Freshly refurbed Rocker cover.

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Jim320i
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:11 pm

Not sure if i'm gonna be using this yet but after seeing Kedge's rocker cover when buying an engine from him... I started toying with the idea that white would look cool in the white touring... So attempted to do one up...

This is part way done, still need to polish some more and then lacquer, but its already at a finished stat, I just want to keep going that little bit more...


What do you think? :D


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Cloggy Saint
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:15 pm

Jim320i wrote: What do you think? :D
I think it won't be white for very long but it looks the business right now!
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PG325
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:15 pm

I think it looks great but you'll never work on the engine again for fear of touching it with oily prints!

Did you degrease it first?
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:16 pm

Yeah, most likely covered within minutes after entering the touring if it makes it that far... I will possibly do a inlet manifold and throttle body to match... If I dont like the look of them in then most likely sell it all on here.
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:17 pm

looks awsome, but like above- a white rocker in an engine bay 8O :mad: crazy but cool
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:19 pm

PG325 wrote:I think it looks great but you'll never work on the engine again for fear of touching it with oily prints!

Did you degrease it first?
I put all my engine parts through a decarbonizer so they come out grease and dirt free... Then polished up the raised lip with different grade papers...

Then painted up all up, then sanded off the raised again... Only issue I had was I didnt leave the paint long enough to harden! So I chipped all the edging and it looked a mess, so back through the decarboniser and I started again... This time I think I left it for a month before sanding. Aha... To be honest I forgot I was doing it and found it about an hour ago, part polished, so just finished off removing the paint and this is what it looks like.
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matt325ievans
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:19 pm

thats cool :D , i'm having a go with mine this weekend, and inlet manifold, all in black, fingers crossed :o
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:25 pm

Looks good but will be hard to keep white as said. I have been toying with the idea of doing all mine the same blue as my cab. Should be a little easier to keep clean when blue I hope.
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:26 pm

Oooo, a Neon blue by any chance? I also have a Neon blue cab and that would look spot on... Only a 4 pot, but still...

And your all right, would be a git to keep clean, but would look nice when first installed.
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:27 pm

I did this lot a few years agao, never fitted the inlet though.

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matt325ievans
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:28 pm

did you spray all white? then rub down the bmw logo and stripes? need a little advice.cheers
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:29 pm

refurbing mine is on my list, although i want to keep my original ones with original patina, and buy some spares to get done, also save having to have car off the road

whats the best way to get an m42 cover and inlet back to looking like new ???
powder coated ? painted ? polished ?
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matt325ievans
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:35 pm

ok, just seen how to do, i like alot!! :D
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:36 pm

matt325ievans wrote:did you spray all white? then rub down the bmw logo and stripes? need a little advice.cheers

I started off by polishing the rised lip first... Start with 80 grit paper, until only the scratches from the paper can be seen...

Then use a 120/180 grit paper until all the previous scratches are completely gone...

Repeat this with 320 grit paper and you'll start getting that polished aliumium look, this is what I did, then went over it with some fine wire wool...


Then primed, let dry, then painted, let dry, a good week... Then used 320 grit to take the paint off and repeated with the wire wool!

polsta wrote:refurbing mine is on my list, although i want to keep my original ones with original patina, and buy some spares to get done, also save having to have car off the road

whats the best way to get an m42 cover and inlet back to looking like new ???
powder coated ? painted ? polished ?

Havent attempted a 4 pot engine one yet but would do the same as suggested above... I think for the best look, powder coat is the best thing to do unless your good with a rattle can and are able to flatten the paint too look like glass.
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:37 pm

Jim320i wrote:Oooo, a Neon blue by any chance? I also have a Neon blue cab and that would look spot on... Only a 4 pot, but still...

And your all right, would be a git to keep clean, but would look nice when first installed.
Nah its a Mauritius (can never spell it properly lol)blue colour so dark blue. Yeah looks good when cleaned, and then when cleaned up again for the shows! Will be worth it.
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:57 pm

I want mine like that :cry:

Looks very good :D
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:59 pm

Aha, make me an offer Imy. :wink:

If you have a spare Rocker cover and not bothered about how long it takes, I can always do another one for you... Throw a tenner in there too so I can get the paints etc... This one took me 3 months I think to finish, although probably about 4 hours in total. Lol
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:02 pm

datourer wrote:I did this lot a few years agao, never fitted the inlet though.

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Only just spotted that! Looks awesome pal!

What did you use to polish the AFM? I did it on my chromie last year but has dulled off a bit now and wasnt mirror polished. Got a bit bored. Lol
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:12 pm

I did my rocker and inlet on my M42 about 6 months ago, takes a while to get shit up only really cleaned it a hand full of times and still looks good
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:16 pm

That looks awsome jim in white fair play! 8)

I did my last 2 like that, 1 black and silver (as above) and the other baby blue and silver. The blue 1 looked amazing :D

Try keeping that clean though :mad: lol
A 2 door e30 with 8 cylinders, what could be better winkeye :D
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:16 pm

Jim320i wrote: What did you use to polish the AFM? I did it on my chromie last year but has dulled off a bit now and wasnt mirror polished. Got a bit bored. Lol
I started with a wire brush on a dremel and worked up to 2000 grit paper and finished of with a fine wire wool. It doesn't look quite as good today but it's holding up pretty well, I'll do it again soon.
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:17 pm

Jim320i wrote:Aha, make me an offer Imy. :wink:

If you have a spare Rocker cover and not bothered about how long it takes, I can always do another one for you... Throw a tenner in there too so I can get the paints etc... This one took me 3 months I think to finish, although probably about 4 hours in total. Lol
Mines M30 so different :P

I'll be in touch soon though :wink:
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:23 pm

No worries Imy, just Pm me, you can drop it off when there is a meet or something...

Just stating that i'm not doing this a business or making pennies from it, just as a favour to another zoner. :mad:

@Datourer - I will probably copy and do the same. Looks ace... I did my control box last year, you might remember the post... I used a drill and just spun it. Although know, i'm getting the slightest little bits of rust appear so I think that will need doing next...

Doing to do a detail clean on the chromie engine this weekend I think as its looking rough. New foam under there too :cool: Need to think of a colour that I like for her though, obviously a black/grey but what shade... Might do it Schwarz Diamond like the paint of the car is... That would look spot on.
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:35 pm

Looks to have been done to a high standard Jim. I am not a fan of the colour. I think Black or maybe dark gray is the way to go. Much less bling.

You have defos got a great finish though
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:38 pm

Thanks Dez... I think you fancy me a little. winkeye :D Your right, its very bling/rude boy... Still not sure if i'm gonna use it yet, but will do a inlet manifold and throttle body to match I think. I oddly enough enjoy doing them.
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:41 pm

Jim320i wrote:Thanks Dez... I think you fancy me a little. winkeye :D Your right, its very bling/rude boy... Still not sure if i'm gonna use it yet, but will do a inlet manifold and throttle body to match I think. I oddly enough enjoy doing them.
Busted :o:

Didnt want to knock your efforts just dont likethe colour :wink:

With the inlet and T/B it will defos look rude :roll:
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pac1982
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:46 pm

Thought i had a pic of them fitted but this will have to do..

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Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:54 pm

look good pac man, what process did you use ?

heres brand new-
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Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:56 pm

Does the paint need to be high temp paint or just normal rattle cans?


Oh and that cover is pimpin Mr Jim sir
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Jim320i
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Tue Apr 05, 2011 4:58 pm

Well the rocker cover doesnt really get that hot in terms of centigrade, and normal rattle can paints can withhold up to a very high temp already, so when you see high temp paints... Most of them are pointless for what you are using them for... But, find out what the temp of your rocker cover gets upto first and what temp your average rattle can is ok upto...
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Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:03 pm

Jim320i wrote:Yeah, most likely covered within minutes after entering the touring if it makes it that far... I will possibly do a inlet manifold and throttle body to match... If I dont like the look of them in then most likely sell it all on here.
only thing with most things painted white when they get hot it goes creamy colour
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Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:46 pm

jonny323i wrote:
Jim320i wrote:Yeah, most likely covered within minutes after entering the touring if it makes it that far... I will possibly do a inlet manifold and throttle body to match... If I dont like the look of them in then most likely sell it all on here.
only thing with most things painted white when they get hot it goes creamy colour
Yellow stains arent a good look under the bonnet 8O

Only need high temp paint for exhaust etc. I have painted blocks with normal none high temp paint and they have bee fine in the past. More important that the parts are completelly clean 8O :D
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Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:02 pm

Fook Off Jim,are you serious 8O


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Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:49 pm

Uwwwww, ain't that nice, i got Jim all inspired :P

Be rude not to put up a pic of what got him in the mood eh,

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I used an ally primer, normal metalic spray paint and then clear coated with a high temp paint which has given it a nice gloss and hopefully will help make it easier to clean.
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Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:29 pm

magpie wrote:Fook Off Jim,are you serious 8O


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:mad:

:rolling: :rolling: :rolling: :rolling: :rolling:


I said i might not be using it yet... Git. Lol


Its very bling though the more I look at it.

I think a diamond black one will look the coolest so thats the next project for the chromie...

@ Kedge - Thats the beauty. :cool: Love that engine and it looks loads better in person too.
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