HELP NEEDED Polishing Intake

[Black Moon]

I decided to do it myself and save some coin since all this modding is coming out of savings. Blasted with glass, sanded all the way to 2500 wet and buffed on stand up wheels. Brown compound on thick pad and white compound on loose pad. Then I pulled out the electric buffer and tried rubbing compound, polishing compound, pad glaze and wax with different combinations of pads. It looks good but I want GREAT. I got this far and just need to make that 9 into a 10. I didn't do around the injector rails. I don't have the tools or patience. Instead I used 2000 degree paint. Works for me.

So does anyone out there know what I need to do to finish this off? Any good advice would be appreciated. Thaank all,
Sal

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

I've always used Autosol if you haven't tried their products yet, it's the final step that brings out a brilliant shine.

Used it on various parts for auto restoration, polishing stainless firearms, etc. in the past, and personally never found a better polish yet.

https://www.autosol.com/shop/category/metal-care/

Good effort doing it yourself,
Mike

 

[Black Moon]

I'll check them out. It looks a little better now. I cut down my big pads and rebuffed. I was amazed at how deep I found alum. flakes. I'm sure that was just rescuffing the surface. I'll spend maybe another hour on it and it's going on the car. I should have been done days ago.

 

[Spook120]

Been polishing and buffing for years. Some advice: take for what it is worth. You need to go back and get rid of those scratches before anything else will work. Go back to 600, then 800, then 1000, 1500, 2000 before you start to buff again. When buffing you need to go from green compound to white to make it gleam. That being said there are certain aluminum alloys that just "smear" rather than buffing to a mirror finish. Not sure, but maybe the manifold is one of them. If that is the case no matter how much you buff and shine, it still looks cloudy. To keep your shine I would use "Mothers Billet polish" very fine and won't scratch. Aluminum scratches by looking at it....very soft. The best shine is only possible if you have billet grade aluminum to begin with. Good luck. *****.

 

[Black Moon]

Been polishing and buffing for years. Some advice: take for what it is worth. You need to go back and get rid of those scratches before anything else will work. Go back to 600, then 800, then 1000, 1500, 2000 before you start to buff again. When buffing you need to go from green compound to white to make it gleam. That being said there are certain aluminum alloys that just "smear" rather than buffing to a mirror finish. Not sure, but maybe the manifold is one of them. If that is the case no matter how much you buff and shine, it still looks cloudy. To keep your shine I would use "Mothers Billet polish" very fine and won't scratch. Aluminum scratches by looking at it....very soft. The best shine is only possible if you have billet grade aluminum to begin with. Good luck. *****.

Thanks *****. I've seen these intakes look like a mirror so I know it's possible. Good advice to back up but I'm going to have shinny scratches because I'm pretty much over it. As long as it looks better than stock is good. My polished Paxton doesn't look half as good.
Thanks again.

 

[351carlo]

That looks great! Keep it up, very inspired to do something similar (Or send it out to get done!)

-Carlo

 

[Black Moon]

If you can spare $600 to $1100, depending on how much area and who polishes it, then by all means send it out and save the trouble. Then if it doesn't look perfect you have someone else to blame. I couldn't justify the money and I have the time.

 

[Alabaster Mamba]

Here is one of the best examples I have seen. It gets me motivated but just haven't gotten the guts to attempt it yet.

http://forums.viperclub.org/viper-detailing-tips-tricks/605879-my-new-aluminum-polishing-guide.html

 

[slysnake]

You need to go back and get rid of those scratches before anything else will work. Go back to 600, then 800, then 1000, 1500, 2000 before you start to buff again

I was going to say that as well. You've still got a lot of very noticible scratches in your photo. If one level doesn't remove the scratches of the previous level you need to go back. It will look great when your done.

 

[Black Moon]

Here is one of the best examples I have seen. It gets me motivated but just haven't gotten the guts to attempt it yet.

http://forums.viperclub.org/viper-detailing-tips-tricks/605879-my-new-aluminum-polishing-guide.html

He makes it look so easy.

I was going to say that as well. You've still got a lot of very noticible scratches in your photo. If one level doesn't remove the scratches of the previous level you need to go back. It will look great when your done.

The fine scratches you are seeing were from the dirty buffer pad. Now that I cleaned it the resluts are better but not perfect.

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

 

[VicTxV10]

Looks good to me.

 

[Black Moon]

Looks good to me.

Thanks. I'm going to buy new pads for my pedistal polisher and hit it one more time. The crud in the pad was scratching and dulling it.

 

[Scratch]

Turn the machine on, use a flat scredriver against the pad while spinning (be careful) that will help restore your pad and knock alot of the crud off it.
As mentioned, you are really close, use the white rouge for a sparkling finish
The type pad you use may be a difference also, for finishing touches.

 

[Black Moon]

Turn the machine on, use a flat scredriver against the pad while spinning (be careful) that will help restore your pad and knock alot of the crud off it.
As mentioned, you are really close, use the white rouge for a sparkling finish
The type pad you use may be a difference also, for finishing touches.

Tried the screwdriver and finally used a sharp chissel to get it all the way down. I need a different finishing pad from what I researched last night. They also 'jewelers rouge' is the best for finishes.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Scratch]

When you say jewler's rouge, don't get that red stuff, the white is for "fine".
brown (tripoli) is for cutting/smoothing, green is for polishing, white is for fine polishing.

 

[Black Moon]

When you say jewler's rouge, don't get that red stuff, the white is for "fine".
brown (tripoli) is for cutting/smoothing, green is for polishing, white is for fine polishing.

Thanks. I read that the red was for mirror finishes. So white jewelers rouge.

 

[Black Moon]

I'm done and happy with the results. Time to get this car back together and begin the tuning process.

Refinished covers and intake. Will post pics when motor is complete.

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

 

[Slithr]

Moon, now that you're a pro polisher, how much do you charge?

BTW, great job

 

[Black Moon]

Moon, now that you're a pro polisher, how much do you charge?

BTW, great job

Alot!!!
PM me if you're serious.

 

[Spook120]

Much better!! Nice job. If you have a pro polisher do something like that it will cost you around $350 to $450 depending on the area of the country. Show us pictures when it is all back together. Good work!! *****

 

[Black Moon]

Much better!! Nice job. If you have a pro polisher do something like that it will cost you around $350 to $450 depending on the area of the country. Show us pictures when it is all back together. Good work!! *****

You'd never get it done for that around here if you could find someone to even touch it.

Thanks for the compliment.

 

[bluesrt]

looks killer

 

[Black Moon]

It's alive! Got the Paxton done and fired it for the second time. Sounded great without mufflers.

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

 

[TowDawg]

Looks good Sal!

After you get it tuned I gotta go for a ride. Haven't been a boosted Viper yet.

 

[Black Moon]

Looks good Sal!

After you get it tuned I gotta go for a ride. Haven't been a boosted Viper yet.

I can't wait to get it together now. Still have some work to do before it's back on the road. Thanks for the compliment. Feels good knowing I did it by myself with alot of telephone support.