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How To Restore A Fox Mustang 5.0 Intake Cover/plate

  • Thread starter Thread starter danny g
  • Start date Start date May 28, 2013

danny g

Founding Member
Sep 23, 1999
375
5
18
May 28, 2013
#1
  • May 28, 2013
  • #1
Hello,

I just restored my 5.0 intake plate and had pretty good results. There is so much good info on this site and the web in general that I decided to share my experience. Hopefully this helps someone else.

Materials:
1. cardboard, pizza box, newspaper etc
2. chemical stripper
3. wire brush
4. high temp paint
5. sandpaper
6. paper towels

Steps:

1. Take the plate off the car. It's four screws.
2. Glob some paint stripper on and let it sit for 20 minutes
3. Get the wire brush and go at it. Wipe off gunk, then use hot soap and water. Dry immediately.
4. Shake up paint and apply several light coats. Following directions on drying times between coats. I waited 20 min between LIGHT coats and the 24 hours until sanding.
5. Sanded with a heavy duty paper at first then with fine grit.
6. Wipe off and install on intake.

Now the results are not perfect but much much better then before. I did not prime anything. Not sure how it will last. If it turns to crap in a few months ill try again with priming and let everyone know.
 

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Reactions: Exile

boostfrk

10 Year Member
Aug 30, 2011
712
69
59
Colorado
May 28, 2013
#2
  • May 28, 2013
  • #2
I did the same thing except I primed. Mine's been going strong for over a year now.
 
C

Cwoods88

New Member
Mar 10, 2011
4
0
2
May 28, 2013
#3
  • May 28, 2013
  • #3
Close to the same process for me. I sanded it down as best I could then hit it with some primer, base coat then several coats of high temp clear with a 1 hour bake in the oven (when the wifey was out!) after the base coat was dry for 24 I used a fine buffing pad attached to a grinder to buff the paint off the "raised" part of the plate. Turned out really good!
 

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician
Aug 27, 2012
11,606
8,859
214
In the garage
May 28, 2013
#4
  • May 28, 2013
  • #4
Very nice job! I polish them up in my spare time.
View attachment 128575
 
Reactions: Exile

ID89GT

10 Year Member
May 26, 2008
1,659
18
49
Spokane Valley, WA
May 28, 2013
#5
  • May 28, 2013
  • #5
Looks good, I like the polished look as well
 

Exile

Active Member
Apr 3, 2012
128
5
29
Dallas, Tx
May 29, 2013
#6
  • May 29, 2013
  • #6
mikestang63 said:
Very nice job! I polish them up in my spare time.
View attachment 128567
Click to expand...
Very nice!

Whats your methods in polishing these things if you dont mind me asking???

Do you sell them?
 

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician
Aug 27, 2012
11,606
8,859
214
In the garage
May 29, 2013
#7
  • May 29, 2013
  • #7
Exile said:
Very nice!

Whats your methods in polishing these things if you dont mind me asking???

Do you sell them?
Click to expand...


I use the following

Various Wire wheels- 7" buffing, drill, dremel
DA /belt/ drill/dremel/ hand sanding 60, 220, 400, 500, 1000, 1500 grits
7" Buffing wheel with various wheels and compounds- black, red, white
Mothers mag wheel poish

There are several good videos out there on how to buff pieces. Eastwood and Harbor Freight sell everything you need. It takes a lot of practice and time to get it done right. I am very anal about the appearance.

Yes I sell them. I used to sell many pieces a month but slowed down some as I am not as young as I used to be and it is very labor intensive, plus it is getting very hard to find these pieces in good working order. The JY have doubled the prices ( $50 for valve covers!) and frankly I make little on them when you consider the cost of the part, supplies, and my time. I mostly sell them local to the car show guys. I think I have 1 IAC, 2 EGR 1 intake plate, 2 tensioners and a set of valve covers left.

I am mostly polishing pieces for my cars and some friend these days.
 
Reactions: Exile

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp
10 Year Member
Sep 1, 2010
7,387
2,745
194
Kearney, NE
May 29, 2013
#8
  • May 29, 2013
  • #8
I got tired of chasing spots and dust on a polished intake, so I cleaned and painted a se one upper. The high temp silver paint from Napa looks like the right powder coat and is sticking well. The plate already was painted right with the low spots in body color. If I needed to, I would use masking tape and cut out the areas with a razor blade that needed a second color.
 
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