65 Corvette Engine Detailing

General engine tech -- Drag Racing to Circle Track

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Big bald guy
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65 Corvette Engine Detailing

Post by Big bald guy »

Resto project for a customer. I don't know what the factory finish should be on the valve covers and intake manifold. Pictures I have found appear glass bead is OK for the intake but doesn't look like a glass bead finish on the covers. Any clues?
grandsport51
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Re: 65 Corvette Engine Detailing

Post by grandsport51 »

I was a Member of NCRS about 15 years ago to access tech info to restore my 1965 L-78 roadster and basically those guys are fun but anal ! You can in these days of Al Gores amazing internet LOL access The NCRS archives for a month gratis
And perform a search (there is almost too much info) I made a couple of C-2s into top flight cars when I was working in Fla.
and we would go around looking for weird stuff like Oem style wheel weights etc. and then if you can't find them you have an extra set of Oem wheels with no weights and take the points deduction for judging !
Have fun I enjoyed it.

https://www.ncrs.org/forums/search.php?do=process

Dave B
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rebelrouser
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Re: 65 Corvette Engine Detailing

Post by rebelrouser »

As grandsport51 mentioned those collectors involved in CORRECT restorations border on a cult mentality. I am a member of a local car club and help judge five car shows per year. I also do mechanical restorations, which means the body shop drops off a painted shell, I rebuild the drivetrain, bolt it back together and make it run right. I see few local car shows that do concourse type judging, most like our our club does appearance judging. So when you ask what is the proper finish, depends how your customer will show and maintain the car. Bead blast finish on an intake manifold looks good for just a little while, but may be what a concourse judge is looking for. I blast and paint intake manifolds then spray with argent silver paint and clear them. It looks almost like a blast finish, but is much easier to clean and looks good for a long time. And if they show only on appearance they win trophies for a longer period of time. In my experience when you restore a car, the next day after its finished it starts going to hell. I have seen a lot of blasted parts discolor and look really bad after sitting in a garage over the winter, especially if it is not climate controlled.
HDBD
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Re: 65 Corvette Engine Detailing

Post by HDBD »

In the early 90s I came up with a process that works to restore these parts. Company name, Automotive Specialties LTD. (ASL). At the same time I learned how to properly apply gold and blue chromate to the zinc die cast pieces of the ramjet MFI and carbs. My work was and still is accepted by both NCRS and Bloomington judges. I do not give out any details about what I do except to state there are no paint coatings used but the pores of the castings are closed so if oil or grease were to get on them a simple brake cleaner clean up makes them look new again. I restore these parts and carburetor recoloring for restorers nationwide.
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