92turboLE Posted September 30, 2003 Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 Ok, so here are some recent progress pictures of the poishing process of my plenum. Here is a shjot of the whole thing shortly after is started. The flat spots on top were previously polished. Another angle of the whole thing. Here you can see where i was grinding and sanding to smooth it out a bit for the polisher. More grinding and sanding marks, still need some more work but its getting there. Right by the TB, you can see how i have sanded part of it down but you can still see all the roughness around that area that has been sanded. Much of it i will have to do by hand, but most i can do with the combination of a die grinder and a drill. Lemme know what youthink... The desired effect is that of the valve cover. I will post more pics as i move along with the polishing, although i dont know how long, i dont havemuch time to do that. - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothSteve3 Posted September 30, 2003 Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 Man oh man, I'd LOVE to get my 3.1 MPFI lookin like that.......how did you do it?!?!? SmoothSteve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92turboLE Posted September 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 Man oh man, I'd LOVE to get my 3.1 MPFI lookin like that.......how did you do it?!?!? SmoothSteve not sure if that is serious or sarcasm, but if your serious... a lot of sanding and rubbing and polishing... If it was sarcasm... you have to pay extra for the scratches and grime! It was a dealer option - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothSteve3 Posted September 30, 2003 Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 I was dead serious! That looks frickin sweet man, you must of sanded it forever.....did you ever try something like a dremmel tool? SmoothSteve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92turboLE Posted September 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 i actually used 2 inch disc attached to a drill (the disc is designed for a die grinder, but I busted out the megiver skills and improvised) i used a sanding disc to get most of the stuff out, then a mesh "finishing" disc for the fine tuning. I did a little polishing to make sure it was gonna shine up alright, so i just have to finish the detail work then on to the polishing and hours of holding it up to a buffing wheel. Look for them on the BPP website shortly. (link in sig.) along with polished valve covers as well. - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Posted September 30, 2003 Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 looks like you took off the casting flash too, thats what i am in the process of doing right now. Later all Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musthavemuzk Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 curiousity here is there any concerns with thin metal when doing this type of project? Monty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89oldscutlass Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 Man I think that looks awsome and the valve cover to. Id like to do mine like that if i had the time but im usually to buisy working on everyone elses cars and by the end of the day Im wore out. Are you going to start selling them polished like that and if so how much are you going to charge with a core? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 right now i am having my machined by a friend who is taking off the "ribs" so the whole thing will be morror polished. Later Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92turboLE Posted October 1, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 Man I think that looks awsome and the valve cover to. Id like to do mine like that if i had the time but im usually to buisy working on everyone elses cars and by the end of the day Im wore out. Are you going to start selling them polished like that and if so how much are you going to charge with a core? I am planning on selling them fully polished or partially polished (only the flat things) For the fully polished im thinking something like $125 and that includes core charge of $25. This also includes the porting aswell. so if you send your old one back, then $100. Also, the Valve covers im going to do for $75, which includes the $15 core fee, otherwise $60 if you send your old one back. i should have pics of it fully done in the next couple of days. As for concerns about thin metal, i am merely De-Buring the surface, i am not removing much metal at all, just the casting flash as Xtreme mentioned. - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coopdaval Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 right now i am having my machined by a friend who is taking off the "ribs" so the whole thing will be morror polished. Later Jay thats a pretty good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92turboLE Posted October 1, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 that is kinda a cool idea... i may have to look into that for mine... i think that could look good.. and posibly have it engraved with something... although that could look tacky realy easy. P.S. More pics of a further polished plenum... again, another 3am polishing adventure. I need to try this sleep thing that seems to be the big thing now a days. - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92turboLE Posted October 1, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 OK, here are some more after another 3am polishing endevor. Asyou can see, it still needs work, but much better then it was before. I have most of the hard stuff done for the most part and now its little detail work. And since so many of you asked how i did it, this is how... bench grinder with buffing wheel. - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 what kind of polish did you use? i forget the proper name for it but one of the hard rectangles of it you put on the wheel? oh and you need to try the sleep thing!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92turboLE Posted October 1, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 yeah, it is a stick compound.... there are a ton of different types and brands.. i used 4 different polished on the valve cover... first was a super abrasive that took most of the imperfections out, cant remember what its called, then next was a less abrasive, then the final 2 were jewlers compound which were Super Fine grit polishes. - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfahn Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 how much time total did that take you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92turboLE Posted October 1, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 the vlave cover took me about 4 hours and the plenum so far has taken about the same... probly another 3-5 hours left until totally done. - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest k6tc Posted October 3, 2003 Report Share Posted October 3, 2003 Man oh man, I'd LOVE to get my 3.1 MPFI lookin like that.......how did you do it?!?!? SmoothSteve ***wow! what a job, it should be a real stand out when your done though. There are a number of polishing shops that deal with the Hot=rodders, do blowers and such. wpuldn't it of gone a lot easier to of taken it in and have it done then anodise so it won't go bad on you?....just a thought from an old Boat racer*** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92turboLE Posted October 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2003 expensive... polishing is soooo labor intensive it would cost a fortune... - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest k6tc Posted October 3, 2003 Report Share Posted October 3, 2003 expensive... polishing is soooo labor intensive it would cost a fortune... - Justin ***I'm sure your right Justin, I haven't had anything like that done in many years I did see a blown Grand Prix a pal of mine bought his wife that has all of the alloy's underhood done and it is really something to see. yours will be worth the effort too...good luck with it*** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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