Candy Red Powdercoated Valve Cover

V6Sprout

Registered User
Some people here may have seen this on the other boards I posted this on but here is the V6 Mustang valve cover I did today (yes one, I haven't gotten the other one from the guy yet) Candy Red, man it looks AWESOME!

powdercoating_pics_006a.jpg


powdercoating_pics_003a.jpg
 
Damn Jamie, bling bling

Edit: Would you be interested in doin some work on my camaro's engine? I'll give ya another free supercharger pulley, :p
 
DAMN Jamie thats freakin beautifull!!!!!! :eek: :eek:
Candy apple red is my favorite color in the world. :D :D :D
That just blows me away. :cool: :cool:
 
baby is doing OK, she is not feeding on her own still but she is home at least, she is nxt to me right now feeding through a tube in her nose, sleeping while I am posting away :)

As for the Candy Red, I am falling in love with it every time I powdercoat something with it, this valve cover came out about 98-99% PERFECT, nothing ever comes out pefect, but this is damn close. These magnesium valve covers out gas badly but this one didn't really, so bonus, it looks even better in person!

I still have to do his other valve cover for him, along with a mustang lower intake and a mustang upper intake int he same color, his motor is gonna be BLING BLING for sure! :D
 
How do you 'powdercoat' stuff like it? is it hard? or does it cost a lot for the materials?

Thanks

- Chad


p.s. If it's too much work, I'll be in touch with you after my SC is running correctly.
 
its not too hard, the bulk of hte work invoilved is preping the material to be coated, its very important the part is clean. I usually strip the item of all paint or old powdercoat if I can, then I clean it with acetone, then I prebake the item for 30min-60mins to allow anythign to burn off thats left over, as well as to out gas the metal, if these gasses come out while baking the powder on you can get bubbles. I usually still get a few bubbles on pieces but not too bad, magnesium valve covers are REALLY BAD for this. I hear aluminum is as well but I mainly have the probelm with the valve covers.

The actual coating of the part is easy, my gun is still a cheap gun so I lose as much powder as I get ont he part, its not very effecient, thast where a better gun comes in handy, along with other advantages to a better gun. The gun I want is $1300. Mine is $69. You will need a compressor capable of 12-15 PSI and a dedicated oven to bake in, you can't cook in the oven after you have baked a powdercoated item in it. The temperature is important as well, but a lot of the powders are very forgiving with overbake so I have not had a probelm with that as of yet. Each powder bakes differently at different temps for different times, they tell you what to bake at and for how long when you get the powder.
 
here's a pic of my engine while I was putting it together the last time around. I just used some of that metallic paint over top of prepped valve covers with some silver paint already on them. Turned out pretty good. But remember to strip all the old coating off or they look pretty bad.
engine3.jpg
 
Now thats some smooth PCing! :) I bought one of the $70 kits from Harbor Freight earlier this year and have had fun with it. I get my powder from
Pendrypowdercoatings.com
They're pretty cheap and their powder seems to hold up good. I just bought some translucent/candy colors and have been playing around with them. I'm thinking that you're supposed to under bake the base coat, or maybe its applying less?!? Looks like you've got it figured out, so maybe you can give me some pointers. I've got around $2000 worth of ATV a-arms and swingarms to do, and they're getting the "almost chrome", candy blue, and then cleared. If they turn out half as smooth as that valve cover, I'll be happy!
Matt
 
I'm using the cheapy Chicago right now also, and have been getting decent results, I just wish the trigger didn't stick.
 
V6Sprout said:
I just wish the trigger didn't stick.

lol, I guess I'm not the only one with that problem then. I'm ready to build an oven big enough to bake a quad frame in because guys around here are getting $175-$250 per frame. I guess I like doing the ATV stuff because it doesn't have to perfect, and it wouldn't stay that way if it was :)
250Xpaintedrear.jpg

I did the swinger, pegs, hubs, front spindles, and kick starter on my 250X. I about fell over when I pulled the swingarm out off the oven and it looked as good as it did.

netYFZ2.jpg

I did the stock lower a-arms on my YFZ to match the frame and they turned out O.K. I actually bent one of those arms during a race, and the powder bubbled rather than cracking. I was impressed!
 
more pics of ANOTHER set of Candy red valve covers I did tonight. Plus the pipe from a Vortech blower to the TB on a Mustang motor.

candy_red_valve_covers_and_vortech_tube.jpg


candy_red_valve_covers_on_motor.jpg
 
for me, and everyone else

How much for a set of valve covers? what else can you powder coat? does the operating temp of the part matter?
 
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