Got bored today and found myself in my auto parts store. Scored a cheap buffing wheel and figured I'd try to polish an old set of valve covers I had. Nothing special, just tall finned covers. Wow! I had forgotten how cool finned covers are. Guess I'll run them for a while and maybe get some quality polish to make the shine a little better. Here's a pic of the Edelbrock signature covers. And the finned with a decent polishing job. Can anyone recommend a good polish for the do-it-yourselfer? I don't have a work bench, so it would have to be something I can hook up to a good drill. They aren't as good looking as they seem. I'd like to take them to the next level. Don't finned covers kick ***?
I usually sand the aluminum, starting with 220 and working down to 600. Then use regular ol polishing compound (unless you have access to polishing rouge, Eastwood probably sells it.) Then I finish up with Happich Semi-Chrome.
Thanks! I've got some 220, so I'll stop and get some 600 and oil polishing compound. Thanks again guys!
Much better... I scored a nice set at a swap this past summer, gonna replace the el-cheapo Chinese chrome ones this winter.
Wenol is also great when you get to the final stages of the polish. Works wonders just by it self too...
That Simi-Chrome stuff could polish an egg. If you haven't tried it, do yourself a favor and find a tube.
I think your car would look cool with a cal custom finned scoop... like one of these... With the recess painted red... But anyway.. The valve covers are a big improvement !
man, Iwaited for one to show up on Ebay and when it did it was $150!!! But it was mint. I like the one OTB has, but it's not in my budget yet.
Nice Fred, some people don't realize how much work it takes to take a rough casting to mirror shine by hand. I've did the last few pairs and lost all my finger prints in the process ha ha
You ain't kidding! I tried using elbow grease about 2 months ago and all I did was get shiney elbows! So, the cheap pad was an experiment that yielded satisfactory results, but could be better. I'll work on them again this weekend.
I polished for years when I was in business (Cl***ic Fabrication Inc); I built a polishing machine to do stainless using a 220 motor.I don't think a drill will give you the right RPMs to do much good as it turns way too slow. Just my 2 cents.
I've been using Mothers and Mothers Powerball with excellent results on my bike and the wheels I had on my car. Yea, you just can't beat a nice set of fins! I also picked up this at Carlisle years ago: http://www.tptools.com/p/747,79_3and4-HP-BALDOR®-Buffer-and-Packages.html
Fred - looking at your pics, I think that starting with 220 grit would be a step backward. I would go right to the 600 to remove any scratches - and then maybe some 1000 (both wet). JMO
Looks great, I think I would stick with the finned aluminum ones, I just polished some slot mags last night that hadn't been done since the 70s when the car they were on went into storage. I didnt even scuff them, just hit them with some rouge and a buffing wheel. They came out alright
Here is what I have been using for several years with fantastic results: You need TWO buffing wheels and a $20 bench grinder. Take off the grinding wheels and mount the buffing wheels on instead (and remove all the guards). Use ONE wheel with course or medium rouge only, and the other wheel with fine rouge only. (You can use rubbing compound and polishing compound instead of the rouge. It just makes a lot more mess.) I did all the stainless on my '53 this way and some of it was smashed and I filed on it then sanded it with 80 grit, 120 grit, and 400 grit and you can see in my avatar how it shines. (That was only the damaged stuff - I don't sand smooth aluminum or stainless at all unless it is scratched!) My cheapo grinder is mounted on a cheapo tool stand (Harbor Freight or Eastwood, I can't remember) and I drag it out into my driveway when I buff anything for more than 20 seconds so all that dust isn't flying around my shop. It's also a good idea to wear a mask but I never do and just get black every time I blow my nose for a day or two after any big buffing job. Finish by hand with Wenol or Simi Chrome or a swirl mark remover and you will be amazed.
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