Cam Cover Spruce Up
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: atlanta-ish
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Cam Cover Spruce Up
At the risk of creating a very m.net type thread, I wanted to share pics of my cam cover I just got done cleaning up. I didn't take any pics until the end, but for the way it started, imagine the ugliest, darkest, dirtiest a cam cover could look.
Procedure:
Liberal application of brake cleaner, wipe with rag
Thorough cleaning in parts washer with mineral spirits and wire brushes
Dry with compressed air
Blast cabinet, spray with glass beads at low pressure
2nd application of brake cleaner and wipe with rag
Black primer
Black spray paint
real quick wet sand
Black spray paint
Black texture paint x2
Remove paint from raised letters with fine grinding stone on cordless drill
Replace grinding stone with high grit (count unknown) sanding drum
Finish with polishing cookie on air rotary to polish letters
Masking tape carefully over letters
Final, quick coat of black texture to cover the areas that were accidently bumped in the polishing process
Result
It looks pretty damn good in person, much better than the .jpg's reveal. The "flaws" are shadows or flash reflections or weird cheapie digital cam artificats.
The only thing I'd do differently if done again is I would only apply 1 coat of black texture before the grinding/polishing process.
Procedure:
Liberal application of brake cleaner, wipe with rag
Thorough cleaning in parts washer with mineral spirits and wire brushes
Dry with compressed air
Blast cabinet, spray with glass beads at low pressure
2nd application of brake cleaner and wipe with rag
Black primer
Black spray paint
real quick wet sand
Black spray paint
Black texture paint x2
Remove paint from raised letters with fine grinding stone on cordless drill
Replace grinding stone with high grit (count unknown) sanding drum
Finish with polishing cookie on air rotary to polish letters
Masking tape carefully over letters
Final, quick coat of black texture to cover the areas that were accidently bumped in the polishing process
Result
It looks pretty damn good in person, much better than the .jpg's reveal. The "flaws" are shadows or flash reflections or weird cheapie digital cam artificats.
The only thing I'd do differently if done again is I would only apply 1 coat of black texture before the grinding/polishing process.
#10
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It's really pretty easy to brush the letters. Obviously, the only cavet is you'd want to go in one direction. I actually got a little carried away and polished them, when I should have stopped.
Bruce, I can spray a cover for you. Of course, your 1.6 cover will have the concave lettering, so they can't be brushed.
Bruce, I can spray a cover for you. Of course, your 1.6 cover will have the concave lettering, so they can't be brushed.
#19
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: atlanta-ish
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My 1.6 cover is black with red painted recessed letters. I was thinking about sprucing it up a bit too. I was actually considering spraying it black again and dripping red melted wax into the concave lettering. I don't know if it would turn out good or not, but the idea is that the letters could be made flush to the top surface of the cover, but would be red.