# Outboard Cowl paint



## kalninm (Nov 17, 2017)

The outboard on my project boat is pretty rough on the outside. looking for ideas on how to redo the cowl. any ideas for types of paint or other interesting ideas, I know you guys are full of ideas!

Thanks


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## Pappy (Nov 18, 2017)

The more information you give.....the better information you get. 
There are suppliers of antique outboard paints 
There are suppliers for Vintage
There are dealers who can order the correct paint for modern engines. 
At this point we do not even know what brand engine........................ :beer:


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## Johnny (Nov 18, 2017)

_PHOTOS_ of what you have and more information of your concerns will help the gallery help you.

*this is an excellent tutorial by members here that have painted their motors:* https://www.forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=42196&hilit=painting+my+motor




But I can guarantee you this: with a new paint job, new decals, new chrome,
fresh oil in the gear box will increase your horse power by *7.43%*
and you will notice an increase in your speed by *4.62* miles per hour.


.


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## kalninm (Nov 19, 2017)

Had no idea there were that many options, its an 89 Evinrude Tracker 50hp. Not really looking to make it look exactly like original but need to clean it up to say the least


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## Pappy (Nov 19, 2017)

That is an easy one. Any Evinrude dealer can order and sell you an exact match for your engine. Marineengine.com probably can as well.

Edit - Take your model number with you if you go to an Evinrude dealer. That will make sure you get the exact paint match.


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## richg99 (Nov 19, 2017)

I had no idea that engine cowls had special paint. My 1996 50hp Johnson cowl had a ton of flaking and scrapes on it when I bought it. 

I masked off the lettering, which was in pretty good shape surprisingly, and sanded the cowl lightly. I then painted it with some semi-gloss Rustoleum.

It was Black, so I guess I lucked out. Looks good two years later, and a touch-up is easy enough. 

Obviously, I didn't look at it as a collector's item. Ha Ha


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## BillPlayfoot (Nov 19, 2017)

If I was going to repaint my engine cowl I would get the auto paint supply store to "camera" the cowl for a colour match, mix a pint of polyurethane single stage paint and spray it. But that is just me.
Auto paint supply stores can also mix the colour and put it in aerosol cans if that is your preference.


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## richg99 (Nov 19, 2017)

*"Auto paint supply stores can also mix the colour and put it in aerosol cans if that is your preference"*

I didn't know that! Every day I learn something valuable on this site. Thanks.


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## kalninm (Nov 20, 2017)

richg99 said:


> Auto paint supply stores can also mix the colour and put it in aerosol cans if that is your preference"



I did this this year for some rust repair i was doing on my truck. Napa will do it for you right in their store and they can even add the clear coat to the same spray can, unfortunately since they don't do a ton of this it is hard for them to do more intricate colors. So after trying three different batches from them none of them came out very well, so I went with an online retailer that specializes in automotive paints and its a pretty damn good match! however a buddy used Napa for his white 2005 Mustang and you can't even tell where he painted. Anyways sorry for the story but yes a lot of places will do that and it's not even that highly priced, its not a can of rustoleum but its not bad. As for my outboard cowl I'm tempted to get the thing dipped in carbon fiber or a digital camo then put a decal set back on it, but that costs money and rustoleum is like $3.88 #-o tough choices


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## nccatfisher (Nov 20, 2017)

The problem with going to auto paint stores and color matching is they match the color it IS, not the color it WAS. Case in point if you go back a few threads there is one on a mid eighties model Mariner that the thing was white, they were bad to bleach out completely, when they were actually charcoal grey. 

He got the original factory paint and replacement decals and it looks great now.


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## Pappy (Nov 20, 2017)

Exactly! 
Why screw around with an auto parts store when you can get the exact color the engine was painted, in a spray can, at an Evinrude dealer! Or Merc or Yamaha...etc. 
For older engines you can get paint from Reprotint or Nymarine.


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## turbotodd (Nov 23, 2017)

Pappy said:


> Exactly!
> Why screw around with an auto parts store when you can get the exact color the engine was painted, in a spray can, at an Evinrude dealer! Or Merc or Yamaha...etc.
> For older engines you can get paint from Reprotint or Nymarine.




Dunno about the other guys, but yamaha uses color-rite for their paints. It for sure matches, BUT it's really thin, and requires roughly 50% more than decent quality automotive paints for the same coverage.. If doing an entire project (anything but touch-ups), I tend to use regular automotive paint as it goes on better and costs less in the long run. The "trick" is that color-rite's codes seem t be different than Sikkens, DuPont, and others-I've had them try to match color-rite's stuff, and it's doable but my goodness, it took them forever to get it right.


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## G3 JON (Nov 27, 2017)

Just my opinion but unless you want it to be the exact original factory color. Choose one that's close from a auto paint supply store or pick a color you like. Don't be afraid to get different. Seen lots of color sprayed on old motors that look great unless your try to do a oem restoration. Best advise I can give and this comes from an automotive painter is get all the old decals off don't try and save them it will only give you problems later and be sure to prep the panel good and use a quality primer before spraying. If you don't all you new paint will absorb into the old fiberglass in a short period of time if not rite away. For you decals you should be able to find someone with one of those decal printing machines all the girls have now to print some new ones. My sister in law has one and has printed tracker Mercury and other for me and my friends. Not a exact match to oem due to copyright but close enough and better than what we had.


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## kalninm (Nov 27, 2017)

I have no intentions of repainting it just like it was stock, more or less just looking to see if I should use a specific type of paint or if anyone had some cool ideas to redo the cowl to give it it's own look


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## richg99 (Nov 27, 2017)

I agree....

When I decided to re-do the cowling on the '96 Johnson, I picked a relatively flat black that came close to matching what was already on the item. 

My thoughts were far more about
..... "Can I buy more of this same paint in two years if I have to touch up some nicks?"....

It may not look exactly original ( I don't care) but it looks clean, neat, and kind of appears to be the original paint.

There is a difference between trying to recreate the original, and just plain having a functional covering over the old scratched up cowling.

"Form Follows Function..."


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## kalninm (Nov 27, 2017)

Completely agree...... 
Function over Form......
Doesn't have to be perfect but I would like it to look nice, but almost anything would be an upgrade from what it has now hahaha


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## kalninm (Nov 28, 2017)

Thanks for the input guys, I'll post some before and after pics when i actually get around to it this winter, just gathering knowledge and materials for now


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## kalninm (Dec 7, 2017)

Anyone try to wrap their cowl instead of painting it?


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