Painting upper intake and valve covers...

[5point0dude]

You did an awesome job there, capriman86. Looks great!

 

[Cobra912]

I like the VHT wrinkle finish paint, looks real nice!

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Why would use High Temp paint for upper intake or valve covers since neither ever reach 550F

Because trust me if you don't, they will yellow. I learned that the hard way....and never again. Spend the extra $2 on the high temp stuff and avoid the headache of having to strip it all over again.

 

[5point0dude]

A lot of great advice. Thanks everyone!

 

[I candy]

Ok...I have done 2 intakes and covers and intake plates.


The coating on the 87-93 intakes can be pretty tough and bead blasting doesn't take it off.
The bead blaster is GREAT for all the accessories though!

I used Aircraft Stripper on my intakes.

For the primer I used Sherman Williams Self Etching Primer.
For Paint I used SEM Promax paint and SEM Promax Clear.

Here is my 86 Capri and my 88GT


Some SEM Promax Gunmetal on it.

Then some SEM Clear was applied.

question do you sand before you etch? and if so what do you use?

I'd like to do this to my system max before i put it on soon. It will work the same right?

also maybe you can help me out i don't see that promax on the site. http://semproducts.com/ is there one you recomend?

 

[ALMOST STOCK]

I just finished polishing my intake plaque and it looks great. It took some time tho. Then I masked off and spray painted the lines. After they lines were dry, I used a brush to do the letters and wiped off the excess paint that was on the surface.

I was thinking about polishing my stock valve covers. Would it be better or worse to start off with sandblasting with glass beads?

I wouldn't sandblast the valve covers it's just as easy to use the air craft paint stripper, but that's just me.

If you are thinking about polishing your valve cover this may help.
Welcome to Almost Stock polishing tips


I've never use High Temp paint on any of the upper intakes I've polished and in those 10 years I've never had a problem with the paint peeling or yellowing.

After polishing I use these products and the paint looks the same 5 years later on both of the uppers.
View attachment 213462

5 years with this upper

And the last 5 years with this upper

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

Wow, you should be very proud of your car. That's a lot of work, but it looks sooo great.

I just went through your site and theres a lot of great info. I wish I would have looked yesturday because I polished my C&L mass air and it turned out like crap. Now I wanna try it again.

 

[capriman86]

question do you sand before you etch? and if so what do you use?

I'd like to do this to my system max before i put it on soon. It will work the same right?

also maybe you can help me out i don't see that promax on the site. SEM Products - Home Site is there one you recomend?

I did not sand after the primer, the one I use comes out real smooth.

I have a local autobody supply shop down the road from me that can get me any SEM product I need.

SEM Products - Catalog

SEM Products - Catalog