MustangLX-5.0
Founding Member
Here's an intake I did completely by hand several years ago. Took me awhile to do this. Sold the car to a friend and this photo here is just after I finished. Hence why the TB is not polished either. And BTW, if you can't find Tripoli ( which I have NEVER heard of ., till now) , then you can also use MAAS metal polish. GREAT stuff and I have been using it for 13 years. It's a polishing compound like Tripoli. Makes cake work out of ANY dull metal.
I alwasy work my way up to 2000 grit. That is my preference. When you work the metal up to a smooth 2000 grit, you have gotten all of the scratches and other blemishes out. Stopping at 22 is not a good idea. Then you have to work hard with a polishing/buffing wheel to get all those 220 Grit sandpaper scratches out. It's a pain in the ass. This is why you work the metal in steps. I can see cutting it short at maybe 1000 Grit. Anything lower and it just takes more work to get the scuff marks out.
I had done the water pump and tensioner assembly , as well as the alternator several times. It's a lot of work by hand but you need to use your hand to get those crevices and funky curves. ALso, make sure you where gloves, otherwise your fingers will be turning gray and you'll be tasting aluminum oxide for lunch. Tears the chit out of your hands by the way.
I alwasy work my way up to 2000 grit. That is my preference. When you work the metal up to a smooth 2000 grit, you have gotten all of the scratches and other blemishes out. Stopping at 22 is not a good idea. Then you have to work hard with a polishing/buffing wheel to get all those 220 Grit sandpaper scratches out. It's a pain in the ass. This is why you work the metal in steps. I can see cutting it short at maybe 1000 Grit. Anything lower and it just takes more work to get the scuff marks out.
I had done the water pump and tensioner assembly , as well as the alternator several times. It's a lot of work by hand but you need to use your hand to get those crevices and funky curves. ALso, make sure you where gloves, otherwise your fingers will be turning gray and you'll be tasting aluminum oxide for lunch. Tears the chit out of your hands by the way.