Thread: Remove paint from Edelbrock performer??

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Hey guys, was out looking at the engine, actually thinking about difference things but started looking at the intake manifold. It is an Edelbrock performer RPM. but the previous owner was into the rat rod /sleeper look and so painted it ford blue. I believe it was the non-polished version of the intake by the way. My question is two fold:

1. would it look better overall if that intake were natural aluminum (when all is done it will have chrome valve cover, billet PVC and breather, stainless lines etc.) or should I leave it painted?

2. if I should "unpaint" it, what is the best way to go about it? sandpaper? stripper of some sort?

3. (sorry, decided on a third question) should I go ahead and polish it out once the paint is off or should I leave it whatever the natural state is that it ends up?

Thanks.

Red

a blast cabinet will make short work of the blue paint!

Thanks, my friend actually has one at his trophy shop, I'll see if he can do it for me.

A suggestion is to send the manifold out for a Jet-Hot coating. They will blast and coat it and you wont have to worry about black gas streaks on raw aluminum as it is real easy to clean after that. If you get their shiny coating, it is close to about as shiny as a non-pro polisher can make it and without the trouble(read dirt and pieces of buff all over anything anywhere close including you) and hours of unproductive time

Originally Posted by Dago Red

Thanks, my friend actually has one at his trophy shop, I'll see if he can do it for me.

I've done lots of aluminum pieces in a blast cabinet, they come out great. Doesn't hurt to tape off the sealing surfaces with some duct tape, but not essential if you don't get crazy with the blasting nozzle.... Just a precaution is all.

The manifold will polish up nice if you have a lot of spare time and don't mind buying a polishing kit. I usually do some aluminum polishing on those long, boring winter days, good time killer....

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

I've done lots of aluminum pieces in a blast cabinet, they come out great. Doesn't hurt to tape off the sealing surfaces with some duct tape, but not essential if you don't get crazy with the blasting nozzle.... Just a precaution is all.

The manifold will polish up nice if you have a lot of spare time and don't mind buying a polishing kit. I usually do some aluminum polishing on those long, boring winter days, good time killer....

Dave S,
You forgot to remind him of the threads, fuzz balls and dirt all over the shop!!

Originally Posted by IC2

Dave S,
You forgot to remind him of the threads, fuzz balls and dirt all over the shop!!

Yeah, but I knew that half way through the polish job on the intake he'd figure it out!!!!!! Sounds like you're coming from a been there, done that place!!!!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Yeah, but I knew that half way through the polish job on the intake he'd figure it out!!!!!! Sounds like you're coming from a been there, done that place!!!!

how about all that stuff that you blow out your nose and the black rings under your eyes

Don't use paint stripper on aluminum. You'll end up having to bead blast it anyway. Best media would be something like walnut shells to prevent removing material from the intake.

IMO, it would be less trouble if you just sold it and used the money for partial payment of a BRAND NEW one with the finish you are after.

the cost to blast and polish would have to be near the cost of new......I have found that a nice blasted matte like finish does well next to a shiny chrome, but if there is no finish applied it will stain easily. Paint will help offset/hilight your chrome and lines.

Red what color is the rest of the engine going to be and also what color are you painting the firewall and other parts under the hood? I feel that this would have some bearing on what i did with the intake.

the firewall will be the same cream/beige color as the outside of the cab. the block is ford blue. the valve covers will be chrome, polished aluminum pvc, breather, stainless fuel lines and throttle and kick down cables. stainless radiator hose.

sounds like polishing isn't any fun. the shop gets messy enough as it is, and I have other projects planned for winter. that jet coating wants 130 to coat it, brings the price up to what a new one would have been polished (the guy that built the engine put a natural finish on it since he was going to paint it anyways).

Red