MikGan

I getting my engine rebuilt and it'll be back soon, from memory its getting painted magenta (or something close to that) and I got to thinking that while I have all the old brackets n stuff sitting here doing nothing perhaps I should try to bring them back to life with a good scrub. I picked a few bits n pieces from the box of gear I have and these are first on the list:



So how would I go about this? In the past for various other projects, Ive simply put the items into a bath of mild acid for a min then polished with a brass polish on the end of a buff. But the deep grooves on the pullys doesnt lend it self to that method very well, so what are some suggestions?

Also the are obviously the pullys, should I be careful about anything that might screw them up?

This stuffs next on the list:



Any tips for this gear? particularly the fan shroud, how do u freshen up plastic? or an alternator?!

lukeh

Believe it or not...I've found Cut'n'Polish for Car Paint to work well on Plastic!!! For Metal Parts,A Wire Cup-Brush on an Angle-Grinder or a Wire-Wheel on a Bench-Grinder work well.Careful with your Fan though...I would just Paint Strip it,Wire Brush it,then just touch it up with some fine Sand-Paper followed by Paint.Sometimes it is a good idea to Respray such items in a Satin or a Semi-Gloss Black finish,as Flat Colours look okay when first done,but seem to dirty up or oxidise the quickest.I also believe that doing them in Gloss Finish can look very Tacky...But each to their own.If you want your Alternator to look really sexy...then you should pull it apart or alternitavely have an expert such as an Auto Electrician pull it apart and have the front Pulley and Alternator Fan either Zinc or Chrome Plated,then get the main Alternator Body or Housing Polished by a Metal Polisher.

81foXDwagon

For the black plastic bits:
- Good scrub in soapy water / degreaser to get all grease off
- Polish them up with "Black Chrome" (a turtlewax product). Its specifically designed for applications that are dirty / frequently washed.

Metal pullies / general metal bits / fan:
- For $20 - $50 (depending on how many you have) take them to the local sandblaster and get them blasted and etch primed.
- If you dont have the money, use a wirewheel.
- Give them 3 coats of killrust black. They will never go rusty again.

Alternator:
(this ones tricky)
1) If your electrically minded you can dissassemble it and then clean it in a degreaser bath.
2) If your not that game (like me) get a rag which is damp (not wet) with degreaser and rub it on the dirty bits. You can then get some paper towel and wipe it off, taking the grease with it. A toothbrush will also be useful, as this can scrub hard grease.
3) (If you wanna throw money away) Take it to the auto electrician and have him install new bearings. They clean it 4 free!

I am just restoring a moke, and have done all of this. I highly recommend sandblasting the pure metal parts. It will only take about 30 minutes for them, and the surface will be perfectly prepared for a lifetime of service. Make sure you use high quality paints too.

Should be lookin great in notime

lukeh

Sandblasting can significantly pit the metal you are blasting though,depending on how course or what Grade of Sand is being used...So you should keep that in mind !!

ch7472

The amont of pitting you will get from the sand blasting will be minimal, I would go with powder coating my self they clean them for you and opnce done you will never have to paint again. It is chap and hard wearing. I would guess going buy the shroud it is an XB-XC?

MikGan

Narr XE, thanks for the advice guys. Im realy hard up for cash since the build is now in full swing so throwing away money is not on the books, but I think I'll give em a really good tob and scrub as perscribed.

compact

Guys...just to let u know....i bought a sandblaster from a place on ebay for $110.....awesome bit of gear.....ive finished my engine bay and I still have most of the $40 worth of garnet left

If you have the money spare i would suggest one of these....oh i bought the one with the 20 gallon holding tank.....

And the most important thing is the engine bay was done with love and care....not like some other people treat your car

So now ive done my engine bay...and I still have enough to do every underbonnet part that needs to be done

MikGan

Well Ive taken the advice given here and went out to supercheap and picked up a $19 angle grinder + wire cup and got to task *finally*. Well after one run over with the grinder and a quick anti rust tub these are the results:



The pully on the right obviously lends it self better to the shape of the wire cup, but both are realitvly rust free and smooth surfaced now ready for a quick spash of paint.

So u think I should match the bay color, black/red... still deciding, or the engine color, magenta with chrome highlights?

lukeh

Personally I think that Red Pulleys on a Magenta which is Blue is'nt it?would look big time tacky.I would recommend Satin or semi-Gloss black on them,or even matching to your Block Colour Magenta !!!

lukeh

You underestimate Sandblasting IMO...I had some 12 Slotters done once and the Guy used very coarse sand.It pitted them badly and they were'nt even rusty...I just wanted the Paint off.Also,some items that are held to close to the Blasting can be all but destroyed by major pitting.