I just used 500* engine enamel to paint mine. I redid the stock colors, and then clear coated them to preserve the bare aluminum in a shiny state without being polished, so it always looks like new bare aluminum.
moin , i used brake caliper paint for the red parts and special clear painting for the polished parts . after 16000mls it still look very good and no single heatbubble in sight.
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04:08 AM
phonedawgz Member
Posts: 17103 From: Green Bay, WI USA Registered: Dec 2009
I used base/clear polyurethane on a customer's plenum and valve covers a year ago and they're holding up just fine. When you think about it, the plenum has cool air running through it, and the paint on the valve covers surely doesn't get any hotter than a black car parked out in the sun. For the engine block, I've only ever used Tremclad normal temp paint as well. Tremclad's Fire Red matches almost perfectly one of the stock body colors too (Bright Red - W8774 I believe). There is no need for high temp paint on the block either except around the exhaust ports.
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08:09 AM
Pyrthian Member
Posts: 29569 From: Detroit, MI Registered: Jul 2002
I used base/clear polyurethane on a customer's plenum and valve covers a year ago and they're holding up just fine. When you think about it, the plenum has cool air running through it, and the paint on the valve covers surely doesn't get any hotter than a black car parked out in the sun. For the engine block, I've only ever used Tremclad normal temp paint as well. Tremclad's Fire Red matches almost perfectly one of the stock body colors too (Bright Red - W8774 I believe). There is no need for high temp paint on the block either except around the exhaust ports.
yup I used plain old Ford Red "engine paint"
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09:29 AM
82-T/A [At Work] Member
Posts: 25077 From: Florida USA Registered: Aug 2002
How were you guys able to keep the bare metal from getting painted... like on the finned areas? I can't remember how I did it, but I think I used painters tape. It didn't come out exactly how I wanted, but still looked good never the less.
How were you guys able to keep the bare metal from getting painted... like on the finned areas? I can't remember how I did it, but I think I used painters tape. It didn't come out exactly how I wanted, but still looked good never the less.
The best way to do it that I'm aware of is to paint the entire plenum and sand off the fins to bare aluminum.
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10:21 AM
Tony Kania Member
Posts: 20794 From: The Inland Northwest Registered: Dec 2008
Originally posted by 8-P: The best way to do it that I'm aware of is to paint the entire plenum and sand off the fins to bare aluminum.
yup. thats it exactly. paint the whole thing, and then block sand. the grits of sandpaper deteremines your finish. I used 100 grit to get a bit of the "brushed" look. but, you can go super fine to get the polished look
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