Aluminum paint

[manoa matt]

So I've been gearing up to do drop a 2L block into my 78 1800, obtaining parts here and there and planing it out so I can swap everything out in a weekend (I hope). I've noticed in some posted pictures that you guys are using an aluminum paint on the cam covers and cam towers, also some guys have used it on alloy wheels to get an even finish.

How do you guys like the aluminum paint? Does it stick well to the cam towers even after repeated heating and cooling cycles? I've recently bought a small blaster gun with a hopper on top for baking soda blasting some parts. I was just going to soda blast the aluminum parts and leave them as is. Any thoughts, or suggestions??

[racydave]

Aluminum is very porous, Clear coat would be cool after a soda! Im in the market for a blaster too.

[manoa matt]

I'm not going for the fully polished look, just clean uniform aluminum finish. I bet that if I do a good job soda blasting the parts they will look just as good as if I painted them, however I think the paint would help to hide pinholes and inperfections in the castings. It seams to me the paint could either look realy good or just OK. For the aggervation of preping/ masking/ and waighting for it to cure, I could just buy a grinder/buffing wheel and shine it up a bit.

If I tell you where I got the blaster gun Mike Bouse will have a fit. I bought it several months ago before my change of heart about Chinese tools. Maybe I'll try it out this weekend on some spare parts, I still got to get my 10 dollars worth.

[racydave]

I know, their larger blaster models are very tempting, and would make a kick-ass still. I think you need 3 colors in the engine bay. Black, Silver, and another. I have had alot of luck with the fake chrome paint. Its a pretty silver. Here in Indiana, we call it Kentucky chrome.

[manoa matt]

Well in Kentucky we used to call duct tape Kentucky chrome

[kristoj]

I have always had very good luck with this: http://www.seymourpaint.com/alumi_blast.html.