freshy fresh valve cover
freshy fresh valve cover
Well, I finally got sick of looking at the scratched up red valve cover. I decided to try and match the Electric Blue as close as I could to try and tie the engine bay into the car a little better (yes, my OCD kicked in).
It's actually a combination of 3 different colors layered with 4 coats of high temp clear to get the Electric Blue effect. I'll quickly outline the steps below if anyone is curious, it's a full day project for sure.
I just didn't like the look of the red valve cover with the EB at all. It was driving me nuts having like 10 different colors under the hood.
I tried to do it the right way and not cut corners. First I cleaned the crap out of the VC with brake parts cleaner. Then rinsed, then cleaned with WD-40 (the wd means water displacement so it gets all the moisture out. Then stripped the surface with aircraft stripper and cleaned again. Then a nice sanding and more cleaning. Then a high temp base coat followed by a light silver base coat. Then on to color layers.
First color was a duplicolor metalcast blue (3 light coats). This gives it a very light blue anodized look. This will provide the blue highlights. Then, on to a metallic blue (can't remember the name right now, I'll update later). I used 2 very light coats of this. This darkens the anodized look and adds that purple shimmer you see in the EB paint. Then another light coat of the anodized blue to even out the color. From here it got tricky. I had to put a light wet coat of clear with the metallic blue almost at the same time. this mixes the clear into the blue and adds taht overall purple color change to the finish. Finally 4 layers of the high temp clear.
Once the paint has fully cured I'm going to do a nice wet sand. But I want the clear to be hardened before I even attempt that!
Now I just need to find a small battery kit and a short route piping setup.. If you got either, hit me up. Also willing to trade my IX turbo for these.
It's actually a combination of 3 different colors layered with 4 coats of high temp clear to get the Electric Blue effect. I'll quickly outline the steps below if anyone is curious, it's a full day project for sure.
I just didn't like the look of the red valve cover with the EB at all. It was driving me nuts having like 10 different colors under the hood.
I tried to do it the right way and not cut corners. First I cleaned the crap out of the VC with brake parts cleaner. Then rinsed, then cleaned with WD-40 (the wd means water displacement so it gets all the moisture out. Then stripped the surface with aircraft stripper and cleaned again. Then a nice sanding and more cleaning. Then a high temp base coat followed by a light silver base coat. Then on to color layers.
First color was a duplicolor metalcast blue (3 light coats). This gives it a very light blue anodized look. This will provide the blue highlights. Then, on to a metallic blue (can't remember the name right now, I'll update later). I used 2 very light coats of this. This darkens the anodized look and adds that purple shimmer you see in the EB paint. Then another light coat of the anodized blue to even out the color. From here it got tricky. I had to put a light wet coat of clear with the metallic blue almost at the same time. this mixes the clear into the blue and adds taht overall purple color change to the finish. Finally 4 layers of the high temp clear.
Once the paint has fully cured I'm going to do a nice wet sand. But I want the clear to be hardened before I even attempt that!
Now I just need to find a small battery kit and a short route piping setup.. If you got either, hit me up. Also willing to trade my IX turbo for these.
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 342
Likes: 8
From: Detroit metro area Michigan/Washington DC metro area
outstanding job with the color matching, i had a OCD moment while doing my cams last month and color matched mine also. mine was far easier, tarmac black is kinda hard to **** up.... so
cheers to you for a job well done.
cheers to you for a job well done.
Love it!!! I'm about to do a head gasket on mine and want to paint my VC too! Thanks for the write up! Where in CO are you? I'm in FoCo.
