Painted Valve Covers; Mask or Sand Later

Sorry I'm having trouble understanding the word 'pay', I just don't get the concept.
Paint and sand will be quickest and slickest IMO.
Del
(I hope you polished the holes before you put 'em in)

I did polish them, but they kept falling out because the edges were so slick. So, I had to knurl them to get the proper interference so they would stay in place.

I have machined a little groove in all my drill bits, part way down. The holes I drill are now keyed into place. That way the hole can't fall out. I used to hate it when a freshly drilled hole would fall out... I could never find it on the shop floor.

In case you can't find the originals, I have a bag full of holes in every size, multiples of most. I will gladly send them to you for a very reasonable shipping and handling fee.

I may need to borrow a couple. I had a full bag on the shelf, but I knocked it onto the floor the other day, and now I can't find any of them.

Good point about polishing, but I seem to recall seeing these style covers polished. That'll be easy enough to try, and I can live with a glass beaded finish. I do have a polished aluminum, finned/black wrinkle oil pan for it, so that's why I want to polish the fins and letters on the valve covers.

In answer to other questions:

1. It's nothing special. It came from the factory with a big block, but when I got it it had a 350 auto in it. So, no matching numbers. That's not important to me. I have a low mile 350 that's going back in, so that will be the third engine. I also bought a competition aluminum, big block radiator since we live in Arizona and it has AC. All the running gear is new or freshly rebuilt, just some in pieces, like the front suspension. Paint and interior are OK, but eventually will need re-doing, too.

2. I quit working on it when we aquired my wife's grandchildren 6 years ago. Two at that time, one not walking yet, so there wasn't much time for cars. We now have all 3 boys ages 5, 6 and 12, so still no time. It's homework, Boy Scouts, fishing, etc now.

Finally, I considered masking with wide tape and trimming it back with an e-xacto knife and I still may try that, but the paint and wipe trick seems doable to me.

And, since it's not at our house, it's mostly out of her mind.

My goal right now is just to paint these covers and put the engine back together.

I'll send pix, if I ever get it done.

Thanks.

You may be assuming that I have a more steady hand and keener vision than I actually do, but I do like the sound of it. Masking would be a pain, and so would removing it after painting.

Yes, I'll acid etch and conversion coat, then polish the proud features, prior to painting.

Anyway, thanks master, and that qualifies as a GA in my book.

It doesn't matter if it's less than perfect until you get to that last coat. A light touch is more important than a steady hand. You want to go light enough that you're not overlapping the edges, and leaving a nice clean line. After that final coat, you may have to go over it a couple of times to get that non smudgy shine. Just one layer of rag between your finger and the surface, and switch to a clean spot on the rag between dips.

I came upon this method when I had to keep raised sections clean on some hubcaps I was painting, worked like a charm.

A couple of few beers will help steady your hand.

Third option- pay- air delivery charges* + discounted prices*

* Please read T AND C carefully.

Try painting everything with Vaseline with a brush. The paint won't stick to it and when you are done you can just wipe those areas off leaving them nice and shiny. Just don't get any anywhere else or you'll have bare spots where you don't want them. That's what I would do.

I've tried it. Two problems. It's almost impossible not to get vaseline overlapping the edges a little. Secondly, automotive paint will dry on top of the vaseline and tear when wiped off. Either way, it will leave uneven edges along the lettering and ribs instead of nice sharp lines.

I paint for a living and I don't want anything oily, greasy or waxy within a mile of where I'm working, particularly when it's metal.

mrclean, Thanks for the suggestion. I'm afraid of the same things that kramarat has suggested in the next post. I have used the grease as a mask on chrome trim when I masked cars for a painter long ago, but I'm lots older and shakier now and I also worry about the paint flaking and chipping. But, I appreciate the suggestion. lyn

Now we know very well why it is in bits, you are out hunting the elusive GA and not tending to knitting.

By that, I mean you could have knitted a corvette out of steel wool in the past 6 years had you wanted to......

This is interesting reading, but maybe when you get this task completed you might tell us more about the Car , is it a 327 or 350 engine? I bet Im not the only one wanting to know all the" nity gritty" details, even questions like is it a numbers matching, original specimen, or maybe a hot rod in discuise.

On the topic at hand I would use Pinstriping tape which could be thinned even more with a scissors to suit the exact width of the raised fins, ok it may need a steady hand. Please keep in mind my request above . Regards Tom

I agree with Kramarat. The text would be a little more difficult but do-able, 'specially as you said it will be polished. Ask Del to email you some Pommy beers to help uyou along, like he did for me once. ( just setting the cat among the pigeons ).

Will it look like this when done?

I'd powder coat them Chevy Orange. Then grind the letters and polish them. Leave the fins coated.

Polish first.

Clean everywhere with denatured alcohol.

Check if some special (aluminium?) primer is needed to help the paint to stick properly.

Use post # 3's (Krammat) ideas to prime thze areas to be pained.

Dry well, in an oven at a low temperature if required.

Spray and remove as per post # 3 again till finished.

Dry well, in an oven at a low temperature if required.

Carefully polish again.

Clear laquer may be required to seal the polished areas, not knowing what the metal is precludes a proper tip, sorry.

Those covers, if I'm not mistaken, are aluminum-magnesium, like an old style Volkswagen engine block. They will polish to slightly greyer than chrome and oxidize quickly. Since he is applying wrinkle paint, coating the polished areas with clear lacquer after would be difficult without affecting the ascetics of the wrinkle finish and the lacquer will yellow with heat and age. Been there, done that.

I would bead blast the entire piece, lightly block sand the the high areas you want to remove the paint from so they are all the same height and line thickness (a dusting of paint that you can remove later will show the progress of your effort. I use machinists blueing thinned with alcohol if available (even for color sanding a car body)), if that's the look you want, highly polish just the surface of the fins and lettering you want to shine, maybe with a dremel. Paint and remove paint as suggested above but use a dowel and thin cloth instead of your finger, as all surfaces are the same height. When the paint is well dried, polish the polished areas with Semichrome or other similar product, to keep oxidation to a minimum. Detail often to thwart oxidation. I had a set of old Fenton mags on a '66 Mustang that always looked like chrome...untill I gave the car to my ex-girlfriend. Powdery whitish after that.

One thing you have going for you, your wife wants to ride in it again, as opposed to it being in her way. Don't allow that to change at all costs.

If you are looking for a "mint" job, regardless of color or finish (smooth/wrinkle, etc.) I have to agree with Fredski - go with powder coating. Can't beat it for appearance or durability.

Forget all of these lame ideas. Just bolt them on and send the car to me. I will lovingly attend to all of the fine intricate details you want done. For you, no effort is too much. Just understand that this type of fine detailing can take some time, but at least it will be done, and done correctly, and you will have your parking space back for the next few years.

Color me skeptical, Bob.

Something tells me that you just want to have your way with my car.

I'll take your offer under advisement, and let you know, soon. Yuk, Yuk.

I do have a 1985 K5 Blazer that is parked at my house. It's right beside the car hauler, and my wife hates both of those. I'll send it down tomorrow, if you'd like.

FINE! BE THAT WAY!

If the K5 shows up here, the Fuego is going back there for your enjoyment.