Red73

I've been debating whether to replace my water pump and intake with polished ones or just leave them way they are. Your opinion please! To see current engine pictures click on photos below. Cool73 Photos






[Modified by Red73, 3:26 PM 1/21/2002]

70PurpleLS7

Personally, I wouldn't..... Unless you have something exotic. Especially now that Edlebrock offers their intakes in polished form.

Unless you really want to say "you did it". Sell what you currently have and buy the polished version.

bluevette

Your engine compartment has been one of my all time favorites to look at since the first time I saw it. My personal opinion is that if everything is chromed or polished it tends to look more like a "trailer queen" than a "driver." I think yours is about perfect the way it is. Again, all of this is just my opinion. If you did end up polishing them, my jaw would probably still hit the floor every time I see pictures (as it does now). Good luck.

John

Eddie 70

Your engine bay looks awesome already. I have the engine pic as one of my screen saver shots. Awesome as is.

MotorHead

Leave it the way it is, you already have enough shiny stuff in there :D

BTW did you clear coat the intake maniifold ? That's what I am going to do when I put my new heads on.

yellow 72

Red73 I've had mine both ways :smash: maybe these pics can help you decide :cheers: By the way what's your opinion of the Demon so far?

JohnS_77

Leave it the way it is. It is hard to mess with perfection! :cheers:

427V8

Well I just recently setup an anodizing bath in the garage, So it looks like I'll be removing, polishing and anodizing every aluminum part I can find! :smash:

0Mike69@ECS

I'm pretty sure I've said this before but .....<Drool>! That thing is sweet! :cheers:

Rods77

WOW!! wish mine looked half that good.....leave it, matches the intake nicely.
Looks great :cool: :cool:

Chris Fowler

No reason to touch your engine bay. It's clean already! :yesnod:

8T1-7T9 BIONIC VETTE

Red73,
Obviously you have way too much time on your hands. Winter months must allow many hours of looking for another thing to polish.....your engine compartment, and that engine is way too clean. Polishing anything else in there would only make me feel more envious...and cause me to feel guilty for all the lovely driving weather we are having. I need to stop driving this thing and do some serious engine cleaning to reach your level of attention to detail. :D :seeya Aloha Cappy

Green76

Rod,

I would leave it alone, your vette looks great just the way it is... !!
Ulf

bowtie racing

Hello Red!

just one note ,your last poll was impossible to fulfil.

Cast aluminium parts ,like intakes and waterpumps can not be Anodize.because of lead. Cast aluminium contains lead for casting purpose.
Lead accects parts to turns parts ugly dull when trying to Anoding them.
All colorfull aluminium parts you see are much harder aluminium formula,wich cant be cast.

brgs Joni

Brutus

I voted for polished myself cause I'm halfway there myself, but you should go with what you want....not what others think. If you have the time, money and inclination....do it!

SmokedTires

Rod, I'm not going to vote because you've done such a fantastic job with it so far, I'm going to leave that decision up to you. Some people just know how to do things very tastefully ;) .

Your such a "GUY", even when things are good, you can't resist messing with it :lol: !

ZD75blue

buy another intake and water pump, polish them... and if you dont like em, go back to what you have now...

Could someone explain the anodizing for me, i know thats how you add color to metal, but thats it

Thanks

ZD

427V8

Anodizing is a way of creating a protective layer on aluminum that is not paint or powdercoat. It is part of the aluminum, it is actually aluminum oxide which is a ceramic and very corrosion resistant, wear resistant etc. The layer is very thin like paint ( about .001 inch ) and is naturally clear. It can be dyed to almost any color or left natural.
There is also something called hardcoat anodizing that is harder and more wear resistant but doesn't dye nearly as well.

The poster above is right that cast aluminum does not anodize as prettily as 6061 etc but it still works, and there are a few tricks to make cast aluminum look better...And if you are leaving the anodizing clear, it's near impossible to tell them apart.
Doing it at home allows me to do what I want no matter what size big or small :D

UKPaul

I'd leave it as it is. Polished looks fantastic - but you've got to keep it polished, which can take a lot of regular effort.

Careful with the anodising: decent ally gives a good finish, but some cast ally can give a grotty finish due to the amount of impurities in it, such as silicon. I've had castings clear anodised with OKish results, but have also had diabolical results (& still had to pay for it :mad ). The only way I know how to remove the anodised finish is to polish it off or dip the part in caustic (which may not be the best thing for some parts ;) ). Some dyes used in anodising fade when exposed to sunlight for long periods.
:cheers:

Smokehouse69

I've got a great idea, since you obivously LOVE to detail and POLISH, I'll ship you my car, and you can start completely over, detailing and polishing to your hearts content. Oh, by the way, you can ship me your car, and I'll drive it all winter so you don't have to store it. :D

PS Your car is fantastic, and makes dream of things I don't think I have the skill, or patience to do.