S14 Color Matched Engine Bays

[aardvark]

looking at a used S14 (Blue Emerald paint). and the car has a black engine bay. this is the second one i've seen like this. did green S14s just not get a color matched engine bay like the other colors?

[Dousan_PG]

yes s14s often had different colored engine bays
quite normal
seems especially on koukis

[aardvark]

whats the rhyme or reason behind it? year, trim, assembly plant?

[Dousan_PG]

nissan was not doing so hot those years
might have had something to do with it??
rdm might know

[ILoveMyRHS13]

I've never noticed that... Looking back through my pictures it's very common. :hyper:

[EDacIouSX]

it's called "under coating." emerald blue on the outside, black engine bay (under coating) on the inside. not sure why they did it.

[420sx]

saves on paint. different grade of finish

[The Chad]

Well my 1st S14 was red, with a red engine bay...then i purchased my current emerald blue one that came with a black engine bay. I don't know the reason behind it but i prefer the black. It hides oil stains and such. :)

[WoolyS14DET]

I got a 98 green kouki with a black bay and my white 97 was the same as well

[aardvark]

...I don't know the reason behind it but i prefer the black. It hides oil stains and such. :)

thats exactly why i hate it. i like bright engine bays so i quickly spot leaks or if something is out of place.

[Maiku240sxS14]

^ i'm with aardvark, but I never noticed that...

[RoYaL FLuSH]

my '97 (which was imported from the US) is deep fuscia and the engine bay is black. however, all the s14's i've seen from here (canada) have matching engine bays

[projectRDM]

it's called "under coating." emerald blue on the outside, black engine bay (under coating) on the inside. not sure why they did it.

Um, no. Undercoating is the rough textured stuff on the underside of the car. The engine bay paint is just base coat with no clear. Certain colors got painted black for some reason, LN1 Concord Gray, BP3 Mediterrean Blue, FN2 Emerald Green and a few others. No clue why.

[murda-c]

I always thought it was to save money on paint.

[mrmephistopheles]

I'd attribute this to the necessity for a black basecoat for darker paints.

Beyond that... :confused:

[derek_s13]

^^yeah, it seems like only the dark colors had black engine bays.

the lighter ones probably had a gray or offwhite basecoat, so the bays got painted.



my 97 green has black bay, my buddy's 97 red has red engine bay. and the maroon zenki's have maroon bays.



also, it's not only the engine bay, it's in the underside of the trunk and underside of the hood too.

[atutt]

thats exactly why i hate it. i like bright engine bays so i quickly spot leaks or if something is out of place.

Agreed... I have a blue Emerald S14.. Matte black engine bay. It makes it a pain to spot oil leaks at night.

my '97 (which was imported from the US) is deep fuscia and the engine bay is black. however, all the s14's i've seen from here (canada) have matching engine bays

I live in Ontario, Canada and my engine bay is matte black.

^^yeah, it seems like only the dark colors had black engine bays.

the lighter ones probably had a gray or offwhite basecoat, so the bays got painted.



my 97 green has black bay, my buddy's 97 red has red engine bay. and the maroon zenki's have maroon bays.



also, it's not only the engine bay, it's in the underside of the trunk and underside of the hood too.

Not in my car. Everything was colour matched except for the engine bay...

[corey240]

Yea I had a 96 se and it was red, inside and out, trunk to engine bay. But my 98 se is green with a black engine back and the trunk isnt 100% either. When I repaint it will get the nice gloss its needs.:ghey:

[timlush]

Red and maroon S14s both have the same color red bays.

[usdm180sx]

my champagne hatch has a tan engine bay

[EDacIouSX]

yea mine's tanish as well, 95 gold.

[sncs14]

Silver Moss cars had this color engine bay, it's kind of a beige light tan color.
http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/8408/dsc02879nl2.jpg