best way to clean and paint an iron block?

[SS Shaun]

OK guys and gals i am going to get snowed in this weekend so i wanted to spend some time cleaning my lq9. I was wondering what do you guys use on your blocks to clean it up and make it look pretty again? I was thinking about painting it some kind of old school chevy orange. but before i do that i want to clean off all the gunk and grim off the motor. What do you guys use or do? for the 454 it was easy the machine shop did it..lol but for the lq9 i am not going to take it apart i know it ran and ran pretty strong even in the totaled truck. am i going to have to pull out the drill and a wire wheel for this one?