My Lemans valve covers need refinishing on my '67 500. Does anyone have paint recommendations for duplicating the grayish color of the cast surfaces. My plan was to coat the covers with the appropriate paint, block the paint off the top of the fins, then clearcoat the covers with a satin finish. If anyone has a better true and tried process please share it with me. Thank you.
They are supposed to be bare aluminum. Glass bead blast and give a bath in acidic Eagle One aluminum wash or the like before slightly polishing the fins. Not too many people try and paint them but the few that do end up with less then a original look . The correct finish is not difficult to maintain. Bob
557 is correct. So, clean them well. If you want too, you could clear coat them. Some do not agreed with that. Also, to pretty them up you could polish the top of the fins with fine emery cloth. Again, do not do this if you are going to enter in Concours.
Sounds like the paint route is out. I'll give the recommended process a try this weekend. Thanks for all the input.
If you are concerned about oxidation because of a high moisture in the environment you are in then i would suggest rubbing on some Boe Shield metal protector (google search).It will dry to the touch if applied and wiped off with a rag. I use that on some magnesium wheels which normally oxidize overnight with superior results . If it does that good on magnesium it should over kill on aluminum. Bob
I glass beaded the covers on my 65, polished the tops of the fins then used Zoop Seal. Two years later they still look good.
So yeah anyhoo I let the guy who rebuilt the motor in my 67 gt500 back in 1985 polish my valvecovers....whoops!!!!! how do I get them back to a more original finish????glassbead???mediablast????just wondering...Trent
Trent,first I would tape over the fins so you don't have to work those again and then bead blast with a more aggressive media then glass beads. The glass beads will dull the shine but not give the look of sand casting that you are looking for. Probably a silica sand like you would use for heavy rust removal will give a course enough look. It is most prudent to try with a sacrifice part first to test your choice of sand before proceding to the real deal .The best of luck . Bob
Does anyone know the name of the manufacturer of the original closed letter Cobra valve covers for Ford. James
Mr Gaines, thank you so much for the name of the original manufacturer of the closed letter Cobra valve covers. I really appreciate it. James