My plan is to make my engines rocker cover go from looking like this:



To this:


From what i understand, i just need to take the paint off and then rubb it down with increasingly fine emery cloth. Is this right?
Also, can i remove the paint from the rocker cover using brake fluid (or similar) or will this damage the aluminium?

Brake fluid Whats wrong with paint stripper ?
And to get a finish like that by hand is gonna take a lot of hours..................

First off. it will be hard and dirty work.

You need to get the paint off (use paint stripper (read label!!!), then bead blast - fine glass, and I would then sand any casting flash off. Give the whole thing a quick polish to see how rubbish the casting is, then sand smnooth, then polish.

You'll need a bench grinder with 3/4 hp as you'll be putting quite a load on it. Also need mops and soaps.

You may find it better to do the preparation work yourself then have it professionally polished.

I polished my stainless exhausts and while they look nice, it took a while. Yeah, not the ones in avatar

ATB

Simon

[Edited on 22/3/09 by Simon]

quote:

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Originally posted by clairetoo
Brake fluid Whats wrong with paint stripper ?
And to get a finish like that by hand is gonna take a lot of hours..................

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you will need a polishing kit from ebay (and alu its what the pros use about £8 on ebay also)for alloy it will look like this when finished ,yes i dine this



and the wheels
and loads more ally it needs to be warm or it wont shine i found that out this winter when it was -5 in the garage (what nutter would be polishing in the garage at -5 errrrrr me 0


[Edited on 22/3/09 by thunderace]

^^^
ooooooooh that's nice

You'll also have the slight issue of the covers not looking anything like each other, but if you can overcome that, getting it polished should be now bother!
Otherwise, expect many hours swearing at them for having one awkward to get at scratch.

the rocker cover took me 3 days around 18hrs and the wheels took me 4 days 24hrs to do .
a good job i like sanding and polishing

Are you planning to grind off the shallow 'fins'? If not, will you leave the black coating inbetween them?

Seriously, its got to be worthwhile looking at buying an aftermarket one already polished. I quite like polishing ( ) and making stuff look clean, but that cover is going to be a nightmare.

Id consider all options before going down the locost route. It might take a few months of saving, but chromed or polished ali aftermarket ones already done would be so much better.

do not bead blast,
paint stripper
then single section sisal with a grey greaseless wax
finishing of with either a cool air mop and a white greaseless
or a swansdown again with a with greaseless
take ya time and you'll be well chuffed
cheers wayno(the polisher)

i did the rocker cover on my nissan SR20det engine.. took a few days to get it to a stage i was happy with it was painstaking

Does it make your car go faster?

Each to their own

Personally polishing engines is a bit like cleaning cars IMHO!!! IE a bit of a PITA and temporary at best....

I'd give it a quick wipe and spray it satin black for the "stealth" engine look....

Satin black works for me. Bonnet covers it anyway. Best to have some nice wheels than nice rocker cover.



Dont do what my mate did. had zetec cover shot blasted. Then crackle paint. Looks really nice. Got car running and oil found the hidden pocket of sand....................


BTW - i dont ever think you can get the first pic looking like 2nd pic just by polishing alone.

quote:

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Originally posted by BenB
Personally polishing engines is a bit like cleaning cars IMHO!!! IE a bit of a PITA and temporary at best....

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