Old and wrinkled

D

dlw

New member
I finally got around to repainting the valve cover on the Prelude. This was my first experience with wrinkle paint. It was a lot easier that I had thought, the directions sounded like it would be a real bear. I think it turned out OK, now to see how long it will stay put on the aluminum valve cover.
Prelude_valvecover.jpg
 
I used a Plasti-Kote Wrinkle Finish spray can that I bought at one of the local AutoZone/O'Reilly's or something like that. I go to so many of them I don't remember! The instructions say to use it at between 60-80 degrees and to use a hairdryer to heat the freshly painted surface to promote wrinkling. It was right at 65F when I painted it. I've got a heat gun from my shrink-wrap machine that puts a hair dryer to shame, so I used it in between the 3 coats recommended (with 10 minutes between the coats). A lot of the wrinkle finish paints I looked at required baking the painted part in an oven. I didn't want to get in to removing the valve cover-doesn't leak oil now and didn't want to chance it just to paint the thing! Boy, this under the hood detailing is a whole new ball game, much tougher IMO that the rest of the car!
Prelude_engineside.jpg
 
StyleTEG, I masked the engine bay with lots of 3M 3/4" masking tape and old newspaper. Masking tape over the VTEC lettering after polishing with Mother's mag wheel polish, then used a razor blade to cut around the edges of the lettering. I worked in a body shop masking tractor/trailer rigs about 35 years ago so it was like the good old days (good old days, bah, that job sucked!).
 
Thanks for the info dlw,



I have been putting off painting my valve cover for awhile now. I am debating taking the cover off or masking off the engine bay. My thought, is that letting the engine idle for awhile should have a simmilar effect as baking the paint in the oven.
 
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