I need some ideas on changing the factory cast finish. Been working on the 35 International and am changing out the single carb to Tri power. I'm not real excited with edelbrocks finish on the new intake so before I mount up the carbs I thought I'd get some input from you guys, cast paint finish, maybe a light grey, satin or flat clear coat? I appreciate your input!
Normally, I like mine as they come out of the box. RAW! But, for my present build, I'm painting my intake (and everything else) black.
Sold this one I had, Offy intake powder coated silver, looked like polished intake with some texture.
I just had my cast alum. intake powder coated with clear. Dont have any pics yet but will post one tonight.
Polished is always nice, but shot peened is kool too. There's something in your vision of it, what you want to see. What is that? Hardcore? Showrod? Stealth? Just plain "different"?
Many different ways....sandblast and clear coat engine clear paint....sandblast and wire wheel to give it a brushed look or (a lot of labor) beadblast, sand and polish. Or beadblast and powder coat.
I had a Edelbrock dura shine and loved it. But I really dig J3's painted on his coupe. Really a great engine bay all around buddy. I really love the 3 two's, just the coolest hot rod motor look to me.
Here is the picture of the 3x2 set up in my coupe. The finish on the new Elelbrock intake I ordered is pretty shiny for my taste.
Before resorting to paint or powder coat, perhaps you could just blast it with some medium glass beads and put some Gibbs on it? If you don't like that, try the others. Powder coat can be had to remove off if you don't like it when it's done.
You can also have it tumbled if you know someone local that does that. Comes out with a vintage kind of glow, not polished but not cast anymore. I tumble alternators, intakes, and heads prior to assembly. Cleans up old parts and makes new parts look older. I don't know where you are in Washington but Russ Meeks in Clackamas at FinishLine does my aluminum work and he is incredible.
That looks great Highlander, was thinking maybe more of an old school look. My buddy just painted his Flathead Eddie Meyer intake. I do like this finish. Cool motor too!
^ ^ ^ That looks nice, I like it. I did this with some Dawn commercial aluminum cleaner for restaurants. Got it from our local "GFS" food wholesale. I used a worn out grey Scotchbrite pad, and lots of product. I don't want polish, don't want blasted, don't have a new shot peen source just yet. It'll do for a stocker.
Clear turns yellow within a year and powder coat gets discolored over time too. Engine paint will crinkle if you apply it to powder later, and you will destroy an aluminum manifold trying to get powder coat off of it. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I just got this back from the powder coater. Satan clear over cast alum. The color changed and its a bit glossy but my 32 has a full hood and if I get leaks it should be easy to keep clean.
Sounds weird but I just sandblast mine and wash it in my solvent tank. Blow it off with air and it looks "normal". Paint, clear and powder coating always look especially bad when it starts to go wrong. Polishing is cool if the whole engine isn't polished. As far as cleaning goes, I just use some carb cleaner on a rag or an acid brush with shortened bristles, follow up with a clean rag. To bring back an old manifold sometimes I just use carb cleaner and stainless brushes, it ends up looking like a clean old casting.
I had the intake manifolds chrome ceramic coated on my avatar, not expensive and very easy to keep clean, recommended! My headers were finished with that process as well.
I live just east of Vancouver Wa, I had Russ do some coating for me in the past. I think I will try to get over there and have them tumble it and see how it looks!
The tumbling suggestion pulled some cobwebs from my memory. That bright ceramic has to be polished, or some shops do indeed tumble their stuff in different media to get the initial gloss then finish polish. I'm wondering what the tumble would do to raw aluminum. I sorta think it would be like shot peen 'light'...?
For those dirty parts that don't abide caustics, this shit's just short of magic. Hard to find, worth a search.
Never under estimate Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Procter-Gamb...-1&keywords=dawn+professional+power+dissolver
Russ tumbles aluminum in a ceramic trianglular looking media. I started with new products, de-edelbrocked them (sorry Vic) then let Russ do his thing. I took him the water pump, intake and heads. He clear coated them after tumbling. That was 5 years ago on my 396. I don't baby this car, I drive it hard, put it away wet, still looks great and wipes clean.
negative on a lot of counts Have you had anything coated recently? The quality of products is amazing compared to the crap of 10 years ago. Yes you can remove powder coating from an aluminum manifold without destroying it. There are ways of stripping coatings w/o media. Powder can be used as a base for paint if you want. Not trying to bust your balls, but why contribute to a thread if your just guessing with info?
Dig that, and 6 are nearly 1/2 price! I guess I need to break tradition and order online. I keep checking my GFS store. Thanks...