Project Big Red

[laserjock]

First shift update.

It doesn't look like much but there is a ton of cleaning and prep work to get to here.

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I used the old valley pan (cleaned up of course) the spare intake (again cleaned up) the front cover and gear cover to mask it off. Figured I was going to sand blast them anyway (the water necks valve covers and such) I might as well use them and save time masking.

 

[laserjock]

Second shift worked over a bit. [emoji15]

So I'm a little short on pictures but here's the gist of it.

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I'm not loving the bare intake and thinking on IDIoits advice, I think it's going to get painted. It's down to something close to body color or engine black but I can't decide. So I set into cleaning and nickel plating.

1 of many pieces.

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So I worked at it a while to get things ready to do the valve covers knowing some practice before trying that would be a good idea.

So here is where we are. I took the manifold I used to mask off heads and painted one side red.

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Here it is against black

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Here against a red.

I'm really torn.

The valve covers if all goes to plan will have these or similar on them.

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So to put things a little more in perspective, I've also done the brackets that go on the intake (lifting eyes, throttle cable holders). I also did the accessory brackets in nickel. I'm starting to worry that it's too much nickel, but I can paint over it. Pulleys will be nickel too.

Opinions?

I'm going to have to strike the valve covers a couple times to get them right. Need to change the media in the cabinet. Tired. Need to sleep.

 

[IDIoit]

red looks slick!
but the black hides it!

just a thought, paint the tops of the valve covers red, allow sufficient time to dry.
put black stickers on, and paint black.
then peel sticker off!

at this point its all personal preference.

 

[F350camper]

looking awesome mike! of the options you have shown, I like the raw aluminum intake look the best with your color scheme. I see what brian is saying though about oxidizing. Is there a tough satin clear you could shoot the intake with? Just throwing that out there. No matter what you choose, its really looking great. all down to personal preference at this point.

 

[laserjock]

red looks slick!
but the black hides it!

just a thought, paint the tops of the valve covers red, allow sufficient time to dry.
put black stickers on, and paint black.
then peel sticker off!

at this point its all personal preference.

I had actually considered doing that letting the metal show through the stencil.

 

[TahoeTom]

I liked the blasted aluminum look of the intake, bit figured it wouldn't stay like that. I asked my paint supplier if it could be clear coated. He recommended applying adhesion promoter (Bulldog brand) and then clear. He said to scuff with a red pad as the oxidation sets in and prevents adhesion. If you blast again that would do the same. I was told it wasn't a sure thing, but I did clear coat it and it has held up fine for three years. I added a flattening agent to the clear so it is satin. It would look great with a darker colored block, but I painted mine gray, so there isn't contrast. I should have painted it silver as that would have been easier. The Banks add has an IDI painted blue with an aluminum intake and it looks great. Paint the valley pan too. I left it raw and it doesn't look so good now. I thought the oil cooler headers would look good cleared also, but painted them same as block.

 

[79jasper]

It would take way way way too long. But I think one would look slick if you smoothed it up, then buffed it reel good.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[laserjock]

Well, first shift were a bunch of slackers. Mowing grass, changing blast cabinet media and window film. Taking the family to dinner...you know...not fun/ non-truck related stuff.

But it gave me time to think about a few things. I decided to go ahead and paint the manifold black. Reason being I'd like to do something with the injector lines and I was afraid it would be too much.

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Got the oil cooler masked off complete with oil filter (fl-1995) primed and painted too.

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The motor mount brackets are hanging in the middle.

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I realized I'm probably going to need one of these. Anyone recommend a decent unit other than ford or navistar?

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That wire is bare. Insulation is missing. Bad thing is it worked before.

I had problems with my nickel plate parts. They rusted. [emoji21]

Looking back at my notes (it's been a while) I think I didn't get enough metal on them (especially the rough castings which were the worst). So Just as I was ready to say screw it and just paint everything, I decided to blast the alternator bracket and put it to it. It ran quite a while. It looked good coming out, if it's good in the morning, I'll hit a few other parts again and see how they do. Problem is my blast cabinet gloves came apart. Got a set ordered to change them out.

Now onto more pressing matters. After a lot of debate, I think I've figured out how I'm going to do my turbo drain. I'm going to make an adapter that will push into the standard grommet for the CDR that will be threaded for my AN fitting. That way no modification to the pan and if I change pans for some reason, I just move the adapter over. Quick lathe project. Ordered the tap for the AN fitting. Should be here tomorrow.

Need to get the turbo feed drain and water adapters bought.

Long list of stuff.

Need to get the front cover done and then I can actually start sealing this thing up. Not sure what I'm going to do with the valve covers now but that's not a critical thing. I can change them pretty easy.

I guess I should probably order my pump now too. [emoji15]

 

[laserjock]

First real permanent attachments.

Motor mounts installed. Check.

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I spent some time working on a hardware order for tomorrow.

I hopefully will make my oil drain adapter tomorrow. Also may remake the valley pan drain. For reference it is 3/4 -16 thread. Tap is ordered to plug the CDr hole. 3/4 npt was too small and 1" npt was too big without drilling. 1 1/8 NC is a 63/64 hole. The hole measures right at 1" so I think it will work fine.

I'd also like to find some rubber valve pan gaskets. Kit came with cork.

 

[laserjock]

Mission one today. Turbo oil drain adapter.

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Now to see if I can whip out a clean valley pan plug. [emoji6]

 

[riotwarrior]

Mission one today. Turbo oil drain adapter.

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Now to see if I can whip out a clean valley pan plug. [emoji6]

 

[laserjock]

Made this today too.

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Not super happy with it but it does fit and tightens down.

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I may remake it in stainless rather than aluminum.

The oil drain is too long. I didn't realize there was another baffle in the valley pan. It's also just a touch large in diameter. I'm afraid I'll tear the grommet pushing it through. The grommet stretches a little more outside the pan apparently. That is a fixable problem.

Ordered a bunch of bolts and washers today. Got the gloves changed on the blast cabinet.

Set the intake on.

What do you think about this combo?

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I think I dig it if I can get the plating worked out. I have a second set of valve covers to mess with if this doesn't work out for some reason.

 

[yARIC008]

Have you considered powder coating the valve cover? You can get some pretty fancy looking powders from some sites on the interwebs. I just did some stuff recently in silver metallic.

 

[laserjock]

I have actually but I'm not really sure what I'll end up doing in the end. Good thing about valve covers is that they are a low regret decision.

 

[F350camper]

repaint the whole thing in cummins tan... KIDDING!

I absolutely dig the nickle plating, and I like your color combo. I assume we are still looking at your spare intake? and obviously the old valley pan.

on edit, my bad, I see were you committed to painting the intake.