Clear coat or not
Blasting only removes the gunk and grunge on the outside. Aluminum is a VERY porous metal that absorbs everything over the years. Before you make any plans to seal it up forever with a clear coat, I'd suggest you cook it in a dedicated shop oven at 500 degrees for a few hours and see how it looks then.
I can't find any post-outgassing photos on my computer of an intake right now but here's an aluminum valve cover afterwards that should illustrate my point pretty well.
Here's a Before and After of an intake I restored that now lives at the Richard Petty Museum on one of Bobby Allison's old rides.
Keep in mind too that any silver powder coat (as well as golds and even some reds) is not UV stable on its own since there's real metal in the powder. A clear coat is required to provide that stability as well as increasing durability and shine. Feel free to hit me up if I can help or if you have other questions.
Blasting only removes the gunk and grunge on the outside. Aluminum is a VERY porous metal that absorbs everything over the years. Before you make any plans to seal it up forever with a clear coat, I'd suggest you cook it in a dedicated shop oven at 500 degrees for a few hours and see how it looks then.
I can't find any post-outgassing photos on my computer of an intake right now but here's an aluminum valve cover afterwards that should illustrate my point pretty well.
Here's a Before and After of an intake I restored that now lives at the Richard Petty Museum on one of Bobby Allison's old rides.
Keep in mind too that any silver powder coat (as well as golds and even some reds) is not UV stable on its own since there's real metal in the powder. A clear coat is required to provide that stability as well as increasing durability and shine. Feel free to hit me up if I can help or if you have other questions.
