Aluminum protectant/clear coat

[David_Doan]

So... I was going to paint my car, then wile prepping for paint I decided to fix some oil leaks and with a few more while-I'm-in-there's, the diff engine and axle are out. I'm cleaning and painting everything as I go. The aluminum differential and trans shined up nicely, any recommendations for what to put on them? I know they were painted black and green from the factory, but I'd like to keep the aluminum look. The 1st pic shows the remains of the original green paint that was hiding behind the trans mount.



What I have found so far is Sharkhide, but at $60 per quart, I'm open to other suggestions.

Thanks,

David

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Shineseal ?

 

[Hap Waldrop]

I use Dupli Color cast aluminum engine paint. The issue with cast raw aluminum is it is very pourous, so any oil, or grime that gets on it will get into pores of it. So while you may get it looking good, by several different manners, it will not stay looking, The cast coat aluminum engine paint has the look of new cast aluminum parts, I used it one diff cases, tranny cases, and I use in every intake manifold I use on complete SU carb assembly rebuild, it has the look of new cast aluminum and it will shed any oil, grime that would otherwise stain the raw aluminum. Here's a set of MGB HIF4s I rebuilt, this picture gives a decent look at the intake manifold, I painted it with Dupli Color cast coat aluminum. I seen a few attempts at high heat clear coating, a guy I did a race car for, He used a Eastwood prodcut on several raw aluminum parts on that car, it yellowed over time, after only a few years, the cast coat aluminum pait maintains the same shade. I think you're lookng for a new cast alumninum look, and if you are, then this will do the job for you, and no one will even spot it as paint, it just looks like new cast aluminum. I swear by this stuff and the good news is , it is almost every parts store in America for about 6 bucks a can.

 

[David_Doan]

Thanks Hap, that sounds like a good idea. The eastwood stuff got generally poor reviews - on their own site. My intake could use some touch up as well. Your advice is always grounded and practical.

One more question:

Since you brought up manifolds, what do you do with exhaust manifolds? High-temp paint? Nothing?

Thanks,

David

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Since you brought up manifolds, what do you do with exhaust manifolds? High-temp paint? Nothing?

Thanks,

David

Well I guess the cheap answer is to use VHT high temp 1500 degree paints, or the more expensive approach is to get it ceramic coated.

 

[MikeP]

On a couple of my other cars I've used the Eastwood stainless steel paint for the manifolds, downpipes, through to the mufflers. That was in 97 and as of today, looks the same as when it went on other than a couple oil burns where I was careless.

 

[John Kuzman]

On the exhaust side, I have used this stove paint for years on headers, exhaust manifolds, downpipes, mufflers and tailpipes with great success.

https://www.stovepaint.com/