Polishing the engine block
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2004
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Polishing the engine block
How does one polish an engine block? I like the look of this one:
Click Me
Is this something I could learn on the fly, or would it just be better to find a machine shop to do it for me?
Thank you for your help! I appreciate it!
Click Me
Is this something I could learn on the fly, or would it just be better to find a machine shop to do it for me?
Thank you for your help! I appreciate it!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
what he said....but you could have it powdercoated in a near chrome like coating, it's expensive though (with all the masking and plugging that has to be doine), just make sure that if you do it that they either preheat the block so it outgasses or use UV or IR to cure the powder...just throwing in an idea here.
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Not to mention how hard it would be to keep all that clean. It almost looks like alot of that was chrome plated.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 6
From: 68 427 4.11s Roadster
You can polish steel, its just that it rusts. You could clear coat it and hope it don't chip or flake too bad. Or you could paint the block a silverish color but it isn't shiny more like flat silver.
Aluminum isn't the end all either. If you polish and leave it plan on polishing it at least once a year. You could clear anodize it but have no idea what that would cost to do. This is a do it your self item but doing something as large as a block is wayyyy over board on the amount of acid and plate that would be needed.
You could clear aluminum too. I Kandied my polished aluminum on my boat stuff.
As mentioned its hard to see much of the block, but I don't see why just those areas couldn't be polished and the rest painted.
Aluminum isn't the end all either. If you polish and leave it plan on polishing it at least once a year. You could clear anodize it but have no idea what that would cost to do. This is a do it your self item but doing something as large as a block is wayyyy over board on the amount of acid and plate that would be needed.
You could clear aluminum too. I Kandied my polished aluminum on my boat stuff.
As mentioned its hard to see much of the block, but I don't see why just those areas couldn't be polished and the rest painted.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,997
Likes: 1
From: WAY DEEP INSIDE AMERICO,YES YOU LIVE HERE TO!! TX
Originally Posted by hill3335lilo
hotrodlane.com quotes $1,500 to polish just the block. Is this reasonable? Is it that much work?
Dave
Dave
Thats a waste of money
unless you have a super show car for the riddler
and its never gonna get driven or started
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,130
Likes: 1
From: mesa,az
if you have to have a polished block do it yourself. it is just going to take time. BUT polishing is filthy. you are gonna have black junk all over your shop. then you are going to have to KEEP it polished. that is going to be about impossible near as i can see.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 153
Likes: 1
From: Monroe MI
I have a polished intake and talk about a GIANT pain in the **** to keep looking good! The carb, coil, ignition shields all need to come off to do a proper job. This was on the car when I purchased it and its one of those BS Power Plus Rice Produced Cheap American Knock Off Intakes, although it looks nice when its polished Im seriously thinking of replacing it with an American Made Edelbrock!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,981
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From: Houston,Tx. USA
The son-in-law just had the engine done in their '78; the car has LOTs of chrome underneath and in the engine bay; they had the block painted a "Pontiac Light Blue" and it really goes well with chrome.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
Grinding smooth and painting a engine block has always been a plus in the show car circuit. It has become manditiory for a Riddler canidate and is rubbing off into other lower classes.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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Painting vs Polishing work required
How expensive/how much work is required then to grind and paint an engine block? I assume that, since this is painting, I would want a professional to do it...
Thanks again for all of your help!
Dave
Thanks again for all of your help!
Dave