What are the pros and cons to getting the engine parts polished or chromed? Is it better to get the pieces in chrome than to get them polished? I know that it takes a lot of time to keep it looking good and I don't mind spending a few hours keeping it clean. Does chrome flake away after a while?

 

Well some pros are just plain bad *** looking in terms of polishing. I like some chroming but too much is just plain for show. I just got my Intake, TB, and y-pipe polished and it looks so good. I have a friend that got his alternator chromed and it looked good but is a little too muscle carish and show car style for me. Really the only benenfit about it is that fact that it looks very attractive under the hood.

Some downsides are that it is a little harder to keep clean but not too bad. Scratches show up if your not careful and it is a good idea to keep some sort of aluminum polish on it for protection. Another downside to chroming is the added weight which can really add up if a lot of chroming is done.

I hope I helped somewhat....I would show you pics of mine but just got it done and haven't taken any yet.

 

also polish/crome makes the engine bay less stock looking. if a cop takes a look under your hood.. that's a bad thing.

 

Chroming holds in butt loads of heat..... So dont dip electrical or anything else that has to do with heat
like your radiator hahaha. Polishing is cool, but if even a drop of water gets on it you can see it.. BUT like Jonboy said, keep the polish close by.

 

Polish those parts!! I polish every metal part on my Fd that I can get off. It is a lot of up keep but I think it is well worth it.

 

to chrome aalmost anyhting you need to polish it first. any imperfections with be highlighted with chrome. chrome is ALOT easier to keep clean. without a coating just polishing will eventually tarnish. you can polish everyhting and then powdercoat it though. that looks sweet as hell and is alot easier to keep clean. u don't have to worry about tarnishing. talk to some of the people on the forum that do polishing and see what they suggest

 

How 'bout powder coating?

I'll throw that in the mix.

-E

 

if you powdercoat and don't polish first you will have the same prob. it looks like ***. i had some peices done only after beadblasting. it looked likehell. it also chips fairley easy if it gets heated enough. (cure temp is 400 dergees, if it is over cured it will flake off quite easy)

 

Has anyone used jet-hot on this stuff? Im thinking about doing that on my UIM, TB, and DP. My UIM is already sanded down and the tb is smooth from the factory so Im thinking itll look pretty good and also serve a purpose.

 

Semichrome is by far the best polishing compound I have used. Kills Mothers. You can find it at most Cycle shops. It's a German product and comes in a toothpaste looking tube/box.Red and yellow. Buy it you won't be dissapointed.

 

I always use Mother's polish cleaner. I was hoping there was another product out there that was much better than Mothers. I'm going to try the other companies you guys suggested.

Also, I don't think any girl driving an FD will have any problems with the cops.

 

Dr. Strange-awesome avatar!Who is she? What about having everything CermaKrome-Ceramic Coating? I think that is by far the best for heat + looks(close to chrome look). Is that stuff available in the US? :

 

That is My SISTER!!!!

 

polish the piece and then get it powdercoated clear. That way when it gets dirty, all you have to do it wipe it off. Or polish it and t hen get candy powdercoat, then you will have an anodized look

 

Sure it is Sub-Zero, well if it is your sister I'd be in big trouble if I were you!

 

as canamn says, chrome holds in a lot of heat. do that to your alternator, and you are asking it to fail.

after that, i personally prefer the polished look. i'm going to start to do my pieces in a few weeks.

 

Chrome & polishing sound like good ideas but the weight & the overheating sacrifices sounds too serious if you want to race your car. I'll just stick with a nice clean "under the hood" look, make sure it gets a steam clean & make sure I have the right fluids. That should be all for me right about now. I don't want to blow up anything or light anything on fire.