Valve Cover Restoration

[Quickshift409]

I just bought a set of valve covers at a swap meet. They need help. What is the best way to clean them up,Sand blasting or Bead blasting. There are several coats of paint on them. Any Ideas on which is best.
QS409

[wrench]

I just bought a set of valve covers at a swap meet. They need help. What is the best way to clean them up,Sand blasting or Bead blasting. There are several coats of paint on them. Any Ideas on which is best.

I'd go for dipping first. Send them to the place that vats blocks. That will get it all off and the insides will be clean too. Also keeps that old lead paint out of the air and off the ground.

Then the dent work starts.......that's the tough part.

If you want to paint them, then filler or lead will be needed.

If you want to chrome or do powdercoat, then it's time for some metal work.

For me, I don't mind a dent or ding. Adds character IMHO. The set of drippers on my engine have some chain dings in them. And the left one has an internal dent from a pushrod that nearly punctured it.

[fatride]

I have found that Glass beading is a very good way to remove old paint and rust. It leaves a finish that is not as rough as sand. After beading polish with scotch bright pads.

[jim_ss409]

Glass bead is alot more gentle than sand. Also if you have or get a small sandblast cabinet it's hard to see what you're doing with sand, it's like looking through a sandstorm. For some reason the glass bead doesn't create nearly as much dust. Wrench makes a good point about the lead in paint. That never occured to me. :scratch

[Bubbletop Bel-Air]

I bead blasted mine to remove the original paint, and to remove some significant rust from the inside. Make sure you clean real well around the gasket retaining guides on the inside, or you will have that abrasive find it's way into your oil at a later date. Mine were going back on a 62 409, I found a can of silver spray paint made by "Dupli-Color", listed as truck&van paint. Number on product lable was
T 178 SILVER MC. Very hard to tell from factory silver. Applied two or three light coats, with long dry times in between, then wet sanded them with very, very fine wet/dry sand paper. Final coat looked outstanding, still does several years later. :)

[JimKwiatkowski]

Let's make that 3 I also like beed blasting.Shan are you going to paint them silver or silver with a tint of green :dunno

[gearhead409]

that's a new one on me! WET SANDING VALVE COVERS! i like the idea of the john deere paint, might make the old 409 run better. like they say, NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEERE! hee hee hee

[Rockfish39]

Glass bead is alot more gentle than sand. Also if you have or get a small sandblast cabinet it's hard to see what you're doing with sand, it's like looking through a sandstorm. For some reason the glass bead doesn't create nearly as much dust. Wrench makes a good point about the lead in paint. That never occured to me. :scratch

No doubt about it, dipping is the only way to go... Just call Laurie at:

American Metal Cleaning
(419) 255-1828
(888) 546-2037

Address: 2512 Albion Street
Toledo, OH 43610

www.americanmetalcleaning.com

Besides, there aint no lead in lacquer paint :rolleyes: ..... Perhaps if one painted them with a roller and old house paint, then maybe..........


Have a good one JIM!!!!

Rock :cool:

[JimKwiatkowski]

Shan,will you be Drag Racing the 62 at Norwalk?We got to see that Quickshift :D :eek:

[wrench]

Besides, there aint no lead in lacquer paint :rolleyes: ..... Perhaps if one painted them with a roller and old house paint, then maybe..........

Do any of the enamel paints contain lead? :?

Thanks,
Tom

[wrench]

I couldn't resist:

[Mr Goodwrench]

detroit diesel green :?

[MK IISS]

The green color looks familiar.

[JimKwiatkowski]

I couldn't resist:

Hey Wrench,did you get permission from FYN409 to post a photo of his 09 :D

[droptop62]

i like the idea of the john deere paint, might make the old 409 run better. like they say, NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEERE! hee hee hee

Here ya go! :brow

[fatride]

Did you ever notice no matter what color you paint a W it still looks great! :love

[JimKwiatkowski]

I wonder what Quickshift is going to think when he checks his thread and sees what we have been doing to it :rofl

[wrench]

Did you ever notice no matter what color you paint a W it still looks great! :love

Hee hee! Well......

[fatride]

Hmmmm, I don't belive you could find that color in nature! :scratch

[Quickshift409]

Jim you are right, I was in a state of shock. But once I recovered, I saw that the tips and info I received was priceless. Thanks to all you guys that responded. Also for your information Jim I am in the process of rebuilding a rear end with one of Aubrey's Spools. I hope to have it complete for the Blue Suede Cruise, if so the Biscayne will definitely be running.
QS409

[gearhead409]

geezy! you guys are a hoot! my wife likes the pink one. OH NO!

[jim_ss409]

"i like the idea of the john deere paint, might make the old 409 run better. like they say, NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEERE! hee hee hee"


That reminds me of the guy who's wife ran off with a tractor salesman...


He got a John Deere letter. :D

[JimKwiatkowski]

geezy! you guys are a hoot! my wife likes the pink one. OH NO!
Gearhead,I can see it now a T-bucket with a pink 409 :rofl

Shan,so far we have 5 W-Powered cars racing. :D :)

[gearhead409]

OH NO! not the tee bucket, but she is serious about her 409 in the 51 pick up truck. i think it was the blue tint in the pink that really got her.

[JimKwiatkowski]

OH NO! not the tee bucket, but she is serious about her 409 in the 51 pick up truck. i think it was the blue tint in the pink that really got her.
Gearhead,sounds like you have a good woman there,she has own 409 :) I hope you can find some time to visit us members in Norwalk :)

[bjburnout]

What is the best way to fill in some pins holes and thin areas in valve covers? :confused:

Will regular metal filler handle the heat from the hot oil? :dunno

bj

[jim_ss409]

I use a mig welder to fill pinholes and pitted areas. It seems to work fine. It just occured to me that a few years ago I might have used a torch and braising rod. It seems like braising is alot less comon these days.

[droptop62]

What is the best way to fill in some pins holes and thin areas in valve covers? :confused:

Will regular metal filler handle the heat from the hot oil? :dunno

bj

I would bet JB Weld could be used to fill in pitted areas, and could stand the heat.
also easy to sand out. Just a thought.

[JimKwiatkowski]

I would bet JB Weld could be used to fill in pitted areas, and could stand the heat.
also easy to sand out. Just a thought.
Todd,I agree any type welding you risk a chance of burning through metal and causing more problems :doh

Todd,there was a question in general car talk you might be able to answer.(will spindels from 70 Chevelle fit a 70 Camaro?)

[JimKwiatkowski]

I just thought of someing.Body filler lead will work also,low tempture to work with :dunno

[droptop62]

=Todd,there was a question in general car talk you might be able to answer.(will spindels from 70 Chevelle fit a 70 Camaro?)
I would say no. The camaro, firebird and nova type stuff interchanges with each other, but not with the A-body cars ie: Chevelle, Lemans, Cutlass, Skylark

[ROYALOAK62]

Hey folks, A neighbor just gave me a few about 20 old old POPULAR HOT RODDING magazines. Just started reading them. Did you know Moon Equipment Co. sold 348-409 valve covers that were cast aluminum finned style that were sand-blast finish with triple polished fins with no trade names. For the price of $$$$$ 58.00 /pr.
Wasn't 1963 great.
Has anyone ever seen a set?

Dave

[droptop62]

Moon still makes finned valve covers for the 348/409.
No longer $58.00 and are completly polished.
http://69.20.111.53/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=492

[JimKwiatkowski]

I'm not sure these covers are moon or M/T :dunno These covers were on my 57 about 12 years ago