Brands
Most engine paint on UK shelves comes from a handful of makers, and some of it is repackaged under a supplier's own label. These pages cover the makers: who they are, what their engine ranges are rated for, where their instructions contradict each other, and how their paint gets to Britain. Three of the five have changed hands since 2019, so a good deal of what forums say about them describes companies that no longer exist in that form.
- POR-15
The American rust-coating maker's brush-on engine enamel: what it is rated for, how long it takes to cure, and the single route by which it reaches the UK.
- VHT
The American aerosol range from the Dupli-Color stable: two products that are easy to confuse, a cure you can't skip, and how to tell a real VHT can on a UK shelf.
- Eastwood
The American restoration supplier's own engine paints: a brush-on ceramic enamel, a 2K aerosol whose mask advice falls short of HSE's, and the two UK distributors.
- Hycote
The British aerosol maker on every motor factor's shelf: two engine colours, a gloss black rated far lower than retailers claim, and a separate range for exhausts.
- Rust-Oleum
American forums recommend Rust-Oleum engine enamel constantly. The UK company of the same name doesn't sell it. What the range is, and why you can't buy it here.