Hey Guy's you ever come across a nice street engine where the owner has painted his allum. intake Chevy orange, I think sometimes it really looks good. My brother has a 1970 AMX and it has a performer intake but its painted AMC blue but it looks great. What do yo guys think about painting Allum. intake.:D

I think you would be much happier with powder coat. It wont discolor from heat and it cleans up very easy.

Definately go with powder coat. It'll last much longer than spray paint and look better doing it.

I never understood this. I think a clean bare aluminum manifold on an orange (or whatever color) engine looks killer. Bare aluminum shouts "performance!". An aluminum factory manifold especially indicates that the engine is something out of the ordinary. An all orange (or whatever color) engine tends to make me think of grandma's grocery getter.

I never understood this. I think a clean bare aluminum manifold on an orange (or whatever color) engine looks killer. Bare aluminum shouts "performance!". An aluminum factory manifold especially indicates that the engine is something out of the ordinary. An all orange (or whatever color) engine tends to make me think of grandma's grocery getter.

:rolleyes: I knew I should not have ask this question. I AM keeping my AIR STRIKE NATURAL:D

I'm sure the motivation to paint an aluminum manifold along with the engine is to intentionally give it a more "stock original" look, more of a sleeper look. But these same cars usually have chrome wheels, big tires and a loud, growling exhaust so I'm not sure who they might be fooling....

It comes down to a matter of asthetics, an issue of preference. I just happen to prefer my aluminum naked!

I'm sure the motivation to paint an aluminum manifold along with the engine is to intentionally give it a more "stock original" look, more of a sleeper look. But these same cars usually have chrome wheels, big tires and a loud, growling exhaust so I'm not sure who they might be fooling....

It comes down to a matter of asthetics, an issue of preference. I just happen to prefer my aluminum naked!

Testify Rich, thats what I think but I used to paint house's for a living many moon's ago so I just like the color combo sometimes, but my ball-n-chain says I think to much and I guess she's right.:D

Painting an aluminum intake is not always for stealthy sleeper-ish reasons. How many bare aluminum intakes look good after a year of use? Stains, from float level setting, any leaks, oil drips, road grime, dust, etc. make them look crappy. Yeah, they look good for a few months, but over the long run they tend to look crappy. They can sometimes be cleaned but it's a PITA.

Having said this, I can never bring myself to paint a new shiny aluminum intake. I'm assembling parts for a rebuild and I may muster the courage to paint my new intake. We'll see.

I just happen to prefer my aluminum naked!

AMEN!!!

I painted my aluminum manifold with POR-15 engine kit. Used the Aluminum color paint and it looks great and very resistant to fuel/oil/heat stains.

BTW, It was a used manifold that looked horrible and was severely stained.

I painted my aluminum manifold with POR-15 engine kit. Used the Aluminum color paint and it looks great and very resistant to fuel/oil/heat stains.

BTW, It was a used manifold that looked horrible and was severely stained.

NOT ME NOT ME... SEE IT DOES LOOK GOOD..;):D;);)

I painted mine with aluminum 1200* ceramic paint from duplicolor looks better than natural and has held up pretty well.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/9/web/513000-513999/513229_346_full.jpg

You guys are just busting my ball's

[quote=bluechevelless;1449286]I painted mine with aluminum 1200* ceramic paint from duplicolor looks better than natural and has held up pretty well. Koodoo's- ie Voodoo.. I think it's the car's that are on the street everyday

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/9/web/513000-513999/513229_346_full.jpg[/quote
BUMP!! LOOKS GREAT.....

I painted mine with aluminum 1200* ceramic paint from duplicolor looks better than natural and has held up pretty well.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/9/web/513000-513999/513229_346_full.jpg

That looks really good. Can you tell its painted up close?

this is why this forum suck's.. good people nice pic's.,.I sold my tank..

That looks really good. Can you tell its painted up close?

you can because its shiny and natural aluminum is a dull color.

you can because its shiny and natural aluminum is a dull color.

Still not as overpowering as the permastar or endurashine coatings.

If you do it carefully, the POR doesn't really look painted...but it definately doesn't look bare either.

Rob,L89 option going on there? ;)
Motor looks great..I heard it does obscene burnouts :thumbsup:

I painted mine with aluminum 1200* ceramic paint from duplicolor looks better than natural and has held up pretty well.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/9/web/513000-513999/513229_346_full.jpg

I must say. That does look good.

I polished my aluminum intake then put clear powder coat on it.Turned out pretty well and is holding upwell too!

Another vote for the Duplicolor ceramic paint. I used it on my exhaust system and a year later, it still looked new.

This is mine with the intake painted with Rus-Oleum "Aluminum" color. It looked awful bright silver/ redneck chrome when it was wet but has dulled up nicely since. Don't clean your aluminum intake with oven cleaner. Unless you have a bead blaster handy ;)

http://users.rcn.com/chevello/weightgain

The duplicolor Hi heat is almost all burned off my headers now. Next time I will paint the headers before I run them and let them sit for 5 years.

I also was concerned with how my intake would look after I drove my car a year or two. Seems you never can keep a bare aluminum intake as clean as it was when it was new. I tried a clear power coat and it ended up being to yellow and glossy for my taste. So I decided to use a matt Imron clear. The intake darkened a little bit but other than that you can not tell it has anything on it. Here is a picture when I was assembling the car. :)

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o286/kmd_album/65%20Chevelle/IMG_3761.jpg

I also was concerned with how my intake would look after I drove my car a year or two. Seems you never can keep a bare aluminum intake as clean as it was when it was new. I tried a clear power coat and it ended up being to yellow and glossy for my taste. So I decided to use a matt Imron clear. The intake darkened a little bit but other than that you can not tell it has anything on it. Here is a picture when I was assembling the car. :)

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o286/kmd_album/65%20Chevelle/IMG_3761.jpg

That's so pretty I wouldn't have the spine to take it out on the road!!!:yes:

Laquer thinner keeps all my aluminum intakes looking brand new.

On my old engine, I fogged the intake with 5/6 coasts of urethane clear. Was glossy at first but after 'burn-in' dulled nice. Looked good and was resistant to small amounts of oil/fuel. Only yellowed lightly from repeated PV swaps dripping fuel.

I'll try to find a pic

it was called a "sleeper". we always painted aluminum intakes so the locals didn't really know what you had. if we had a 327 engine, we had 283 fender emblems. one of the faster 66 SSs had an aluminum head 427 (all orange) with the original 396 decals and air cleaner and emblems.