Stock Valve Cover Finish

[Zed Head]

It starts with 246's post, wasn't sure.  246's link doesn't go to the eBay page anymore either.

I read the whole thread and nobody actually mentioned paint.  246 showed some paint and a painted cover.  He seems to imply that it might be painted.  It looks painted.  But I don't think anyone ever really addressed the question.  They got off on to judging issues.

You probably want to stop using the lacquer thinner though.  Interesting puzzle.

[Frankenstein]

3 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

It starts with 246's post, wasn't sure.  246's link doesn't go to the eBay page anymore either.

I read the whole thread and nobody actually mentioned paint.  246 showed some paint and a painted cover.  He seems to imply that it might be painted.  It looks painted.  But I don't think anyone ever really addressed the question.  They got off on to judging issues.

You probably want to stop using the lacquer thinner though.  Interesting puzzle.

Yup this is the one I purchased. Looked legit. Stickers were old and looked like we had a NOS cover. I’m puzzled because of the silver that is on the aluminum that has come off. It looks like paint on the rag and even balls up on the surface of the cover.

[Zed Head]

Seems like @Carl Beck would have some thoughts.

[Mark Maras]

 I'd continue on with liberal amounts of lacquer thinner. All that will happen is you'll remove the aluminum color spray paint and get down to the original finish which was bare aluminum. IMO, the stickers were added after the paint job.

[Frankenstein]

7 minutes ago, Mark Maras said:

 I'd continue on with liberal amounts of lacquer thinner. All that will happen is you'll remove the aluminum color spray paint and get down to the original finish which was bare aluminum. IMO, the stickers were added after the paint job.

Here is the inside. Looks unused to me also.

[26th-Z]

At one point in my Z career I was a ZCCA chief judge.  I orchestrated two significant shows, including the ZCCA ZCON 40th anniversary in Nashville 2010.  I think I can offer some insight with my opinion on this matter.  I think the valve covers came with some sort of aluminized paint finish that comes off with acetone.  I think that a bead blasted valve cover leaves a textured finish and that some judge dinked you for "over-restoration" if not an improper texture of the finish.  I think the the natural valve cover should have a uniform aluminum color with a cast aluminum finish "sheen" and very smooth.

I also think that judging a car is a significantly subjective endeavor.  Car show judges in most car shows are all volunteers with widely varying experience and the comments can easily vary between "sharp eye" and "are you outa your f'ing mind?"  In that respect, I don't put a lot of stock in the perceived value of an award.  It's sort of like racing; some days you're lucky and some days you're not. 

[Frankenstein]

7 minutes ago, 26th-Z said:

At one point in my Z career I was a ZCCA chief judge.  I orchestrated two significant shows, including the ZCCA ZCON 40th anniversary in Nashville 2010.  I think I can offer some insight with my opinion on this matter.  I think the valve covers came with some sort of aluminized paint finish that comes off with acetone.  I think that a bead blasted valve cover leaves a textured finish and that some judge dinked you for "over-restoration" if not an improper texture of the finish.  I think the the natural valve cover should have a uniform aluminum color with a cast aluminum finish "sheen" and very smooth.

I also think that judging a car is a significantly subjective endeavor.  Car show judges in most car shows are all volunteers with widely varying experience and the comments can easily vary between "sharp eye" and "are you outa your f'ing mind?"  In that respect, I don't put a lot of stock in the perceived value of an award.  It's sort of like racing; some days you're lucky and some days you're not. 

So spray it to look nice? I guess I was just under the perception that it was raw Aluminum with no coating. The inside is untouched. Learning something new for me.

[zKars]

I could not imagine that the factory would expect the valve cover appearance to remain even remotely “in good condition” if it were shipped as pure bare un-treated alloy. Aluminum was not a “new” material in the late 60’s. It is no surprise they would apply some sort of preservative. Paint however is a surprise to me. Mostly its fun to realize that the bare aluminum assumption is likely wrong after all this time. Another day, another day of learning.  Now we can all go off and try to produce a paint formulation/process that reproduces the factory appearance.... 

I have to go out and touch just a corner of the back of my NOS cover with a dab of acetone and see what happens...

[Frankenstein]

16 minutes ago, zKars said:

I could not imagine that the factory would expect the valve cover appearance to remain even remotely “in good condition” if it were shipped as pure bare un-treated alloy. Aluminum was not a “new” material in the late 60’s. It is no surprise they would apply some sort of preservative. Paint however is a surprise to me. Mostly its fun to realize that the bare aluminum assumption is likely wrong after all this time. Another day, another day of learning.  Now we can all go off and try to produce a paint formulation/process that reproduces the factory appearance.... 

I have to go out and touch just a corner of the back of my NOS cover with a dab of acetone and see what happens...

Acetone vs not touched pic. Clearly see were I rubbed it off on top vas below.

Edited June 2, 2020 by Frankenstein

[Zed Head]

If the valve cover is NOS why would it have a different finish than the ones on a car?  Nobody is saying that the covers on the car have paint on them, are they.  There must be other replacement valve covers out there from Aitoku.  Nobody has one?  The original question was - "did I get ripped off?".

Seems like you have to choose between making a replacement part look it came on the car, or keeping the history of the replacement part intact because it has its own interesting history.  Are the stickers still on it?  If not, it probably doesn't matter.  Wipe that paint off and replicate.

http://www.aitoku.co.jp/e-aitoku/aitoku.html

[Frankenstein]

2 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

If the valve cover is NOS why would it have a different finish than the ones on a car?  Nobody is saying that the covers on the car have paint on them, are they.  There must be other replacement valve covers out there from Aitoku.  Nobody has one?  The original question was - "did I get ripped off?".

Seems like you have to choose between making a replacement part look it came on the car, or keeping the history of the replacement part intact because it has its own interesting history.  Are the stickers still on it?  If not, it probably doesn't matter.  Wipe that paint off and replicate.

http://www.aitoku.co.jp/e-aitoku/aitoku.html

No stickers are off and saved. As soon as that thing heated up I was afraid they would fly off. 

[Zed Head]

 I like to see the history of things myself.  I probably would have set the unique valve cover on a shelf or brought it to the shows and found a different cover to put on the show car engine.  You have a one of a kind valve cover, but there's going to be a bunch of identical lookiing cars at the show.  That's the thing about the shows, everyone's trying to make their cars look identical.

No offense.  I'd put those labels under glass so you can show them.