I hand polished mine also - I love the look. 
paint, L-82 valve covers
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,756
Likes: 2,505
From: Buckeye, AZ
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
I did mine with high heat gloss black three years ago and their holding up fine. I fully stripped them with aircraft paint stripper; washed them in the dishwasher; painted them; sanded fins with 150 grit sandpaper to bare the fins. If the prep work is done right they will hold up for years. Remember they didn't even have powder coating years ago when these were made, and I have seen orginals just faded, not peeled. Mine we just aged. I'm a do it yourselfer, so my take was to paint them properly and see how they hold up. I can always spend the money and get them powder coated if I am unsatisfied. So far, so good.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,362
Likes: 7
From: Brazos TX
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
I agree that powder coating is the best but the cheapest is to use lacquer. Just follow what gliot1 said and it will work great but using lacquer is important for a durable finish.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,330
Likes: 6
From: Long Island NY
Powdercoating is the Original look, it's semi-black. Mine is also a 'surviver'. Powdercoating is used because paint peels off ez. Powdercoating lasts a long time and shines up better...
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
go to auto zone or advanced auto and buy a can of high heat-low gloss black paint along with a can of self- etching primer. Strip the covers clean, spray with self-etching primer and then the low-gloss black. Covers will turnout beautiful and have factory looks and will last for years
