Rocker cover refurb

[Marcus+2]

Hi all - a little help and advice please.

I am trying to de-orange bits of my car including the rocker cover of the beautiful twin cam engine.

Ideally I would like this to be restored to a black crinkle finish with exposed alluminium highlights.

Has anyone had this professionaly done by blasting and powder coating, or is this something I could attempt myself with some paintstripper, some spray cans and a bit of elbow grease?

Thanks.

[mark030358]

Hi,
Try Redditch Shot blasting. Have done some excellent work for me in the past.

https://www.redditchshotblasting.co.uk

Cheers

[Marcus+2]

Hi,
Try Redditch Shot blasting. Have done some excellent work for me in the past.

https://www.redditchshotblasting.co.uk

Cheers

Thanks - is that your rocker cover in red on their webpage??

[mark030358]

Hi,
Nope they did one on an S4 that I restored many moons ago, excellent job. Pictures below..

cheers
Mark

[alan.barker]

In the past i have just stripped the paint. Bought a spray can of "crackle/crinkle paint". Sprayed then popped in the Oven while swmbo was shopping.
Perfect result.
Alan

[RichardHawkins]

Marcus,

I also used Redditch Shotblasting and am pleased with the result.

Richard Hawkins

[Marcus+2]

What was the price of the shot blasting and powder coating please?

[elans3]

Easy to do yourself, as above. I recently did my Alfa Twincam rocker cover myself, with stripper and crinkle paint.
Also did a BRM rocker cover some years ago in the same way.

[Baggy2]

Hi
Redditch Shot blasting as recommended by Mark will be at the NEC show early November. I've had a few informative chats with the there but never actually placed any business with them yet . Will be sending mine as soon as I can borrow a replacement and get mine machined flat.
Cheers

[prezoom]

After sand blasting mine, I found the process warped the casting. Not by much, just a few thou, but enough to cause an oil leak between the cover and the head. I wound up gluing 4 sheets of moderately course sandpaper to the metal top of my work bench, and by moving the cover in a figure 8 motion, was able to get the completely flat again. doesn't leak a drop now. I did use rattle can wrinkle paint and left it out in the sun to cure, it still looks great for over the past 15 or so years.

[elans3]

I used the rattle can Crinkle Paint, let it dry so it could be handled, then bolted it back onto the engine. Took the car for a 10 mile drive, and the crinkling had begun well.
After a few more miles, it was just how I'd expected it to be, perfect. No need to incur the wrath of her indoors by putting it in the oven, the heat from the engine did the trick very well.
It's still excellent 3 years on, very chip resistant, too.

[RichardHawkins]

Marcus,

Redditch Shotblasting charged £54 in September 2016.

Richard Hawkins

[JonB]

Whilst we are on the subject, any recommendations for a(UK supplied) rattle can crinkle paint for an S4 SE cam cover? It’s a kind of orangey red.

[Marcus+2]

Thanks all - I am having a go myself and will call the professionals if need be.

I have started stripping the paint off and am on my 3rd pass of paintstripper and its nearly done - so far so good!.

Would you reccomend a heat resistant undercoat (if there is such a thing), or will a standard one do?
Thanks.

[Donels]

Finish with some 1200 grit sandpaper wrapped around a block of wood and polish all the raised alloy bits.