I have seen some pictures of the stock intercooler end tanks and elbows being polished but haven't found any info on how to do it. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Sure, it looks awesome when it's finished... This is my process. Medium sandpaper the endtanks, pipes, etc. Then go over them with about a 200 grit, then again with a 400, then again with a 800 or 1000, and finally go over them with "OO" or "OOO" steel wool. You can buy the fake steel wool if you'd like. Less messy. When you're done wooling, I use Mothers Billet Aluminum Polish. It costs like 15 bucks a jar! But it's the best polish on the market. Follow the instructions and apply two or three coats and you'll $hit yourself. This method works. By no means is it the best or easiest. Need any other help, let me know.

 

I hope you're not a Long Cut guy though!

 

Strait and black my friend...

 

8 months dead- ressurected thread. I will be stripping my IC paint down tommorrow w/ aircraft paint stripper on top & then sanding down....Eagle one mag-wheel polish does wonders also....I will post before after pics when done.... Living in CA rain isn't a problem so I just hand polished the tanks w/o sanding it looked sick....this time i will be putting more work in for the mirror finish even on top through the top grill it will bling. May have to call up the Dremel for the lil stuff...

 

Started work today....Gotta cut it off and attend gtg w/family....

So far..... took 10 min to get front clip off (4 10mm bolts and 10 clips roughly), started sanding all the black paint off w/120 grit at 10:30am...Its 2pm now and I took 30 min off to go get the Mothers and drink some beer... got it down to 400 grit and Mothers mag/alum polish w/old socks...If you really want to get retarded and go for a true mirror finish you will need a buffer and youll need to start slingin polish but before that get some 1000 grit and put in more work...I will probably leave it this way (no buffer or 1000G) and finish up w/ Wenol polish tommorow as I am cool w/ the bling factor up to this point.

 

Looking good. Having used that polishing method before I know how much work it is but the end results make it worth the effort.

 

looks good man! Its a shame you cant polish the fins to match.

 

yeah it's a mission but comes out looking great. You will have to polish it every 2 weeks or so...gets dull from dd.

 

thanx for your pics

My right thumb is raw from not using a electic/buffer ($40.00 savings) and I plan on snipping the chicken wire on the tank sides for cleaning access & just leaving enough to keep big stuff off the fins....cage is already ratty-nast anyway. I might order a lower IC pipe before I put it all back.

I dont have a 5mph bump guard in there anymore either so entire IC will be more visible. I like how it looks from the top.. IC through top grill instead of OE black paint...screw the torture hand method - im going to WalMart to buy an electric drill and some buffing attachments like the Chip Foose buffing ball and 1000 grit, cardboard the fins and get it 'mirrored out'

 

i gotta invest in one of those. Walmart/Discount Auto sells those also.

 

Why?

 

cuz i'm lazy.

 

I have an EVO IX, is there actually a way you can polish the fins on the IC? ALso, could you safely spray letters on the IC for look? Do those cheaper IC pipe kits on ebay really make worth while? Are you just paying big bucks for the name brand on the Greddy stuff etc.? Thanks guys!
P.S. Those pix look hott, love the red VIII!

 

You guys certainly have time to pamper your evo. I wouldn't even try to polish your fins, it's only going to damage it. The fins are dull from factory and it won't make your car go faster. The aluminum fins are so thin like tinfoil. Ebay intercooler pipes, I wouldn't recommend. I'm putting on Nisei IC piping and they will fit like a glove.