I also want to pretty up the engine compartment while I have the engine out. What type of paint have others used? What about painting accessories and brakets and such?

I've used the hight heat on brackets before but I can now say I would take them to a powder coating shop in your area. Not as cheap but my last car I took the a/c, alt, ps, and all the pulleys in and it cost around $40.00. As far as the pumps and moving parts I don't like that idea. It looks nice but to many problems. In the engine compartment just use a good paint and clean, clean, clean when you get done with all the cleaning clean some more. you will always find something overlooked or missed somehow when you go to spray it.

I used Automotive paint this last two go arounds (76 & 80 engines). The first block I threw in the 76 I used some Duplicolor Engine Enamal. It lasted pretty good.

Powder coating is pretty cool too or it looks like it would be. I've never done that....yet. Maybe some day. I wouldn't try powder coating the engine but small stuff would work. I like chrome. So as much as possible I use either polished aluminum or chrome plated stuff if I can get my hands on it.

I've used some paint called "Bumper Chrome" on things like Power steering pumps, Water Pumps and some brackets. It is as close to chrome as you can get with paint, in my opinion. Takes a good 12 hours to really set and harden but then it lasts a good while, 2 or so years exposed.

not that I have had to repaint anything on my el camino engine compartment yet except the block but on my 71 Buick GS, I used Krylon semi flat black for the inner fenders, fire wall, and rad support. I also used the semi flat black on the brackets for the A/C, pulleys, and power steering pump, pulley, and bracket. Fairly inexpensive, looks like original, last quite a few years, and easy to paint.

On the block for my 70 Elky SS 396, I used the Duplicolor Chevy Orange engine enamel and it turned out gorgeous. Color is very close to original and so far have had no peeling or cracking of the paint. Main thing to do is the prep work so the paint has a good surface to stick to.