Getting My Mercury Cowl Repainted

[David CVX-16]

Last year I used industrial cleaner on my Mercury cowl to get off the wet spots and water skum. I foolishly used it full strength rather than 5 or 10 to 1 and took off some of the paint on the cowl exposing the bare aluminum color ridges. It is hardly noticeable but it bothers me. Today I took the cowl to an excellent body shop, and same one that painted the side of the Celica and did a perfect job. Brian will repaint using Mercury paint adding flexible additives to the paint because the cowl bends putting it off and on. Here is the before picture. When the job is finished, will show the before and after.

A word to the wise, test the cleaner or product in a small spot first to see the results, and read the directions.

[Rosscoe]

Wow I cant see where the finish is messed up. Are they going to shoot the whole thing? Mask off the lettering?

[David CVX-16]

The ribbed middle panel shows some gold toward the back where the paint is thin. Just the cowl will be painted, the rest of the motor is okay except for the bottom of the skeg. The paint man will tape over the two silver strips and the middle blue Mercury decal and paint the rest. He does excellent work and I trust him.  Brian has painted the cars of Prince and Carl Pohlad (about $160,000 on his Buick Roadmaster station wagon).

[Rosscoe]

OK I see the area now.

Well sounds like the guy might know what he's doing then. Just dont let him paint it PURPLE. 

[Glastron_GT160]

David the perfectionist... lol

I'm sure when you're done with the paint job you could wetsand & polish it to have a mirror finish in that phantom black paint to match your props

I've used carb cleaner & acetone before in the shop and accidentally used the same rag later to wipe a painted surface... oops, bye-bye paint.

Here's an example of a BAD cowling ...  scratched and dented.  In the furniture world they call that distressed. 

[David CVX-16]

Chris, but that motor was tuned to perfection by you. You also had a picture of a 9.8 Mercury that you had refinished. Remember when you took parts from one motor to another to make your annual canal run.

[Glastron_GT160]

Yes, you caught me... I don't like scratched motors either

'twas a 3.9hp that got the overhaul.  Sold that one, but I still have another here that needs the same treatment.

I only have 5 Mercs left, and am hoping to find time over the winter to reduce that amount.

[David CVX-16]

Nice job restoring that Mercury. Hopefully you will get your shop set up in the new house and find time to work on projects. Something satisfying about taking something old and neglected and making it like new. My past projects like that were an old wood radio with tubes, 11' racing runabout finished in varnish and epoxy paint with 22 HP Mercury that would do 35 MPH, 87 Celica GTS liftback, rocking chair, the interior and carpeting in the Glastron V-153, and the three gas tanks sandblasted and powder coated.  Wish I had more shop area (just a small work bench in the furnace room) over the winter. Oh well, all the rooms in the house need painting, and that may be the winter project. Hopefully win some points with my wife for some more boat projects next spring.

[Rosscoe]

David the perfectionist... lol


Agreed!

[David CVX-16]

Life is hard this way, but I know you accept me.  Either try to make it perfect, ignore it, sell it, trade it, cover it, or give it away.