Sorry Robert, but no. But you could 'silver subscribe', go to the FChat 'Backroom Lounge - Bikini Thread' and compare it with the european Playboy-issues. Best Martin
Som of these peices look really nice with all the specialized preparation. To stay closer to the OEM finish, which as noted was not so perfect at all, just try some hand polishing with a a compound like eg. Menzerna universal polishing cream. Will reduce the blotching without changing the surface finish. May as well give it a go, and if it doesn't clean up to your satisfaction then try the more aggressive approaches.
I've considered vapor blasting which seems to completely remove the "patina" It looks very nice but I'm not sure how long it will last in a working engine compartment. The shape and position of the cam covers makes it impossible to periodically just wipe them clean. So I cleaned mine in the blast cabinet then spent hours with Scotchbrite pads and microfiber towels buffing down the rough texture produced by the blast media. Not a method I would recommend due to it being rather labor intense. But I'm pretty happy with the appearance it is after all, an engine and not a dining table. I did polish the Ferrrari logo and raised strips with a piece of 7000 grit sandpaper just to give them some highlighting. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Lowell I just checked my car which has the original cam covers unfinished and browsed through many of my period Ferrari books and the original covers do have a slightly mottled appearance. Maybe a little less than yours but they are certainly not uniform in colour like many of the examples above.
So does anyone have any parts that have been vapor blasted and used in an engine bay for any time? I am curious to see what happens with high temperatures and oil, dirt, etc. I understand that I may lose concours points but at present, mine are in "failing red" where there is red paint flaking off the cam covers and that needs to go. I mean it is going slowly but I might like it to go faster.
What do they look like under the paint? Its not like we require brand new looking covers. But a patina or even some stains are preferable to an incorrect finish. We are trying to reward originality, not the shiniest parts. I'd walnut shell blast them and see what you have.
Looks like hell. Places with paint remaining are lighter (?) than those where paint flaked off some time back. I am not willing to take off the cam covers just to pretty it up but when that time comes I would like to get it right.
Still looking for a way to fix blotchy 308 cam covers. Does anyone know about airplane aluminum skin coating --- a clear coating that inhibits corrosion? Image Unavailable, Please Login I'll try to attach a photo I found on the web of some airplane coating that may look like the original cam cover finish.
Don't use any sort of clear coating. I once used a product called Nylac from Eastwood on my Alfa cam cover. It was advertised as being specifically for such purpose. Looked good for about a year then began breaking down and looked like hell. Also took a hell of a lot of work to get it all off. Any kind of coating on an engine part will, just like paint, eventually go south and look like a mess. For aluminum I've found that naked is the best way to go long term.
You can coat aluminum if you use the correct primer. Look at all the V12 wrinkle cam covers. Anyone have any knowledge what this aircraft aluminum coating would look like: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/alodine1001.php?clickkey=4177647 I just looked at the comments about this product, so I guess that it will not work.
Try it on something else first. Like your shifter box or the foot pedal box. Both hidden but raw aluminum
Image Unavailable, Please Login I made the cam covers look somewhat like airplane wings. Here is a photo showing the cam covers attached to the engine. Any comments?
I’d like to restore the cam covers as accurately as possible on my ‘75 GT4 before the engine goes back in the car. Does anyone have any new information, suggestions or results? Thanks. Jack.
i just put mine in the wife's dish washer and they came out amazing clean and bright. timing belt covers and cam covers, all fine
I recently had my valve covers vapor blasted by a motorcycle shop in Arizona. I have a small vapor blasting cabinet that I made but the valve covers where slightly to big for my cabinet. So I sent them out and the cost wasn't that bad. Image Unavailable, Please Login
So Brian would Rob L's cam cover be docked points for being too pretty? A legitimate question and NOT a knock against the finish which looks great, just trying to get input. Lester
just cleaned in dish washer, before and after Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
