You might even try baking it for a bit at 150 to 200 degrees for a while.
Harold,
Here are some McCoys I painted years ago using the same techniques Dan suggested with one additional step. I was lucky to have a sand blaster at work and after stripping the paint, blasted the head with 50 micron aluminum oxide.
The paint was a spray can of Chevy Red engine paint. I misted a coat on (I think with a Paache spray gun), put it in a kiln at ~125 degrees, let it dry and repeated the process until a number of layers were built up. It's important not to overdo the heat because it will drive off the solvents too quickly and the paint will never cure.
The engine on the far right is new with the original head. The colors are pretty close. I can't explain the chips other than they've been in a box banging into each other for the last 15+ years. They haven't been run since being painted.
Ara