Probably a stupid question...

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 5:56 am

But since I've never seen one of these in person with shiny engine parts, I have to ask....

When I see folks with shiny covers on the valve cover/clutch/alternator, etc - are those really chrome, or is it just aluminum polished to the point that it looks chrome in pictures?

I was under the impression that these parts were aluminum, and I didn't think aluminum would take chrome... I ask b/c my engine is painted black, but the paint sucks. I like shiny things.. Smile

Are these parts chromable?

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 6:08 am

From my understanding you can chrome aluminium...hell have seen plastic chromed...
Another alternative is to have the parts powder coated. I have seen some really nice
work that looked close to chrome but was actually highly polished prior to powder coating.

Good luck!

J

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:49 pm

Some poeple like Andy in Australia will polish aluminum to a mirror finish while guys like Gene will chrome the same piece. Wink

Me? I powder coat those same parts black because engines are supposed to be black not chrome or polished aluminum. Twisted Evil

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:58 pm

never could understand that single piece of large silver chrome on the 1100.
If they did the exhaust,grab rails all in black chrome why not the chain guard. Confused

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 3:11 am

I polished these rearsets and they look like chrome.

Click on the picture in my signature to see what they look like from a little further back. It is very labor intensive and there is no way to really protect the finish. I leave it bare and then just repolish when it starts to become dull or has scratches. I think I spent at least 100 hours doing both sides but they had some deep gouges and of course the normal casting pits that had to be sanded down. next you spend the rest of the time sanding out the scratches you put in while removing the big stuff.

I may have my valve cover powder coated in a way that looks like the stock finish but I'll never polish it like I did the rearsets.

I may be mistaken but I think the C models had chrome valve covers that are a direct bolt-on.

Dave