11-16-2010, 07:00 PM
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#1
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Premier V.I.P. Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Howard, KS
Posts: 1,848
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Polished 3400 SFI
Today I decided I was going to contribute something to the board. (besides my normal BS  ). So this is my writeup for polishing aluminum to a mirror finish.
1. thoroughly clean whatever you want to polish. I used paint thinner then acetone, alcohol, and water..but you dont need to use all these (its probably overkill anyways)
2. wet sand using various grits of sandpaper.. I used this order and re-cleaned in between grits, remove all the marks from the previous paper, by the time you get done with 2000 it should be almost mirror finish.
220-> 320-> 400-> 800-> 1500-> 2000
3. polish with a buffing pad and aluminum polish (I used Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish)
4. Wipe clean removing any fingerprints and your done 
results on my UIM: and no you don't have to ask, I know my engine is dirty..
If the weather permits tomorrow the rest of the UIM is getting hit with a semi-gloss black for a good contrast
Edit: This pic is before I used Mag & Aluminum polish, I ran out of light before I polished.
its much more reflective now.
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2004 Audi TT Quattro 1.8t 
1969 Chevrolet Biscayne 2d
1963 VW Beetle
Last edited by 03Sleepr : 11-16-2010 at 07:03 PM.
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11-16-2010, 07:12 PM
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#2
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GLS member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Midland, MI
Posts: 1,458
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Kewl!!!
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11-16-2010, 08:13 PM
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#3
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GLS member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Valley City, ND
Posts: 999
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Looks great.
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2003 Alero GL2 LA1: pacesetter cat back, Energy Speed WAI, Magnaflow downpipe/cat, tinted tail lights, and polished letters on intake manifold.
1987 Honda Rebel 450
1967 Buick Riviera 430 Wildcat: roadworthy but needs restoration.
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11-16-2010, 08:22 PM
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#4
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GL Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ohio
Posts: 627
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ok as you know my knowledge of cars especially with under the hood is VERY bad. What is UIM is that what you already have polished or is that the rest of the top part of the engine?
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11-16-2010, 08:24 PM
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#5
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Premier V.I.P. Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Howard, KS
Posts: 1,848
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UIM = Upper intake manifold, I dont have the entire manifold polished, just the lettering, the manifold itself is the dull silver part
__________________
2004 Audi TT Quattro 1.8t
1969 Chevrolet Biscayne 2d
1963 VW Beetle
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11-16-2010, 08:28 PM
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#6
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GL Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ohio
Posts: 627
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oooo ok. so that whole this is able to be pilosed and have that glossy finish. That is sweet, about how long did the lettering take you. that just gave me some very nice ideas
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11-16-2010, 08:32 PM
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#7
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Premier V.I.P. Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Howard, KS
Posts: 1,848
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the lettering took around a half hour (taking my time to get it perfect)...I highly recommend an electric sander if you are going to polish the whole manifold...
__________________
2004 Audi TT Quattro 1.8t
1969 Chevrolet Biscayne 2d
1963 VW Beetle
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11-16-2010, 08:34 PM
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#8
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GL Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ohio
Posts: 627
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hahah yea i have that. dad was a custom cabinet builder. so he has a nice one
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11-16-2010, 08:45 PM
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#9
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Premier V.I.P. Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Howard, KS
Posts: 1,848
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lucky you...I lost everything when I moved, even my sanding block..and I'm to much of a cheap ass to buy one, so I used my blackberry 
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2004 Audi TT Quattro 1.8t
1969 Chevrolet Biscayne 2d
1963 VW Beetle
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11-16-2010, 08:51 PM
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#10
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GL Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ohio
Posts: 627
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH always knew the blackberry would be put to good use for something
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11-16-2010, 09:09 PM
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#11
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GL Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ohio
Posts: 627
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MY dad has a card that says. Thanks A**hole if you f*** like you park you will never get it in .
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11-16-2010, 09:26 PM
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#12
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GL Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Posts: 663
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wrong thread man...
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11-16-2010, 09:39 PM
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#13
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2Screwy
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 13,238
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Polish the whole thing!!!
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11-16-2010, 09:41 PM
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#14
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Premier V.I.P. Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Howard, KS
Posts: 1,848
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its still a possibility, I'm going to see how I like it black first...cuz polishing the whole thing would be a PITA lol
__________________
2004 Audi TT Quattro 1.8t
1969 Chevrolet Biscayne 2d
1963 VW Beetle
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11-16-2010, 09:45 PM
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#15
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GLS member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Valley City, ND
Posts: 999
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kwhauck
Polish the whole thing!!!
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I had that thought for mine, sometime if my LIMG goes out and I have to tear everything down I might polish up the manifolds and valve covers, and if I don't like it it won't be too difficult to paint with them off the car.
__________________
2003 Alero GL2 LA1: pacesetter cat back, Energy Speed WAI, Magnaflow downpipe/cat, tinted tail lights, and polished letters on intake manifold.
1987 Honda Rebel 450
1967 Buick Riviera 430 Wildcat: roadworthy but needs restoration.
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11-16-2010, 09:46 PM
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#16
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Premier V.I.P. Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Howard, KS
Posts: 1,848
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painting polished aluminum doesn't work very well... I'm polishing my valve covers next and maybe alternator?
__________________
2004 Audi TT Quattro 1.8t
1969 Chevrolet Biscayne 2d
1963 VW Beetle
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11-16-2010, 09:47 PM
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#17
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GLS member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Valley City, ND
Posts: 999
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Yeah if i painted them I'd rough up the surface first, probably blue and leave the 3400 SFI letters polished, or maybe black, not sure how that would look though on a silver car.
__________________
2003 Alero GL2 LA1: pacesetter cat back, Energy Speed WAI, Magnaflow downpipe/cat, tinted tail lights, and polished letters on intake manifold.
1987 Honda Rebel 450
1967 Buick Riviera 430 Wildcat: roadworthy but needs restoration.
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11-16-2010, 10:16 PM
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#18
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GX Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 157
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Looks awesome gonna do that to my ecotec valve cover next year, I used steel wool and it cleaned it up quite a bit, but nowhere near a mirror finish
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11-16-2010, 11:11 PM
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#19
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A-mod Pirate
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Big Bad Cali
Posts: 3,016
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Personally I recommend using blue magic over the mothers mag n alunimum polish. Looks good though. Ur 1st step tho is total overkill. Acetone paint thinner alcohol its all the same shit man.
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11-16-2010, 11:21 PM
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#20
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Aleromod part owner
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Far Northeast Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 18,199
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Looks good
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33% ALEROMOD OWNER!!
2000 Olds Alero 3400 SFI 14.53 @ 94.93
1985 Olds Delta 88 307 SBO 17.96 @ 76.99
2007 Volvo V50 T5 6M 15.782 @ 89.12
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