List your coolest engine dress-up

[Flying Low]

List your favorite ideas, modifications or aftermarket jewels for the engine bay.

Since I've taken off the engine cover done the following:

Comptech manifold billet cover
K&N cone filter
Painted coolant bottle matt black.

So far, it looks great. Next, I plan to get the red Comptech strut tower brace (obviously more benefits than just looks!) and the Comptech oil cap.

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94 Red & Tan NSX 5spd
1999 Cosmos BMW M Coupe 5spd

[This message has been edited by Flying Low (edited 23 October 2000).]

 

[PAUL M]

I took my engine cover off this weekend. The coolest thing i did was polish the altenator.I covered the inside of the grills with rolled up pieces of cloth tape so the dust wouldnt get in and used 2 different fine sandpapers. looks pretty good! just takes alittle time.I knew it would work cause i did it to my old 240z when i was younger.

 

[PUREVIL]

Flying Low,

The coolest thing I've done so far is get an STR oil cap, it looks like the nuclear symbol. It was kind of spendy, 60 with shipping. Over the winter I plan on getting headers and the top half of the Comptech Carbon Fiber intake.

Another thing I did and this wasn't in the engine bay was polish the spare tire carrier and all the metal tubes in the front compartment.

If you look at Dali Racing they have a bunch of polished aluminum stuff you can buy, like injector covers, manifold cover, coil covers, etc. Later when I take care of more important things I'll get all of those too.


[This message has been edited by PUREVIL (edited 23 October 2000).]

 

[David]

I powder coated my valve covers red. Also have polished aluminum manifold cover, fuse box cover, coil covers, coolant bottle, oil filler cap, alternator belt cover and polished alternator. Recently added red strut brace and I am replacing the hoses with red ones soon.

 

[ChopsJazz]

Purevil,
Don't do the headers for looks alone. You can't see them unless you're UNDER the car. Do it for the performance.

 

[Flying Low]

David - your engine must look cool. Do you have a picture?

Chopsjazz - you're a smart ass

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94 Red & Tan NSX 5spd
1999 Cosmos BMW M Coupe 5spd

 

[David]

I am pulling the engine in about a week (to do the turbo upgrade) so a lot of the accessories are already off of it. I will post a picture when it is reassembled.

 

[ChopsJazz]

Perhaps I misread the topic, but I understood "engine dress-up" to imply a "for looks alone" modification. If you think I'm a smart ass for stating a fact, well then, so be it.
Fact: You cannot see the headers from the top of the engine bay.

 

[PUREVIL]

ChopsJazz

Why would I do headers for "engine dress up"?

I was stating that I'm going to get headers and other performance items before I get the dress up items. Make sense now? Why would I think headers are "dress up items"? I mean they look cool but headers are mainly performance and if you thought I truely thought they were "dress up items" I'm truely offended that you would think I'm that stupid and obviously don't read all of my posts.

 

[TampaBayNSX-R]

Personally, I think one of the best sides of the NSX is the "underside". I rack my car regularly and clean my shocks, springs, suspension components, etc...I have Comptech exhaust front to back including the cat baypass pipes...I get huge compliments all the time from mechanics on how great the exhaust looks. So, there you have it...looks great and makes more HP! That's the best of both worlds in my book. Now, can we all get along and get back to enjoying our cars?

 

[TampaBayNSX-R]

As far as the engine dress up mods go...
I have the Dali Racing braided hose kit with chrome fittings...very good price and looks great. The directions are very good with lots of pics and install isn't bad at all. The Dali polished manifold cover, water bottle and fuse box cover are also priced very well and add alot of shine. That milkjug looking OEM water bottle just doesn't belong next to a motor as sweet as the NSX's! Dali also makes polished billet injector covers that absolutely go off. I don't have them...but I covet them! Oh Santa...are you listening?

 

[ChopsJazz]

Purevil,
You know, maybe I'm missing something. But I read your post a number of times and I didn't see anything in it about doing the headers as a performance upgrade. I thought that the subject of the post was "dress-up". I really wasn't trying to be offensive. I was just going back to my Chevy days when headers sounded cool and LOOKED cool too.
BTW, the correct spelling is "truly".

 

[Flying Low]

Chops jazz, I was making a joke!!! : ) (This is a prime example of how e-mail cannot convey tone.) It was meant to put a smile on your face. Oh well.

Incidentally, I thought you were teasing PureEvil by stating the obvious. It made me laugh - so I responded accordingly. (i.e; Good joke.) I guess you weren't kidding around though. Evidently, you really thought Purevil was really installing headers for looks. I think he's a little hurt!

Oh the drama!

- Marc

[This message has been edited by Flying Low (edited 27 October 2000).]

 

[ChopsJazz]

Thanks for the reply Marc.
You're right, the web is tough to use for humor. I guess I know I'm a smart ass, but that time I was just trying to be another helpful NSX owner. When I got my headers the technician showed them to me so I could see how great they were constructed; a real piece of art. And then he told me, "This is the last time you'll see them." It didn't occur to me that they wouldn't be visible from the engine bay. The way people throw money at polishing and chrome and look-good parts that have no performance value, it didn't seem so absurd to me that anyone would install headers and think that they'd also get some visual appeal from them as well.
Just thought I was being helpful!

[This message has been edited by ChopsJazz (edited 27 October 2000).]