polished valve covers and plenum

Keeping it sharp - paint, wax, detailing, etc.
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ga.spyder
Posts: 3478
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:19 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Blairsville ,Ga.

polished valve covers and plenum

Postby ga.spyder » Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:10 pm

Has anyone out there polished the valve covers and/or plenum on their cars? I posted a pix of a polished next to a bare cover. I bought 3 covers and a plenum from a guy ,to experiment with($10).He had no clue as to what was used to polish the 1 cover ,but it is polished smooth.Any suggestions would be helpful,or is it a waste of time and should I look into powder coat or chrome? I really would just as soon polish them and spend the money on something else!
Craig

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Craig Nelson

1982 Spider 2000...pride and joy
1981 Fiat X1/9..gone but not forgotten
1976 124 Spider..the self-healer
2001 BMW 328ci daily driver and track car
Fling It Around Turns !

azygoustoyou

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby azygoustoyou » Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:26 pm

Hi,
Your going to have to sand it down to make it smooth before you start to polish it. Or you'll be there for days and no fingertips.
I'm sure there is a lot out there that would do the job. There is a product called "never dull" that works pretty good.

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mdrburchette
Posts: 5754
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:49 am
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 Sport
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby mdrburchette » Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:12 pm

Here's a link someone on the X forum posted on how to polish aluminum. It's basically the same steps I used when polishing my v/c's and intake. Beware that it takes a LOT of patience but is well worth it once you're done. I also use a brillo pad when cleaning my aluminum wheels.
http://www.poleringsguide.se/english/

Here are some pics of my polished pieces:
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1972 124 Spider (Don)
1971 124 Spider (Juan)
1986 Bertone X19 (Blue)
1978 124 Spider Lemons racer
1974 X19 SCCA racer (Paul)
2012 500 Prima Edizione #19 (Mini Rossa)
Ever changing count of parts cars....It's a disease!

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So Cal Mark
Posts: 13839
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:45 pm
Your car is a: Fiat
Location: upland, ca.

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby So Cal Mark » Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:58 pm

here is the link to the polished covers that I offer
http://www.allisonsautomotive.com/products.htm
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

User avatar
ga.spyder
Posts: 3478
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:19 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Blairsville ,Ga.

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby ga.spyder » Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:36 pm

Thanks ,Brady I went at the cover w/ 120 sandpaper this p.m. and got it almost to the smooth point.Denise ,that site is exactly what I was looking for. I dont mind putting in the time if I can get those results. Did you purchase that polishing kit or wing it w/ what you had? I can work on these at my leisure as the car still runs ,these parts are all spares.Mark .I'll polish these and save the money for the spoiler I will get from you soon!
Craig
Craig Nelson

1982 Spider 2000...pride and joy
1981 Fiat X1/9..gone but not forgotten
1976 124 Spider..the self-healer
2001 BMW 328ci daily driver and track car
Fling It Around Turns !

Jazgeek

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby Jazgeek » Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:22 pm

this stuff works amazing... I haven't had a lot of time to play with it, but I tried it on the FI manifold and it made it about 100% better than it was before and I didn't really spend a lot of time on it or use any brillo.. just straight on, rub and wipe

http://gordsaluminumpolish.com/

pope

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby pope » Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:37 pm

Hey Denise,
Is there really recipes in that box, or is it a place to store a new water pump till its needed? LOL


Your work is really first rate and I am in the middle of the polishing a lot of parts myself and only hope to have them come out half as nice as yours

User avatar
mdrburchette
Posts: 5754
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:49 am
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 Sport
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby mdrburchette » Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:21 am

Craig, the link was posted after I tried my hand at polishing, but my dremel came with those bits and I have a polishing wheel in the basement. I used the polishing sticks I got from Lowe's.

Pope, those are recipes in the box. I do most of my fine polishing at the kitchen bar while I keep an eye on the kids and cook dinner. I'm glad I don't have a spouse that complains when I bring car parts into the house! Just this weekend, Ron had parts in the oven and freezer trying to get new bearings in his rearend.

Jazgeek, that stuff must be amazing! I might have to buy some to see how well it works.
1972 124 Spider (Don)
1971 124 Spider (Juan)
1986 Bertone X19 (Blue)
1978 124 Spider Lemons racer
1974 X19 SCCA racer (Paul)
2012 500 Prima Edizione #19 (Mini Rossa)
Ever changing count of parts cars....It's a disease!

User avatar
ga.spyder
Posts: 3478
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:19 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Blairsville ,Ga.

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby ga.spyder » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:11 pm

Jazgeek ,I bought a bottle of ''Big Gord's'' metal polish and WOW that is some great stuff.It even came w/ a red shop rag for application! I'll post some pix later but the valve covers are like mirrors...almost.
Craig
Craig Nelson

1982 Spider 2000...pride and joy
1981 Fiat X1/9..gone but not forgotten
1976 124 Spider..the self-healer
2001 BMW 328ci daily driver and track car
Fling It Around Turns !

Jazgeek

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby Jazgeek » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:54 pm

definately need pics!

did you do it in compartment or did you take them out?

User avatar
ga.spyder
Posts: 3478
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:19 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Blairsville ,Ga.

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby ga.spyder » Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:07 pm

I purchased a spare set of covers so they were out of the car already. I sanded them starting w/120 grit and finished w/400 wet paper.They looked ok but really popped after using the polish.Ill get some pix tomorrow and post them.I also did a spare plenum and it turned out great!
Craig
Craig Nelson

1982 Spider 2000...pride and joy
1981 Fiat X1/9..gone but not forgotten
1976 124 Spider..the self-healer
2001 BMW 328ci daily driver and track car
Fling It Around Turns !

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racydave
Posts: 1587
Joined: Tue May 09, 2006 5:55 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider
Location: Indianapolis IN

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby racydave » Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:48 pm

Aluminum will cloud back up, esp with de-greasers. Would it be a good idea to somehow seal them? After I cleaned my eng, it turned chalky, I sprayed it with rusty, and it looks much better now.
Central Indiana Italian car association CIICA

User avatar
ga.spyder
Posts: 3478
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:19 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Blairsville ,Ga.

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby ga.spyder » Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:08 pm

Here is a pic of covers and plenum.They look great ,but I might try to take them a little further. Dave ,the supplier says this is a all in one polish ,no need for more coating. We'll see...
Craig


Image
Craig Nelson

1982 Spider 2000...pride and joy
1981 Fiat X1/9..gone but not forgotten
1976 124 Spider..the self-healer
2001 BMW 328ci daily driver and track car
Fling It Around Turns !

Jazgeek

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby Jazgeek » Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:18 pm

wow! well done. I originally bought the Gord's just for the rims.... now I have a weekend project....

might even drag out the dremmel to get in the fiat emboss.

KRegester

Re: polished valve covers and plenum

Postby KRegester » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:27 pm

Very nice work!
I have a sandblasting cabinet I was thinking of glass bead or walnut hulling the covers & injector plenum then clear coating them. Polishing looks nice tho.. May have to rethink the finish..


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