so this was some of the most tedious work i've ever done. started with 60 and worked it all the way up to wet 2000, finished her off with mothers alum polish then worked in a layer of ICE polish. my question is, do i need to hit this with clear coat or any kind of protection before i install it on the car? or do these things just usually stay polished?



more pics to come!

 

I dont know the answer I would assume you would be fine. But bump for more pics!

 

jus get it to an almost mirror finish and you dont have to clear it,just every once couple weeks quickly hand polish it with mothers.

 

more pics as requested...plus a teaser of what i have going on

shitty cell phone pics don't do it justice..

 

looks good. i did something similar to that to a shift **** today and was able to polish it with mothers wheel polish and it looks smooth. i think as long as you polish it from time to time it should be ok and the clear coat is not required.

 

Looks good. You should be fine without clearing it. Just keep it clean and polish it pretty often.

 

honestly is still doesn't look finished

 

looks good

 

this was done completely by hand dude, not sure if that makes a difference..jus' sayin.

 

Get a buffer. Put some polishing compound on there and get that thing really shiney. And yes it wont be shiney after a long period of time. Only way to keep that shine is to chrome dip.

 

I understand that, but it doesnt change the way it looks. Linh's advice sounds good

 

cool, i've got a buffer in the house..should i hit it with the mothers still or something else? as far as keeping it shiny i only drive the car once or twice a week, and i meticulously detail my car in between drives...what can i say i love the *****.

check out my build thread!

https://honda-tech.com/forums/appearance-build-threads-122/my-ej1%2Aunder-knife%2Amild-turbo-build%2A-2763192/

 

No it doesn't make a difference. Your problem is you went with way to low of a grit sandpaper which the ending result is a scratched up semi-polished valve cover. When it comes to polishing metal like this you never want to go below 150 grit followed by 220 so on and so forth. This valve cover will never be the mirror reflection, that is the goal of polishing.

I've polished alot in my days, best of luck bud! Oh and it will stay the semi shinny it is now just put some "mothers" on it and use a clear terry cloth or buffer.

Andrew

 

You can get it to become liek a mirror finish, even with a 60 grit starting off. You just have to move up to 80, 120 150 etc and make sure all the sanding marks from the lower grit is removed before moving on.

I did my manifold and ill never do it again. I'd just get it chrome dipped.


i had start with 80 just to get the rough casting off. I also used a buffer, compound, and a good metal polish. The small cracks are hard to get into,

 

SOHC

 

Thats sick.

I was gonna do that to my valve cover but then realized it would take forever

So I just painted it instead.

 

yea i mean personally i did want it to come out perfect, but as time went on i started to like the rough around the edges look..didn't want the manufactured look so much, i have decided however to hit it with a metal polish and a machine to get it to its final luster..i drive the car once a week at most, so i'm not toooo worried about it getting tooo dirty and i'm meticulous about detailing my car. i wash it more than i drive it.

 

Go to sears and pick up a polishing compound stick. And put it on your buffing wheel.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...&blockType=G12

 

so i've got to use the white stick instead of the mothers polishing compound? i'm not using one of those mounted to a table wheels, i'm using a paint buffer.