Polishing aluminum - Page 2 - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

cadillac531 · 01-04-2014

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

ZR1North · 01-04-2014

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 · 01-04-2014

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 · 01-04-2014

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 · 01-04-2014

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

-=Jeff=- · 01-04-2014

Nice job

Schrade · 01-05-2014

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

RICHARD TILL · 01-06-2014

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 · 01-06-2014

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

01-04-2014	#11
cadillac531 Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 243	Re: Polishing aluminum That looks freakin AWESOME! Cam covers polished too? Nice job! __________________ Constantine Registry Founding Member #0235 1991 Corvette ZR-1 -- Stock, 94 ZR-1 exhaust system, muffler delete. 1956 Chevrolet Belair -- Pro Street, 531ci Cadillac, 8-71 Blower, 8pt roll bar, built TH-400, 9" rear, 1,100 HP -- Street Car. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8y4cwcvK0s 1968 Mustang "Pegasus" -- Zeeker Chassis, 584ci Dart Block, Brodix Big Brodies, 2-1150 Dominators, FTI 'Glide, 1168 hp, best ET & Trap(holding back) 8.57@159 -- 7.9X -- 1/4 mile car. 1970 Chevelle -- 468ci, TKO600, shaved and smoothed everything.

01-04-2014	#12
ZR1North Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 566	Re: Polishing aluminum 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.

01-04-2014	#13
randy ransome Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Olive Branch,MS Posts: 291	Re: Polishing aluminum 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, Last edited by randy ransome; 01-04-2014 at 08:57 PM.

01-04-2014	#14
Racinfan83 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Eastern Missouri Posts: 773	Re: Polishing aluminum 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... __________________ [LEFT][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/LEFT] [CENTER][COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=4][I][B] Now Sold 1990 ZR-1 #2093, Black on Black..[/B][/I][/SIZE][/COLOR][/CENTER]

01-04-2014	#15
JimZRyd Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Florence, SC Posts: 1,343	Re: Polishing aluminum Heck, Hang that on the wall as artwork and find another plenum to replace it with! Seriously, awesome work my Brother!!! __________________ Jim Zorgias 1994 ZR-1 Admiral Blue/Black #245 1996 Callaway Supernatural 450

01-04-2014	#16
-=Jeff=- Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 7,146	Re: Polishing aluminum Nice job __________________ 1990 Corvette ZR-1 #1051 Watson Headers (2" Primary) - Borla Catback Late Model IH - Plenum Coilovers - 4.10s Custom Interior NCM Lifetime Member #978

01-05-2014	#17
Schrade Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: NC Posts: 1,786	Re: Polishing aluminum All that dust; you might not WANNA' go diggin' for any trophies anytime soon. At least not to SECOND knuckle anyways! __________________ I'm getting my snappics / threads removed blindly as fast as I can, to get in compliance with copyright / license TOS on the boards here (lots of FSM pages and other copyright / license violations on my part; sorry guys). And thanks to all the guys who didn't whine when I posted those FSM copyrighted / licensed stuff in my threads... ( :thumbsup: [b]and to think I complied with a mod's request to delete a pic of him in a Challenge Car in NCM Museum, so he wouldn't get in hot water)[/b] Thanks to several guys here for sending parts FREE; BearlyFlying, WeGone, Geezer, GoldCylon, and more there, TonyD, mike100, fletchusmc... 1990 #2794; 4L60e Stage V by RPM Transmission, TCI Dedicated TCM, OBX Stainless, Power Effects 3" [IMG]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GHpfzty7DVU/UQn-0Ru2xAI/AAAAAAAAA14/08mz1p4QLD4/s445/Screenshot-5.png[/IMG]

01-06-2014	#18
RICHARD TILL Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Iuka, Mississippi 38852 Posts: 756	Re: Polishing aluminum 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.

01-06-2014	#19
WARP TEN Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lake Bluff, IL Posts: 2,051	Re: Polishing aluminum 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 __________________ 2016 Long Beach Red Z06 #10281 "POPS Z" 1995 Polo Green #409 "WARP TEN"--Haibeck 350/510 package, 4.10s, Hurst, Stock Exhaust with QTP Cutouts --Sold but still running strong 1993 Quasar Blue #161 "HIL KING" --Sold but still running strong, now with more than 120,000 miles 1967 Marlboro Maroon/Saddle Corvette Coupe 300 hp/4-spd --Sold a long time ago ZR-1 Net Registry Founding Member #95 NCM Lifetime Member Favorite Quote--Attributed to Mickey Thompson: "Too Much Horsepower is Almost Enough"