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Repainting 1992 Valve covers -Which Paint?

23K views 55 replies 27 participants last post by  Chads93GT  
#1 ·
I am repainting a set of 1992 5.0 mustang valvecovers.Basically they just need scuffed and repainted.Looking for close to the original color.They dont have to be cleared.Where might I come up with the proper color paint or atleast something close.Help is very appreciated.Thanks
 
#2 ·
Get a can of Dupli-Color ceramic engine paint called Cast Coat Aluminum. I think you will be happy with the color. I bought a new 3G alternator and wanted something to paint my idler pulley with and it matched almost exact. Looked so good I painted my GT-40 intake with it and my valve covers.

I just tried to post a pic of it here from Photobucket but it says I havent been here long enough to post links to other sites so WTF ever....its a good color tho.
 
#7 ·
I use the 1200* Dupli-color aluminum on most of my stuff. Get the high temp primer and use it too. Spray it on in thin coats with just about 5-7 minutes in between coats. I had a set of headers last with it like that by warming them up a little at a time and cutting the engine off. I did have a set bubble and peel when I ran the engine for a long time when they were just painted.
VC's are not subject to that heat but I like everything to be the same exact color.

Dave
 
#14 · (Edited)
Thanks.. Time consuming with all the angles... but worth the effort. It has about 5-6 coats on it. Left alone for a least a day or two to dry. Sometimes a rattle can will surprise you with the results.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Hey Brian,
I emailed those links to ya to post. That pic of the painted VC looks great too! Good prep job...

Dave,
You say you did your headers with that stuff too? I thought about that but I figured the stuff may not fair so well with that kinda heat. It said on the can it will handle brief temps up to 500 and a constant 200-300 I think. Worth a try I suppose. I am the same as I wanted everything the same color as well.
 
#16 ·
Awesome looking pic. I have bought the 1200 paint myself, where I could get it. I repainted the 94 GT Power booster I am installing on the 92 LX white to match. For your application it is the best. Sometimes for rattle cans they work great. Prep work is what it is all about. Take your time and do it right. I put 4 coats of the 1200 primer on before I put 6 coats of the white. Looks awesome.

Mike
 
#18 ·
thanks Brian. Cant really see but just a little bit of the pass. side valve cover but anyone can get a pretty good idea of what it would look like by looking at the idler pulley next to the alternator. The 3G is factory painted from Ford and there really isnt much of a difference between that and the painted idler. I dont know what color the valve covers were originally but that color I think passes.
 
#22 ·
Its definately not the stock color. Stock was about the color of primer, but with a glossy finish. I posted a very similar thread when working on my '86 LX 5.0 and the general concensus was that the valve covers were bare aluminum until about 1990, and then they were painted the same shade of medium gray as the oil pans.

http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=747027&highlight=valve+covers

Here's the same thread on foureyedpride.com

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?t=30085&highlight=valve+covers
 
#23 ·
anything other than natural or grey or black makes them and YOU GHEY and like a FHAG.....
 
#25 ·
I first painted them black about a year ago to match the color of the car, but it made the engine bay too dark. So, I guess I took the paint out the closet last month, stripped them down, and changed them to the silver / aluminum they are now.... I do prefer them this color.
 
#26 ·
The cast coat aluminum isn't anywhere near as dark silver as chippers pics show on the valve cover, the shadowing of the pic almost makes it look like the cast coat iron color they also sell. which is almost like gunmetal in color.... In daylight they would look much closer to the factory 91 up painted covers even has a slight green tint to it like the factory paint. It lays pretty good to and will handle a light sanding if you want to dull the shine.


I've been using both to paint my non polished parts the past couple days. Steel / iron parts - Block, a/c brackets ect..got the cast coat iron and the aluminum parts get the cast coat aluminum..... Take your time and sand most of the heavy pitting/ casting flash off, they will come out looking 100 times better, plus it saves yeah from polishing all those parts with the hard to get to areas. I'll snap some pics of the things off the car that are all ready done when I get a chance.
 
#27 ·
Hahahaha. I guess lots of folks have used the Cast Coat Ghey.......:) Good to see I aint the only one. Seriously tho, it was an easy fix as my back is jacked up with 2 herniated discs and I just cant spend the time in there pulling and polishing every componant nor do I have the coin available to me right now to start replacing them with the expensive, shiney ones. This was kind of a last minute thing I decided to do while Chad and I were changing out the intake. I just shot the valve covers and some of the other stuff in there to match the GT-40. It looks MUCH better now than it did in there before....trust me

FWIW, I did take those pics at night so that is prolly why the shine is definately exaggerated and the shading is a bit more silver cuz of the flash. Just dont use the strait-up Aluminum Dupli-color as it looks like a Ghetto spray-chrome but this shade, although not OEM exact, is respectable alternative and not too shabby for a parts house spray bomb.....l8r