3.8 bell housing

[StevenB]

Hi guys, tips required.

I have just soda blasted my carbs and bell housing. The carbs have come up lovely.
What is the usual way of finishing the bell housing??.should I just leave it or spray it ally silver???? as I think most, it's a little mottled.
Just wondered what the official view is.

Happy New Year
Steve

[PeterCrespin]

There may be as many official views as there are officials, which is either zero or everyone. It's now clean, it will get grubby, it is invisible unless you park over a mirror. Relax.

[David Oslo]

Or soda blast it and then clear-coat it :D :D

[neil4444]

Buffing it with a wire wheel will bring it up nice & shiny. I did this on the hub carriers. I was going to clear coat afterwards but then accepted that whatever I do the finish will start to deteriorate once the car is in use & I'd prefer dull aluminium to peeling laquer or paint.

[David Oslo]

I was joking about the clear coat...

Anyhow, my preferred accessory for bringing metal (be it alu, cast iron, steel or stainless) to a 'natural' finish is a 100mm nylon circular brush mounted on high speed drill.

See link : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FAITHFULL-FAI ... 5d535d6c4d

I find that a wire-wheel rotary brush gives a finish that can be too shiny for my taste, and at the same time is not that good at removing rust and other oxidation.

The nylon brush is excellent at removing surface material and at the same time gives a lower sheen to the material. More akin to how things look out of the foundry and factory.

[Dave K]

I glass bead blasted mine and left it at that.

Dave

[SteveG]

I had mine glass bead blasted too and have just left it. Looks fine