fastener Kit that contains bolts for a dozen varied applications, including intake and exhaust manifolds, valve covers, oil pan, front cover, and more.
The kits are available with polished stainless steel or black oxide treated 8740 chromoly bolts in a choice of 12-point or hex heads. Both materials are nominally rated at 180,000-psi tensile strength, fully 20-percent stronger than Grade-8 hardware, and are proudly manufactured in-house at ARP’s California facilities. ARP even organizes the new hardware in vacuum-wrapped packages, so you know each bolt’s location.
Cool Coatings
Engine components need to look as good as they perform, so it is important to finish every part in a durable yet attractive finish. This can be a challenge for parts that see excessive temperatures, so it’s important to go to the professionals at Cap’s Coatings.
Not only does Cap’s know coatings, but they’re also hot rodders, so they understand the unique demands of show-quality finishes. Cap’s offers a wide range of finishes such as powder coating and thermal coatings that include their Bright Hot Porcelain Coatings. Looking for a chrome finish on headers that will last? Caps’ CeraKrome finish will withstand over 1,300-degrees F complemented with many other finishes designed to handle high under hood temperatures.
Classy Cables
Unless you’ve made the move to a modern drive-by-wire system to control your throttle, you should consider updating that ugly stock-style throttle cable (or clunky hard linkage) with a Hi-Tech Cable from Lokar.
Lokar offers universal-fit cables as well as many throttle-body-specific kits in stainless steel braided, black stainless, and even some vintage braided styles. The universal cables include aluminum fittings and ferrules to prevent fraying and incorporate a “U-Cut-to-Fit” outer housing with a stainless inner wire. The clevises are engineered without cotter pins or set screws, making them compatible with factory and aftermarket pedals for straightforward installation. Be sure to finish your install with a Lokar throttle bracket assembly.
Tidy Plug Wire Routing
One of the first things on anyone’s list of engine detailing should be to dial-in the routing of the spark plug wires from the distributor to the spark plugs. Not only will this visually clean up the engine, but you’ll save yourself the hassle of burning wires on the road!
York Speed Shop, the manufacturing division of Roseville Rod & Custom, offers Billet Looms that are machined in-house and available in a hanging design or bolt-down designs that will secure one, two, three, or four plug wires. The Billet Looms area available for 8mm–10mm diameter wires and are available individually or as a kit for small- and big-block Chevy or small-block Fords.
Trick Overflow Tanks
All coolant systems require an overflow tank but there’s no reason to settle for an ugly plastic reservoir under your hood. All American Billet offers several trick overflow tanks that will beautify and add a touch of detail under your hood.
These Billet Overflow Tanks were designed to complement All American’s unique accessory drive systems but will look great on any engine. Three lengths are offered, 10-, 12-, and 14-inch, in a polished, black anodized, or their exclusive Silverline finish. The tanks feature a 2-3/8-inch outer diameter, are equipped with two 5/16 fittings and supplied with two brackets and mounting hardware. All American Billet also offers other accessories including machined fender washers, plug wire looms, coil brackets, and more.
Cool Clamps
There is nothing slick or good looking about a standard radiator clamp, but leave it to the crew at Rad Rides to seek out a hose clamp that works better and looks good too!
Rad Ride’s Turbo Seal Clamps provide an excellent seal thanks to their constant tension and dual bead shield. The clamps lock a hose in place with the inner dual bead by compressing and allowing the clamp to adjust based on temperature changes. The convoluted outer band of the Turbo Seal clamp, which is heat-treated and electro-polished, further allows for expansion and contraction due to thermal cycling. Different diameters are available.
Jeramiah Allen’s ’54 Bel Air is a classic example of less is more when it comes to detailing a traditionally flavored small-block Chevy. The engine appearance is enhanced by the extremely sanitary surrounding firewall and inner fenders, with no master cylinder, no wires, lines or hoses to distract you, which forces your eye straight to the engine which is topped with classic finned aluminum valve covers and a matching air cleaner atop a polished carb. Note that the plug wires are routed neatly down under the exhaust manifolds rather than across the valve covers, and the alternator is mounted low and out of sight. Heat shrink hose clamps and 12-point ARP intake bolts are nice details, too.
Secret Wiring
When it comes to wiring, unless you’re going for a vintage hot rod or racecar vibe, seeing less is best. Today though, that’s easier said than done due to the proliferation of electronics in modern builds. Painless Wiring understands the challenge of hiding (and protecting) under hood wiring and the company’s PowerBraid is a useful solution.
PowerBraid is a flexible, semi-rigid material, with a tough woven texture for a tidy appearance while protecting the insulation of your wiring harness or cables. The woven construction provides superior abrasion resistance with a continuous temperature rating of -94 to 257-degrees F. The split-loom design allows for easy installation, even on vehicles that are completely wired. Painless offers different diameters individually or vehicle-specific kits.
Four-Corner Steam Vents
LS engines have at least two ports in the top front of each head called steam ports (sometimes they’ll have four). These ports are needed to remove steam or air pockets from the coolant passages. But as with most factory components, the stock rubber hose and tubes are not exactly attractive.
Earl’s Performance Plumbing offers several trick Steam Vent Kits including two- and four-port vent kits. This Four-Corner Steam Tube Kit features the company’s braided stainless steel Speed-Seal hose with plated steel hose ends, adjustable vent adapters, and a distribution block. The flexible lines are easy to install and route, adding a nice detail to your LS engine. Earl’s also offers a four-port system with stainless steel hardlines and other setups.
Valve and Coil Covers
The single best way to improve the looks of your LS engine is to get those pesky coils off the valve covers! However, there’s not always space to remote mount the coils. The answer to this common quandary is a set of valve – and coil – covers from Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs.
Scott’s Billet LS Valve ’N Coil Covers are designed to accept the LS3/LSA coils, which mount to the valve cover assembly then are covered by a top piece with a unique design. There is space inside to hide the coil wiring along with a port for each plug wire. Each set comes with polished 12-point ARP hardware and custom oil fill cap.
Fittings, Fuel Rails and Logs
Factory fuel lines are designed to fit and function, but they are far from having any style. This is one area where the aftermarket shines with improved designs which can also result in increased performance. Aeromotive offers a perfect example with their Billet Fuel Rails for port fuel injected engines.
Each Billet Fuel Rail System is based on a CNC-machined billet rail assembly engineered for high flow. The fuel ports accept ORB-port fittings and custom mounting brackets are supplied for each application. Aeromotive offers several kits for popular engines that are supplied with billet AN hose ends, stainless steel hose, and even a regulator. If you’re more of a carburetor guy, check out their great-looking and useful Fuel Log setups.
Billet Crown
The Chevy LT4 engine is a 6.2-liter powerhouse in part due to its Eaton supercharger packing air into the cylinder heads. The engine already stands out in any engine compartment, but there’s always room for personalization when it comes to hot rods, and Modern Classic can help with their finned LT4 Supercharger Lid.
With its finned aluminum construction and machined highlights, this unit provides a slick vintage style to a modern supercharged LT4 engine. These lids are a direct replacement for the factory piece and even offer an increase in volume over the early factory design. The Modern Classic Lids can be installed in as little as 15 minutes and are made in the USA.
T-Clamp Kits
Made-4-You’s All Plumb, Brake Line, and Racer Clamp kits are the perfect solution to clean up your brake lines, fuel lines, cables, and everything in between. Precision molded from nylon, these clamps will not fade, stain, or discolor and are impervious to automotive fluids. The clamps are easy to install and will keep your lines secure with improved appearance under the hood.
Each kit contains a variety of T-Clamps designed to keep your cables in place, as well as stainless steel hardware and a durable plastic storage case. Made in the USA and available in six different colors, the clamps allow for a variety of customizing options.
Whether you’re building a vintage rod, a ‘70s street machine, or a traditional custom, it’s impressive when you can carry that theme over to the engine. Ty Zito was a fan of the sport truck scene of the early-’90s and when Twin States Rod Shop reworked his ’93 Chevy Indy Pace Truck, everyone was on the same page with the engine details. No LS here, rather a big block Chevy treated to the glorious graphics and colors of the day. The Edelbrock tunnel ram-style EFI intake works well and was painted to match the valve cover graphics and even the accessory drive got the color treatment. Bonus points on the gloss black surroundings, the neon plug wires, and details such as the A/C hose brackets, chrome hood latch, intake duct clamps, and classic K&N breathers.
Intake Plumbing
For engines with a forward-facing throttle body, you’re going to need to assemble an air intake tube, which can get a bit challenging. The goal is to have an air cleaner positioned so it receives fresh, cooler air, but you also need to have the assembly routed away from the accessory drive and radiator, with space for any fuel management sensors.
Speedway Motors has a substantial offering of air intake tubing in different lengths, diameters, and even forms, including 90- and 45-degree elbows. To help everything come together, they also have different diameter couplers along with a variety of air cleaners to complete the job. There are even complete kits for specific applications that may work for you.
Covers with Style
For classic engines with a carb or throttle body, the choice of air cleaner is an important decision. The air cleaner is front and center as soon as you open the hood, so selecting one that fits your car or truck’s style is important – and with all the different versions available, you’ll find something that fits!
Edelbrock offers a lot of air cleaner assemblies including round ones, ovals, or even triangles. This Classic Round 14-inch assembly features raised fins for a taste of nostalgia to complement their finned valve covers adding congruency under the hood. Available in polished aluminum or durable black powder coated finish, these air cleaners are also supplied with a pre-oiled cotton gauze element for excellent filtration.
Looks Right, Charges Right
If you’re going for a vintage, traditionally styled engine like a Flathead with cool Navarro heads and an Edelbrock Slingshot manifold, please don’t run a standard alternator! Any vintage engine, Y-block, early Hemi, or even a vintage small-block Chevy need a PowerGEN from Powermaster.
The PowerGEN looks like an old-school generator but delivers the consistent charging of an alternator. This means no more dimming headlamps at stoplights or drooping charge gauges while sitting at an idle. The PowerGEN features one-wire connection and bolts to most factory brackets for an easy installation. Plus, they weigh a fraction of the factory generator while producing 65 amps at idle with 90-plus amps at top rpm.
It’s fairly common to see LS engines disguised as vintage engines ranging, with plenty of strategies to make them look like small-blocks, big-blocks, 409s, and even Ford FEs. When done right, it can be a good look in a vintage car or truck. In the case of Dennis Mayfield’s ’70 F100 built by Customs and Hot Rods of Andice, it’s nice to see a modern 5.0-liter Ford Coyote engine in vintage dress. On most engines, a Borla 8-Stack induction system gets your attention immediately, but in this case, it’s the vintage 427 SOHC valve covers that draw you in for a closer look. The finned coolant reservoir and master cylinder cover tie in nicely and again, note the clean surroundings and color highlights.
Braided Hoses
Visually speaking, air conditioning and heater hoses can add a lot of confusion around an engine, but there’s only so much you can do when it comes to routing or hiding lines. One step you can take is to improve the look of those hoses with the help of Pure Choice Automotive Plumbing Products.
Pure Choice offers its new Pure Stealth Nylon braided hoses for both A/C lines and heater hoses. The vintage-style hoses add a subtle sophistication under the hood and when combined with their Stealth Black ceramic coated fittings, they can improve the details of your engine compartment. Different colors and patterns combinations are available.
Chrome Compressors
If you want to stay cool while driving your cool classic, be sure to use an air conditioning compressor that looks as good as it works. A/C compressors aren’t designed to score style points, so if you’re going to run one, contact Tuff Stuff for a compressor they’ve finished in chrome, polished, or painted.
Tuff Stuff offers multiple sizes of Sanden-style compressors that have been detailed with a great looking finish to enhance your detailed engine. Compressors are available to replace many factory or aftermarket units and available with a 2V-, 4- or 6-groove pulley. Each compressor is 100-percent new and comes right from their Cleveland, Ohio, facility. Check out their line of chrome power steering pumps and pulleys, too!
Move Those Coils
There’s no denying the benefits of the LS engine, from its compact package and light weight to its terrific power coupled with smooth performance. One area that needs improvement, especially when dropped into a vintage vehicle, is the overall aesthetics. Primarily, the plastic intake and those eight coils mounted on the valve covers.
Summit Racing offers a handy solution for the coils with their Remote Mount LS Coil relocation brackets. The brackets are designed to secure four LS coils in a compact and sturdy assembly. The bracket system is powder coated for a show finish and versatile to mount out of the way to help clean up the top of your LS engine.
Unique Bolts and Clamps
Everything under the hood is bolted together, so why not use some unique bolts to add a subtle custom touch when you get a chance? NotcHead offers a line of special fasteners that will give your engine a fresh look and style its own.
NotcHead was born from the crew at Divers Street Rods as a quest to do somethings different while still doing them right. Their Standard Fasteners are machined from Grade 5 stainless steel and are machined into a unique head assembly and neoprene-bonded stainless washer. Installation sockets are available, and the bolts come in a variety of lengths and thread sizes to add a fresh look to your engine compartment.
Jimmy Hervatin’s ’52 Ford F1 was inspired by artwork of a cool custom pickup drawn by Keith Weesner and though there were no drawings of the engine, Jimmy’s choice is solid example of a traditional show rod. Engine selection is paramount and a 324c.i. Oldsmobile Rocket V8 topped with a polished Edelbrock 3×2 intake was a wise choice. The engine block is painted to match the truck’s exterior, and there is thoughtful plating and detailing everywhere else. Note the base plates and linkage of the carbs finished to match the polished brass fuel lines, the air filter covers, and the brass finish of the radiator. The chrome generator is flanked by chrome hood hinges, and dig the finishing touches with polished valve covers painted body color inside the fins, vintage clear spark plug wires, acorn nuts securing the carbs, and color-coordinated braided sleeves covering the wiring.
