Glenn M

I used aircraft stripper to remove the paint on the intake and cam covers .

It left a gray coating, is this some type of primer? Didn't seem like a primer but a by product of the metal used. I had planned to sandblasting the parts to remove the paint and get down to bare metal. I do have a few bare spots, more on the cam covers.

Should I go ahead and blast the parts or is it worth trying to save the gray coating? I would have to spend more tine on prep trying to get the rest of the paint off.

If blasted - Paint Prep- self etching primer or high temp engine primer or both?

I"m going with crinkle finish on the covers and silver caliper paint on the intake.

Thanks!

fraggle

Got some pictures for reference?

FredR

The black finish you refer is the metal in its oxidised state. The paint tends to delaminate/flake off with age and thus leaves air gaps underneath. Some reckon that it is best to bake the manifold to get ingrained oil out of the metal but I have no opinion on that one and did not do this.

When blasting this metal you need to be very careful as it is a relatively soft metal- when I blasted my inlet manifold the blasters were a bit overzealous and the shot medium used was probably too harsh- it is probably better to blast with glass beads or something relatively soft/gentile on the metal. The net result was a deeply peened finish. I had the manifold primed within 1 hour of it being blasted to seal the bare metal finish and stop it from oxidising. We then painted it with std silver cellulose as used on the body. Three years on it is still like new. I am not sure what primer was used but I have a feeling it was a self etching type of primer- can probably find out if required.

Bottom line is that the finish looks quite impressive leaving a sort of mottled appearance due to the surface roughness rather than a glossy one that would normally occur.

Doubtless others will be able to give more tips.

Regards

Fred

Glenn M

Fred,
It looks oxidised to me also, if paint it should have come off with the stripped.

I was trying to download pictures from my new camera but my pc won't recognize it.

Thanks

JHowell37

Glenn, if you're not planning to powdercoat it, clean it with a suitable paint prep cleaner. Then use some etching primer. They have a Car Quest near you in that industrial park that is just North of Wildwood shopping center. Some Car Quests sell paint. IMO, the Dupont rattle cans sold at Car Quest are higher quality then the stuff at Autozone. Go get a rattle can of Dupont etching primer. It should have a greenish colored cap, then get a can of (I can't remember exactly what they called it) basic lacquer primer (it should have a dark grey cap) to seal the etching primer. Then you can paint on top of that with your choice of rattle can paints. I've used the hi-heat paint, and I've used some of the regular stuff. I don't think it makes much of a difference.

WallyP

I carefully saved the gray conversion coating on the parts. I then cleaned, primed and painted using spray cans. The topcoat was a good wheel silver.

Glenn M

Wally,
This is a conversion coating? They must have dipped the whole intake.

I sand blasted the coating off of one top side. The booth was too small to get at the whole intake very well so I gave up. I will save rest of the coating instead of taking it to get blasted. I have the self etching primer I will use on the areas that were blasted.

I have high temp primer to coat over the self etching + conversion coating. I then will use the silver caliper paint and clearcoat with high temp engine paint.

Valve covers have been blasted and cleaned, had to use JB Weld on one due to the imperfections. They will also get the same treatment but with black crinkle paint.

Thanks for all the help guys. I've spent some time getting this stuff prepped for paint.