DIY: The POLISHING
Thread Starter
I'm made of meat!
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,580
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From: Richmond, VA
I've seen "almost-chrome". It doesn't bling. You can't see your reflection in a powder coated surface. But, I don't have anything against powder coating... my block and everything else are. At least you don't feel bad about driving the car in the rain when its parts are powder coated. It's a lot less maintenance, but it doesn't score points with the judges when you're showing it.
Polishing stuff costs less than powder coating and it looks a whole lot better. Nothing comes for free, though. You have to touch it up frequently. Polished stuff can nearly be ruined if it gets wet without being dried properly. Road salt ruins polished finishes instantly (bad for FMIC's).
What you do with your parts depends on how you will be using your car. If you're not going to show it, all a polished part brings you is originality. Nobody usually wastes their time doing it to a daily driver (nobody except for me, I polished my civic's valve cover already). It's more commonly associated with show cars and hot rods. It's highly uncommon to find a 100hp 4-banger with a polished anything on it. That's where the originality part comes in to play.
Polishing stuff costs less than powder coating and it looks a whole lot better. Nothing comes for free, though. You have to touch it up frequently. Polished stuff can nearly be ruined if it gets wet without being dried properly. Road salt ruins polished finishes instantly (bad for FMIC's).
What you do with your parts depends on how you will be using your car. If you're not going to show it, all a polished part brings you is originality. Nobody usually wastes their time doing it to a daily driver (nobody except for me, I polished my civic's valve cover already). It's more commonly associated with show cars and hot rods. It's highly uncommon to find a 100hp 4-banger with a polished anything on it. That's where the originality part comes in to play.
Beast from the East
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,705
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From: VA
Originally posted by Jafro
I've seen "almost-chrome". It doesn't bling. You can't see your reflection in a powder coated surface. But, I don't have anything against powder coating... my block and everything else are. At least you don't feel bad about driving the car in the rain when its parts are powder coated. It's a lot less maintenance, but it doesn't score points with the judges when you're showing it.
Polishing stuff costs less than powder coating and it looks a whole lot better. Nothing comes for free, though. You have to touch it up frequently. Polished stuff can nearly be ruined if it gets wet without being dried properly. Road salt ruins polished finishes instantly (bad for FMIC's).
What you do with your parts depends on how you will be using your car. If you're not going to show it, all a polished part brings you is originality. Nobody usually wastes their time doing it to a daily driver (nobody except for me, I polished my civic's valve cover already). It's more commonly associated with show cars and hot rods. It's highly uncommon to find a 100hp 4-banger with a polished anything on it. That's where the originality part comes in to play.
I've seen "almost-chrome". It doesn't bling. You can't see your reflection in a powder coated surface. But, I don't have anything against powder coating... my block and everything else are. At least you don't feel bad about driving the car in the rain when its parts are powder coated. It's a lot less maintenance, but it doesn't score points with the judges when you're showing it.
Polishing stuff costs less than powder coating and it looks a whole lot better. Nothing comes for free, though. You have to touch it up frequently. Polished stuff can nearly be ruined if it gets wet without being dried properly. Road salt ruins polished finishes instantly (bad for FMIC's).
What you do with your parts depends on how you will be using your car. If you're not going to show it, all a polished part brings you is originality. Nobody usually wastes their time doing it to a daily driver (nobody except for me, I polished my civic's valve cover already). It's more commonly associated with show cars and hot rods. It's highly uncommon to find a 100hp 4-banger with a polished anything on it. That's where the originality part comes in to play.
Look up your engine bay thread I posted a pic of my bay.......I have the hood latch,hood hinges,ect. powdercoated and it most certainly does bling :fawk:
Thread Starter
I'm made of meat!
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Richmond, VA
Oh man. I've seen it. It does look great. I did say I have nothing against powder coating, and I do use that process extensively.
I didn't want to color-match my valve cover to my paint because a white car with a white engine bay and a white block and intake manifold would have looked really boring with a plain white valve cover. It looks great on cars with more colorful paint jobs (like yours), but in my case, I sort of HAD to polish it because of what had done to everything else. Nothing else would have looked right on the center piece of the engine bay. White is a difficult color to compete with.
It's really messed up that I'm so picky about that because when my car's hood is closed, the rest of my civic looks like a POS bucket.
I didn't want to color-match my valve cover to my paint because a white car with a white engine bay and a white block and intake manifold would have looked really boring with a plain white valve cover. It looks great on cars with more colorful paint jobs (like yours), but in my case, I sort of HAD to polish it because of what had done to everything else. Nothing else would have looked right on the center piece of the engine bay. White is a difficult color to compete with.
It's really messed up that I'm so picky about that because when my car's hood is closed, the rest of my civic looks like a POS bucket.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,157
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From: Dallas, TX
That looks really nice Jafro.
Why not have it chromed? Then you wouldn't have to clean it near as much. I know it would cost more, but it would be hassle free, and would not have to be cleaned as much.
Why not have it chromed? Then you wouldn't have to clean it near as much. I know it would cost more, but it would be hassle free, and would not have to be cleaned as much.
Thread Starter
I'm made of meat!
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,580
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From: Richmond, VA
Chrome sticks to aluminum, but just barely. It has a tendency to flake after a while. But it still looks great. You also can't chrome anything that's Stainless Steel. It just won't stick.
You just can't mix polished parts with chromed parts because the finishes will clash. They're actually different colors. If you want a lot of pieces to shine, it gets crazy expensive. I know someone who just had all his chrome redone on a '53 Ford, and it cost him $5660 to do the whole car.
Chrome is a lot more durable than polished finishes, though. You're right.
Dude. I've been wanting to tell you. Your avatar kills me. Did you make that?
You just can't mix polished parts with chromed parts because the finishes will clash. They're actually different colors. If you want a lot of pieces to shine, it gets crazy expensive. I know someone who just had all his chrome redone on a '53 Ford, and it cost him $5660 to do the whole car.
Chrome is a lot more durable than polished finishes, though. You're right.
Dude. I've been wanting to tell you. Your avatar kills me. Did you make that?
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,157
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From: Dallas, TX
Originally posted by Jafro
Chrome sticks to aluminum, but just barely. It has a tendency to flake after a while. But it still looks great. You also can't chrome anything that's Stainless Steel. It just won't stick.
You just can't mix polished parts with chromed parts because the finishes will clash. They're actually different colors. If you want a lot of pieces to shine, it gets crazy expensive. I know someone who just had all his chrome redone on a '53 Ford, and it cost him $5660 to do the whole car.
Chrome is a lot more durable than polished finishes, though. You're right.
Dude. I've been wanting to tell you. Your avatar kills me. Did you make that?
Chrome sticks to aluminum, but just barely. It has a tendency to flake after a while. But it still looks great. You also can't chrome anything that's Stainless Steel. It just won't stick.
You just can't mix polished parts with chromed parts because the finishes will clash. They're actually different colors. If you want a lot of pieces to shine, it gets crazy expensive. I know someone who just had all his chrome redone on a '53 Ford, and it cost him $5660 to do the whole car.
Chrome is a lot more durable than polished finishes, though. You're right.
Dude. I've been wanting to tell you. Your avatar kills me. Did you make that?
OT: I found my avatar on the internet somewhere as a bigger animated gif. I just re-sized it. Have you seen that episode? It is a pun on the movie "Requiem for a Dream."
Senior Member
Joined: May 2002
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Here's a before and after pic of a throttle body I did. Everything you said looks good, all I can add is that ALUMINUM OXIDE POLISH IS YOUR FRIEND. For polishing aluminum stuff, use Aluminum Oxide polishing compound all the way. If you're fanatical, you can even use a jeweler's rouge after that, but IMO that's a bit excessive.
