I bet some of you are opening this up expecting to see me show you how I did mine! Nope, I'm asking you! OK, I've blasted the plenum and throttle body down to clean aluminum. I had to remove two coatings; one, the red paint of the plenum, and two, a layer of what appears to be a silver wrinkle finish on both of them. Now, I have to say, I like the bare aluminum look much nicer that the crinkle silver that was on there. So, have those that have done this repainted with the silver crinkle coat, then the red? Or have you just stuck with the bare aluminum and did the red? Now on to painting the red. How do you mask all the fins off? Do you even mask them at all, just come back with an abrasive and remove the paint on them? And finally, what type of finish IS the red pa9int? Is it a crinkle finish originally on the 328's, or is it a regular red laid down over that silver crinkle? It looked pretty smooth coming off in my media blaster. I'll post some pics once some of you tell me what to DO! Seriously, thanks you guys for all the trouble you get me into and out of with my car.
Rob, posted an entire step by step on refinishing the 328 plenum in situ no less... I believe it was on the old site Any ideas where it's at? Mike
Here is a recent red wrinkle thread, albeit for cam covers which might help. http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117906 And a post about applying the paint. Obviously do a test on something.. I've read the VHT paint may be slightly darker than original. Could this be the original thread you were thinking of? (unfortunately there are no pictures now) http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/256120/8709.html?1018146687 This was also in an older thread (2002)
If you are not dead set on OEM, go with POR 15, eastwood or bill hirsch products. www.eastwood.com www.hirschauto.com www.por15.com Off the top of my head, metal ready, self ectching primer, top coat, sand off the fins and Ferari logo. That's what I would do. Very durable and heat resistant. I've never had good luck or like the rattle can VHT paint products.
this was done by f. chatter can't remember who awesome job.... good luck and happy new year to all Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
There are so many different ways to approach it. I did valve covers, timing covers and the plenum. You can use 3M blue tape to mask, or you can spray it all then polish/scrape. I chose a hybrid approach of blue tape and scraping for perfection.
didn't read the whole article, but one way to cover ridges for painting is to coat them with vaseline.
Wouldn't powder coating provide the best long term results? Wouldn't be too expensive I'd think to do that, maybe $100 or less? Just a thought. Jeff
I still haven't seen anyone comment on the silver wrinkle coat on the rest of the plenum and the throttle body. Has anyone put this coat back on the parts before applying the red color coat to the top section of the plenum? Or have most people just left the rest bare aluminum and just put the red back on?
Yes this is it!... Refinish in situ Could this be the original thread you were thinking of? (unfortunately there are no pictures now) http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/me...tml?1018146687
Thats what I had done to mine during the last major service. Had the shop do it as I didn't want to mess with the little washers, ect. has held up perfectly for the last 22 months. Still looks new. Image Unavailable, Please Login
