Clearcoating polished parts?

[Bob]

There's a powder coat color called "Almost Chrome" which I think looks nice. Doesn't have the deep white shine like chrome plating, but more of a "soft shine". I think I saw someone on here use the Almost Chrome powder coat with a clear powder coat over it. I think that's along the lines of what I'd use in your case. Chrome plating has a little too much bling for my taste unless it's going on a show car.

Edit: Here's a picture I googled showing almost chrome and gun metal grey powder coat....I think both of these colors would look good on our engines.

[Force Fed]

POR 15 has a product called Glisten.It uses a hardener and is sprayed on but I think it can be brushed too, it is designed for shiny stuff but isn't cheap.I use it on parts that I get cad plated and cast aluminum too, I even sprayed my 5spd when I rebuilt it.You can mix up small amounts and brush it on all your new cad plated bolts and nuts after replacing the crusty old ones and they will look new forever.Good stuff .

[Lunchbox]

I like the idea of chrome, even the near chrome powder coating. My question with chrome would be prep. The intake is rough, would it work if I have it polished and then chromed? and with it being a dipping and plating how do you prep inside and mounting surfaces to NOT be plated. I can imagine that would be a disaster trying to get a seal on these in the plating ended up in spots you don't want it. Keep the info coming so I can figure out what to do!

[thorpedo22001]

if you take it to get powdercoated the people that powdercoat it for you will prep it for you. but what i would suggest if you want the smooth surface at least sand down the parts to a flat surface. If you powdercoat it with the semi chrome its no point and a waste of time to polish it all the way down bc that paint will just cover it up anyways.

[fuzzbal981]

Here is a somewhat 3 way comparison. The strut bar and spark plug cover are chrome, the plenum is polished, and the hard pipes I powder coated with one coat of reflective chrome. I'm sure if I add one or two more coats it would have with a deeper chrome look but I can clearly see my reflection with just that one coat. Came out pretty good seeing it was my first time powder coating.

[JimVR4]

Chrome it !!

[Toofast4u]

You can clear it if you use adhesion promotor, but that stuff hazes it and it will never look as bright as if you just left it alone. Wheel companys use clear powdercoat, and probably a machine process for polish.

Its tough to keep large contoured aluminum parts polished and looking good. polished aluminum hazes fairly quickly and picks up fingerprints etc. I say polish the small easy to maintain stuff and chrome or powdercoat the rest.

[DuTTch]

Originally Posted by Lunchbox

I like the idea of chrome, even the near chrome powder coating. My question with chrome would be prep. The intake is rough, would it work if I have it polished and then chromed? and with it being a dipping and plating how do you prep inside and mounting surfaces to NOT be plated. I can imagine that would be a disaster trying to get a seal on these in the plating ended up in spots you don't want it. Keep the info coming so I can figure out what to do!

A good chroming shop will take care of that for you.In case of the TB it needs to be taken apart completely before they chrome it,u r responsible for that. A bit of a pain in the butt. I know as my wifes spyder got a chromed TB.

[Grandpa Poser]

As far as metal polishes go I'd try scotch brite.

[sublime_whatigo]

They make a clear powder coat, I did a few things, but it dulls the polish a bit and gives it an orange peel effect.