Polishing aluminum

[randy ransome]

I had to pull my plenum about a month ago to find a vacuum leak. I also had 4 bad injectors so I got new injectors and hopefully found my leak.

While I had the plenum off I decided to resand and polish my plenum, throttle body and air horn. It had been polished before but wasn't sanded as well as I like. Man what was I thinking. I don't have any polishing equipment so it was all done by hand. After many days and a lot of sand paper I guess it was worth it.

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss210/randyransome/repolishedplenum_zpsf44ad2e2.png

Here's what happened to my finger, cant pick my nose with my right hand.

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss210/randyransome/finger_zps2a1477d0.png

[We Gone]

Great job....Looks outstanding.

[Dynomite]

Super nice job :thumbsup:

What did you do to now keep the top end looking like it was chromed?
Can you give us details on exactly what you used on/did to the top end to give it that chrome look?

Thanks,
Cliff

I had to pull my plenum about a month ago to find a vacuum leak. I also had 4 bad injectors so I got new injectors and hopefully found my leak.

While I had the plenum off I decided to resand and polish my plenum, throttle body and air horn. It had been polished before but wasn't sanded as well as I like. Man what was I thinking. I don't have any polishing equipment so it was all done by hand. After many days and a lot of sand paper I guess it was worth it.

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss210/randyransome/repolishedplenum_zpsf44ad2e2.png

[Bob Eyres]

BY HAND?....WTF, no wonder your fingers took a beating.

Superb job. One of the best plenums i've seen.

Damn, every time I see one of these polished it makes me want to do it the next time it comes apart.

[cvette98pacecar]

I had to pull my plenum about a month ago to find a vacuum leak. I also had 4 bad injectors so I got new injectors and hopefully found my leak.

While I had the plenum off I decided to resand and polish my plenum, throttle body and air horn. It had been polished before but wasn't sanded as well as I like. Man what was I thinking. I don't have any polishing equipment so it was all done by hand. After many days and a lot of sand paper I guess it was worth it.

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss210/randyransome/repolishedplenum_zpsf44ad2e2.png

Here's what happened to my finger, cant pick my nose with my right hand.

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss210/randyransome/finger_zps2a1477d0.png

WOW.

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Sweeeet!!!!!!!!!! But hey, Kleenex is cheap anyway. hahahahaha

[ZZZZZR1]

That's some impressive polishing!!!!!!

I'd look into sealing that and ensuring that look lasts

Thanks for sharing

:cheers:

David

[PhillipsLT5]

WOW

[efnfast]

My wife, the non car girl, was impressed. Nice job.

[FU]

OOOOOOH that IS nice !!

[cadillac531]

That looks freakin AWESOME! Cam covers polished too? Nice job!

[ZR1North]

OUTSTANDING! I haven't see one in person or on the Resistry that looks better than that. I'd be looking at what kind of coating to add to make it long lasting.

[randy ransome]

Thanks for all the compliments folks. Yeah it was a lot of work, but hey I retired in June and all I've got is time. My wife would ask me every day if it was going to be worth it, after a few days I questioned it myself, but in the end all it took was Time.

When I got the car the plenum and cam covers had been polished and clear coated. The clear had yellowed bad from, I guess, time and heat or maybe bad clear. I used aircraft stripper and stripped the clear off plenum and cam covers, another time consuming project, then repolished everything.
I drove it until November and developed a high idle, so off with the plenum.
When I began looking at the intake it had some bad scratches and some spots that never got sanded very well so I decided to redo it.

I started with six hundred sand paper and worked my way down to two thousand paper then hand polished the rest.
It's not hard to keep the shine with a little GREEN MAGIC and Mothers Billet Aluminum polish.


I will not reclear it, I'd rather leave it bare and polish every now and then. Remember I've got plenty of Time. The clear takes away from the look in my opinion.

Now wish me luck getting it back together correctly, this is my first plenum pull.

Thanks again,

[Racinfan83]

Man that looks AWESOME!
No way could I do that. My hands are too swollen and hurt constantly from my work as a baggage handler... If I can't sand it with my orbital it ain't gettin sanded...

[JimZRyd]

Heck, Hang that on the wall as artwork and find another plenum to replace it with! Seriously, awesome work my Brother!!!

[-=Jeff=-]

Nice job

[Schrade]

All that dust; you might not WANNA' go diggin' for any trophies anytime soon. At least not to SECOND knuckle anyways!

[RICHARD TILL]

Randy, The plenum looks great. I was just next door to you in Nesbit a few days ago and live about 90 miles to the east. Give me a shout if you need any help reinstalling the plenum. I retired about 10 months ago and have nothing but time. I`ve had mine off about 6 times in the past 15 years and will again soon for new coils and vacuum solenoid.

[WARP TEN]

Beautiful! But I recommend getting a polishing wheel next time! I used to polish old Jaguar XKE, etc. carbs and valve covers and it was a pain even with the wheel--and messy too. Will you use some type of high temp clear coat to keep it looking good? --Bob