The clear coat can be a bit of a pig, if you mix it too vigarousley you will get airbubbles in it which need to be removed with a hairdrier once it is applyed,
It stays workable for 3-4 hour's depending on air temp's.
I tend to apple 1 coat then flaten it off and then another 2-3 coats leave for a least 24hrs then flaten again going up to 1200 grit wet & dry.
All of my engine bay bit's have been laquired and have not been affected by the heat, the one that gets the hotest is the little one infront of the manifold na dit's been fine.
I did do an Escort Cossie grill recently that I used the the cuting compound on as I was having problems with the laquire drying and it came out very well, Unfortunatly I did'nt get any decent pictures of it finished.
I'v not done much with the new cover yet apart from mark up a template of how much need's to be added to it, I'm hopeing to build a new workshop/shed in the spring so I might wait till then when I will be better set up to do stuff like this.
Exhaust has settled in nicely
if we get time I'm hopeing to get some sound clips at the weekend