Polishing is hard! (pic)

freakintiger · Oct 31, 2004

I have finally been able to continue work on polishing my aluminum turbo coupe(no turbo, but I still want a pretty engine bay) valve cover. We have had beautiful weather today in Virginia!
I am down to 180 grit and will do one more round of sanding with finer grits, then move on to the polishing. Boy! This is hard work!

I am hoping that spin-on breather fits under the hood, it is left over from my Crown Vic.

JamesBaumann · Oct 31, 2004

Looks pretty good so far. Be sure to post a pic when it is completely done up.

ZeroCulture · Nov 1, 2004

Looking good!

I started cleaning mine off, but put it down, and haven't had time to work on it lately. I guess I should get back at it.

Pro-Hawk · Nov 1, 2004

I understand, I did my upper intake mainifold for my SVO. Let me tell you this was a ton of fun

140cilx · Nov 1, 2004

I used a little sandblaster like you can get from sears and northern tool, then my diegrinder w/ wire brush, looks good and it was fast - might be worthy tools for you guys to consider.

Pro-Hawk · Nov 1, 2004

I don't know how bad those cover are to beging with but I used everything I could get my hands on to help. I used a Diegrinder, Dremmel, and hand sanding on my upper intake. It still took a crap load of time but those intakes has some really deep pits in them. When came time to do the lower I sprang for a powder coat I got some before and after pics on my web link in sig.

freakintiger · Nov 1, 2004

The valve cover I got was a pretty bad casting. I don't know if they are all like that or what, but maybe that explains why they are powdercoated from the factory.
I initially used a wire brush to attack the powder coat, it just laughed at the brush and started to melt and push around. So I used some Citrisrtrip form Home Depot, letting it sit overnight. That cut it GOOD.
I used some 60, 100, and 150 Norton foam sanding blocks, then used a 120 and 160 sanding wheels made by Columbian. I am going to use the 160 wheel one more time then wet sand some more with some fine grit.
Don't know if I will get to it today though, I am washing and waxing the 'stang today. In fact it looks dry enough to wax right now!
I will post pics when I'm done(of the cover not the waxed car!).

freakintiger · Nov 1, 2004

ZeroCulture said:
Looking good!

I started cleaning mine off, but put it down, and haven't had time to work on it lately. I guess I should get back at it.

You are where I was 24 hours or so ago! Be encouraged and polish that cover! Post a pic when you're done!

89Stang · Nov 1, 2004

Crap I just started with 320 dry then moved to 1500 dry then 1500 wet. After that used some aluminum polish then some brasso and my strut tower brace now looks like a mirror!!

freakintiger · Nov 1, 2004

89Stang said:
Crap I just started with 320 dry then moved to 1500 dry then 1500 wet. After that used some aluminum polish then some brasso and my strut tower brace now looks like a mirror!!

Cool, anything to cut the time down! Winters coming! NOOOOO!

ALMOST STOCK · Nov 3, 2004

freakintiger said:
Cool, anything to cut the time down!

This may or may not help you cut your time down but have you looked at
http://darkside351.tripod.com/mustang50world/id19.html

I've since changed that method to this;
I now sand w/ 100, 120, 180, 220,320 and then use a nylon wheel on a electric drill which seems to do the final sanding 600-800.
I then buff with Tripoli and do the final polishing with White Rouge.
Here are some of the aluminum pieces I did using the link above if you're interested?
http://www.netsnapshot.com/pcw/buildalbum-cgi?ACCOUNT=1924&KEY=2

89Stang · Nov 3, 2004

wow you guys go through a lot of sandpaper... I just wish I would of had a sander with 3000 wet to use on my bar.... but eh oh well

ALMOST STOCK · Nov 3, 2004

89Stang said:
wow you guys go through a lot of sandpaper... I just wish I would of had a sander with 3000 wet to use on my bar.... but eh oh well

When I did my aluminum drive shaft I went strictly with Tripoli to buff with, and then White Rouge to polish the drive shaft all with a buffing pad on a electric drill and absouletely NO sand paper or ALUMINUM POLISH ... Ever piece is different and every casting is different so what's your point!
Or have I misread something?

89Stang · Nov 3, 2004

ALMOST STOCK said:
When I did my aluminum drive shaft I went strictly with Tripoli to buff with, and then White Rouge to polish the drive shaft all with a buffing pad on a electric drill and absouletely NO sand paper or ALUMINUM POLISH ... Ever piece is different and every casting is different so what's your point!
Or have I misread something?

Did a TPI chevy manifold and my strut tower brace didnt even ever buff it just rubbed some brasso on it and looks almost as good as my chrome valve covers.

kiddiccarus · Nov 3, 2004

140cilx said:
I used a little sandblaster like you can get from sears and northern tool, then my diegrinder w/ wire brush, looks good and it was fast - might be worthy tools for you guys to consider.

I am getting a die grinder for my A/C soon and I have another VC that I can polish. I was thinking of doing this is there more to what you did or all that you already said is all that you did?

mr_woodster · Nov 3, 2004

Polishing huh? Alll things shine......with time....*bling bling*!

freakintiger · Nov 3, 2004

ALMOST STOCK said:
This may or may not help you cut your time down but have you looked at
http://darkside351.tripod.com/mustang50world/id19.html

I've since changed that method to this;
I now sand w/ 100, 120, 180, 220,320 and then use a nylon wheel on a electric drill which seems to do the final sanding 600-800.
I then buff with Tripoli and do the final polishing with White Rouge.
Here are some of the aluminum pieces I did using the link above if you're interested?
http://www.netsnapshot.com/pcw/buildalbum-cgi?ACCOUNT=1924&KEY=2

THANKS FOR THE INFO! INFO IS POWER!

Also: your engine is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

freakintiger · Nov 3, 2004

mr_woodster said:
Polishing huh? Alll things shine......with time....*bling bling*!

SCHWEEEEET!!!!!!!

You even polished your injectors!

Polishing is hard! (pic)

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