As others have said, concentrate on one area at a time, and get it to the standard you want, then move onto the next area, and once finished, and after a lot of elbow grease you just need to maintain it, but I would strongly suggest staying clear of alternator with wire wool, use a dremmel and a polishing wheel
there are some members who have outstanding engine bays, in addition to those shown and are better than when they came out of the factory
One or two examples
Can find a better picture
Stu