The Ultimate Body Swap: Fresh Paint for My Chevy-Honda Engine Bay

In this episode of the AWD Honda-powered El Camino body swap series, I dive into some serious engine bay work. From tearing everything out to getting it primed, painted, and looking fresh in Honda Championship White (NHO), it’s a complete transformation. But it’s not all shop time—I also take a quick break to hit the water with a friend and enjoy some time on the boat. After the break, it’s back to business with scuffing, applying a slick base coat, and sealing it all with clear coat for that glossy finish. To top it off, I test fit some new wheels I scored on Facebook Marketplace, and I couldn’t be happier with how they look. Check out the whole process and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Chapters/Bookmarks:

00:00 - 01:51 | Intro & Build Background: Brief background on the project and plans for this video.
01:51 - 04:00 | Engine Bay Teardown: Removing everything from the engine bay, including brake lines, power steering lines, and more.
04:00 - 05:20 | Degreasing & Pressure Washing: Cleaning the empty engine bay to prep for further work.
05:20 - 07:11 | Grinding & Rust Removal: Grinding off high spots and removing rust from the engine bay.
07:11 - 08:30 | Prepping & Applying Primer: Mixing and applying primer to the engine bay.
08:30 - 10:50 | Boat Break! Taking a quick break to enjoy the Florida intercoastal waterway with a friend.
10:50 - 14:43 | Scuffing Pre-Primed Engine Bay: Prepping the primed engine bay by scuffing it down for the base coat.
14:43 - 17:38 | Applying the Base Coat: Spraying the engine bay with Honda Championship White (NHO).
17:38 - 20:40 | Clear Coating for Gloss: Applying two coats of clear for that perfect glossy finish.
20:40 - 21:28 | Test Fitting New Wheels: Trying out new $200 wheels from Facebook Marketplace.
21:28 - End | Conclusion & Wrap Up: Wrapping up the video with final thoughts on the day’s progress.