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I like chrome valve covers I had aluminum, a couple of years back I ditched them. Reasons they never had a good shine, oil was a total pain to remove, the metal is to soft and the finish inconstant.
Just wondering what is the appeal of the aluminum not seeing an advantage.
I had M/Ts on my 350 Tri 5 Bel Aire and I really liked them.
They were painted but I always meant to buff the high parts on them but never got around to it.
However, I have a chrome VC on my inline sixer and I love it.
Different strokes for different folks I guess.
Got a pic to show us?
I had chrome covers on the T but they started to rust and were a sod to stop oil leaks,read "made in China"so when I rebuild the car purchased finned alloy ones to match the other finned parts and I think the engine looks excellent now.
Too many of the chrome parts are cheap imports any more. If the aluminum parts are polished out it is really not that hard to maintain their appearance. A bit of Mother's polish on a rag & they buff out quite nicely for me. I'll take aluminum over chrome.
Ok a comparison the chrome is just a better look. I totally agree to each his own, but people seem to follow trends or fads. Just over here wondering what's with a dull finish compared to bright and clean. Talk about ease of cleaning, chrome has the upside hands down.
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The bottom picture matches the headers better.
I have never had a problem with any chrome part rusting. The secret is the way they are taken care of. I have chrome on a 73 Harley and it is as good today as when it was plated.
Aluminum requires a lot more care to keep a bright shine. I like wheels in that metal however valve covers no thank you. "cheap imports any more" I guess you may be to young to remember Cal Custom chrome parts sold by JC Whitney, you could see the copper under the chrome after a few polishes. It is just a cover so an import for that is just fine. I hope folks understand that cheap imports applies to the aluminum covers also. The valve covers I have are on the car for 2 years now.
I am not tying to make all the engine parts match. The water pump and timing cover are aluminum, the pan is chrome, the intake is raw cast and the headers heat coated. Chrome will not hold up to the heat. When I look at a motor I like seeing the different parts the contrast of those pieces make it interesting.
The cars on the road today, nothing says bumper, grill, window frame or side trim accent, they are just a blob dunked into a paint can all one color and boring as hell. I think the manufactures of today never had the pleasure of building model cars.
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For my pickup I'm going to cheat===aluminum valve covers and air cleaner top are going to the powdercoater!
Power coated same as truck color or aluminum?
They'll be the same red as the engine is.---I think!
"red as the engine is.---I think!"
:LOL: I know how that goes, it is the old forest for the trees thing. :D
Yeah, new guy in town has opened a powder coating shop and was down to see me. I've seen a bit of his work, mostly frames and suspension pieces. Sez he'd like to do them in a color about the same as HPC headers are, he thinks that would look best? But, I'm a red-aholic so have to see what gets decided. He also wants to do the frame and suspension pieces for my '57 so I figured it was best to try him out on some smaller pieces first!!!!!
Although I have never owned a red car I do like the color, not pushing my preference but I think chrome works nicely with red.
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Yeah, I could sure go for that T-Bird!!!!!
you've put a couple of questions in my mind, Pepi
?? I wonder what the first American automobile to come from the factory painted Red was??
?? Have chrome valve covers "always" been an after market item??
Don't know the first, but Ford had a 1909 Model T that was offered in Red.Quote:
Originally Posted by MelloYello
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And Chevy had chrome valve covers on several engines from the factory back in the muscle car era. The factory 396/427/454 being one for sure - lots of them offered on evilBay.
Chrome rusts quickly under the hood if not cared for.
I've been told that it makes under hood temps higher because it reflects heat. The EPA has crippled chrome production in the US. Our isn't much better than the Chinese crap.
Would not reflecting heat be a good thing, they may actually hold heat a bit longer. But I am sure that is not a huge problem. As I said before never had rusty chrome, but I also clean an engine bay on all my cars when I change the oil. Rusty chrome is from a lack of care, guns rust if not cared for.
EPA sure has made it harder for a shop to plate and make money, but the process is basically the same and still looks good. I think people shy away from chrome because they do not know how to care for it. What I mean there is they scratch it cleaning it, wash it like you do with the body. Under the hood clean chrome with WD 40 and polish all chrome with Turtle wax chrome polish. That's the way I have had years of success with chrome parts.
Stop laughing at the Turtle wax:LOL:, I would not give a penny for their other waxes but the chrome polish is the cats meow. Aluminum has the advantage of being able to sand and polish a light scratch, unlike chrome.
Just to add I have been experimenting with the Turtle Chrome wax on the coated headers, the side shot above shows the results. I have read horror stories of some using some really abrasive stuff, including Scotch Brit pads. Coated headers are one step above powder coating and will be damage if not careful.
I learned this on my own with a pair. I was able to bring back the shine used metal polish or liquid jewelers rouge. The pipes right out of the heads dulled the most noticeable had that gray/white look. Over the long haul the coating was rubbed thin to a point that the steel, meaning black started to show through. Had the headers and pipes recoated and will see how this new trick works out.
dang that reminds me - - - I need to polish my vc, carb pots and side cover - - - especially now that the weather has cooled a tad - - - but only to keep them from rusting, right??? LOL
I like the powder coating, maybe I'm just too dang old for all that polishing!!!!!!!!!:LOL::LOL::LOL:
Beautiful ride Pepi,,,,,
DONE ! thanks for the memory jog, Pepi.Quote:
Originally Posted by MelloYello
