Is shiny polished aluminum out?

[PlanB]

The blower motor in our DCB was all polished and it was a PITA to keep it looking good. The motor in my Cobra is also polished and if I was to build a new motor, I would Powdercoat a bunch of the polished parts. My Harley's are both blacked out (with a little chrome) and I think it looks better than all chrome or polished.

 

[Clank123]

Like Tank said, I like ‘em either way as well.
I’ve built a fair number of boats over the years and I always try to work the owners on what their vision is for the project.
I’ll interject an opinion here and there but try to make it look the way they want it.
As my friend Paul Grichar taught me,..”it’s the customer’s elevator, they get to press the buttons”.
It’s kinda cool when some of them let me pick the combinations on rigging and the engine details.
How about this one…rigged the boat the first time for Blown Bling and then re-rigged it 18 years later, same owner, Unblown and Blacked out!
What’s not to like about both versions!

 

[mjc]

To the people that said "polish", do you have black wheels on your truck????

No and never

 

[rrrr]

How about this one…rigged the boat the first time for Blown Bling and then re-rigged it 18 years later, same owner, Unblown and Blacked out!
What’s not to like about both versions!

View attachment 1351487

The ratio of hull to engine is wild. With the big scoop and 14-71, it looks like it's pushing a 16 footer!

 

[Tommy Gun Images]

That RT had a polished motor in it before. I like it better blacked out in this boat tbh.

 

[Eliminator21vdrive]

I think it really depends on who is going to do the upkeep lol. I am going to powder coat as much as I can so upkeep is lower. The chrome powder looks just like polished aluminum.

 

[Clank123]

The ratio of hull to engine is wild. With the big scoop and 14-71, it looks like it's pushing a 16 footer!

Haha.
Yeah then you add in the intercooler and it really gets tall!
When I was rigging that boat it was on a Dolly trailer.
I had to stand on a step stool just to design and fit the throttle linkage!

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Haha.
Yeah then you add in the intercooler and it really gets tall!
When I was rigging that boat it was on a Dolly trailer.
I had to stand on a step stool just to design and fit the throttle linkage!

You wouldn’t allow my stacked tank brackets to stay gold. Who’s elevator?

 

[Clank123]

You wouldn’t allow my stacked tank brackets to stay gold. Whose elevator?

HAHA!
If you’ll note my post I said…”I will interject my opinion here and there”.
I firmly believe YOU made the right choice.
Honestly it could have gone either way

 

[BBYSTWY]

I went with black on mine....looked more sinister to me. Honestly have never been a huge fan of chrome on anything so I decided to go this route and I'm glad I did because it gets a lot of questions/attention....Personally I think it makes it look fast just sitting there. Don't get me wrong, the polished up blower motors do look good I just prefer this.

 

[82daytona]

All the shinnys

 

[rrrr]

View attachment 1351794 All the shinys

Points added for using black hoses and clear anodized fittings. They look great.

I just don't like red and blue anodized fittings. They were OK in 1978, but I think black hoses and black or clear fittings are the best.

 

[River Dirt 2]

The ladies prefer polished..

 

[poncho]

Like Tank said, I like ‘em either way as well.
I’ve built a fair number of boats over the years and I always try to work the owners on what their vision is for the project.
I’ll interject an opinion here and there but try to make it look the way they want it.
As my friend Paul Grichar taught me,..”it’s the customer’s elevator, they get to press the buttons”.
It’s kinda cool when some of them let me pick the combinations on rigging and the engine details.
How about this one…rigged the boat the first time for Blown Bling and then re-rigged it 18 years later, same owner, Unblown and Blacked out!
What’s not to like about both versions!

View attachment 1351487 View attachment 1351488 View attachment 1351489 View attachment 1351490

Didn't that boat go down south?

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Chrome and shiny metal parts were a big part of early car customizing. I think it was the late 50's or early 60's when the infamous reverse chrome wheels came to be. I dig cool old Hot rod stuff so chrome and polish will always have a place close to my heart. I never understood the "anti-chrome" black wheel fad/movement. It likely came from the younger generations with little or no knowledge or respect of Hot Rodding history.

Dad's 1st boat trailer had reverse chrome wheels as well as his 427 t-bird, Starliner and 65 mustang.

 

[4Waters]

Heck, its probably got more than 1 cylinder. Nobody needs more than 1 cylinder. Actual quote from AOC

Well, we could replace the engine in her car with a Briggs and Stratton 3.5hp and then she will see how well a 1cyl engine works in a car

 

[Chili Palmer]

Well, we could replace the engine in her car with a Briggs and Stratton 3.5hp and then she will see how well a 1cyl engine works in a car

It’ll probably work better than an electric car that is in need of charging in zero degree blizzard conditions.

 

[Clank123]

Didn't that boat go down south?

It did for a few years and the original owner bought it back.

 

[77charger]

Polished aluminum has a great look and I like it just would hate the upkeep though.

 

[Badchoices03]

Or this one with Da Bling just finished,

View attachment 1351312

Dang I wish my EMI's looked like that....

 

[rrrr]

Polished aluminum has a great look and I like it just would hate the upkeep though.

I absolutely agree with your observation.

Although I repolished the engine after every three or four outings, it never again looked as good as the photo I posted above. It's impossible to get the same result unless the carburetors, hoses, wiring, and all other stuff nearby is removed.

 

[jetboatperformance]

Dang I wish my EMI's looked like that....

Polished you mean ? They are surprisingly only a couple "Bens" more than Black

 

[jetboatperformance]

I will say , The Older I get the LESS I enjoy cleaning and polishing

 

[Sharp Shooter]

You old farts are getting lazy.

 

[Clank123]

Points added for using black hoses and clear anodized fittings. They look great.

I just don't like red and blue anodized fittings. They were OK in 1978, but I think black hoses and black or clear fittings are the best.

Oh man…my pet peeve!
On any (allegedly) period correct car or boat first thing I look at!
The worst are the Front Motor cackle car guys! Rarely any attention paid to the proper fittings and line.
I’ve heard all the excuses.
But guess what, they ran Nitro in the 60’s!
About the only thing available in the 60’s in “aircraft fittings” came from a surplus store and they were not always anodized. That’s how Earls got started.
I try very hard to make the fittings and line right.
For most the 60’s it was surplus, rubber hoses and weatherhead fittings if you didn’t want hose clamps.
I used the correct “spade” style clamps on all the low pressure lines on the AA/Fuel dragster we did, on the Banzai I was told that Keith Black had a Weatherhead bin of fittings in the shop so that’s what they used.
Of course on the Shockwave it had to be red/blue anodize. I used Summit fittings. I like that the red and blue is darker.

 

[rrrr]

Oh man…my pet peeve!
On any (allegedly) period correct car or boat first thing I look at!
The worst are the Front Motor cackle car guys! Rarely any attention paid to the proper fittings and line.
About the only thing available in the 60’s in “aircraft fittings” came from a surplus store!

I couldn't agree more.

You'll notice I used standard black USCG approved hoses and stainless band clamps on my engine for that reason. The 427 had the original carbs and was still standard bore with stock internals, so I wanted to preserve that condition as much as possible. I did make concessions to period accuracy by installing a Magnaflow water pump and MSD billet distributor.

The original water pump was damaged, and I decided the Magnaflow was better for a replacement because protection of the rare engine was important. The original distributor on the 427 was Mallory dual point with a Ford ID plate. I had messed around with enough fussy Mallory units beginning in high school to decide I didn't want to do that again, and the MSD coupled to a hidden MSD 6M-2L was again a better choice to protect the engine while providing reliability and performance.

The engine didn't have an alternator, and I explored using a driveshaft driven solution because I didn't want to hang one externally and alter the original appearance. In the end I decided using the battery was OK, because I didn't think I would be driving it for more than an hour or two at one time. That worked out fine.

I also replaced the Thoroughbred V-drive with a Casale, because of reliability and parts availability concerns. Since I had zero experience with a V-drive boat, the assistance of @beaverfab was greatly appreciated. The prop shaft was also replaced, again to ensure a fifty year old part wouldn't cause a catastrophic failure.

 

[Clank123]

I couldn't agree more.

You'll notice I used standard black USCG approved hoses and stainless band clamps on my engine for that reason. The 427 had the original carbs and was still standard bore with stock internals, so I wanted to preserve that condition as much as possible. I did make concessions to period accuracy by installing a Magnaflow water pump and MSD billet distributor.

The original water pump was damaged, and I decided the Magnaflow was better for a replacement because protection of the rare engine was important. The original distributor on the 427 was Mallory dual point with a Ford ID plate. I had messed around with enough fussy Mallory units beginning in high school to decide I didn't want to do that again, and the MSD coupled to a hidden MSD 6M-2L was again a better choice to protect the engine while providing reliability and performance.

The engine didn't have an alternator, and I explored using a driveshaft driven solution because I didn't want to hang one externally and alter the original appearance. In the end I decided using the battery was OK, because I didn't think I would be driving it for more than an hour or two at one time. That worked out fine.

I also replaced the Thoroughbred V-drive with a Casale, because of reliability and parts availability concerns. Since I had zero experience with a V-drive boat, the assistance of @beaverfab was greatly appreciated. The prop shaft was also replaced, again to ensure a fifty year old part wouldn't cause a catastrophic failure.

She’s a beauty and true to the period.

 

[Flat freak]

Not with me, I’m like a Raccoon with shiny shit

 

[Bobby_329]

I like polished but black would be way easier.

 

[76sanger]

Nope! Make it look like chrome!

 

[JFMFG]

Nice,

when was this one taken??

I have not seen Andrew out for a while, thought he sold he boat haha. Thats a bad RT!

He has a 28 Daytona now.

 

[poncho]

It did for a few years and the original owner bought it back.

Don't tell the owner but I like it way better without the wing.

 

[Clank123]

Don't tell the owner but I like it way better without the wing.

I’m with you. No need for a wing under 135 mph. Not enough prop lift to make the boat unstable.

 

[zhandfull]

This one is shiny and bad ass!

 

[ChrisV]

@Boat211

 

[Rajobigguy]

Shiny stuff in motor compartments is still in vogue, Shiny stuff in interiors is almost as overused and passé as diamond stich upholstery.

 

[SoCalZero]

This one is shiny and bad ass! View attachment 1357380 View attachment 1357381 View attachment 1357382

One of my favorite 21s. Used to be twin turbo with a custom fiberglass hatch.

 

[Backlash]

This one is shiny and bad ass! View attachment 1357380 View attachment 1357381 View attachment 1357382

I don't know if it gets any better than that! Such an AMAZING boat!!!

 

[Tank]

Another question….whats everyone’s favorite polish?

Im
Looking for MAGIC!

I’ve used Flitz, star rite, never dull, blue magic and a couple others. No “wow” factor. They all take a lot of rubbing and a lot of buffing.

Anything out there that’s like, “holy shit, that cut the work way down!”

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Another question….whats everyone’s favorite polish?

Im
Looking for MAGIC!

I’ve used Flitz, star rite, never dull, blue magic and a couple others. No “wow” factor. They all take a lot of rubbing and a lot of buffing.

Anything out there that’s like, “holy shit, that cut the work way down!”

This is what I use.

 

[DiamondDave]

Looks like we have similar amounts of polishing to do... I use "Heavy Metal" polish. The green (medium) specifically. The blue (fine) does not do $hit and the red (heavy) leaves it... meh. Not sure if they are still around but whatever you use, I would get a drill with various sizes/shapes buffing wheels to make it at least bearable.

 

[welldigger00]

I use zephyr products. I’ve gone a little nuts on the Peterbilt lately, and I’ve bought grinders, D/A’s, all the wheels, disc, rouge, etc. It took a little bit of a learning curve, but I’ve been enjoying a ton of success. It’s filthy hard work for sure. Ton of YouTube vids helped me out…

 

[Cooter01]

Another question….whats everyone’s favorite polish?

Im
Looking for MAGIC!

I’ve used Flitz, star rite, never dull, blue magic and a couple others. No “wow” factor. They all take a lot of rubbing and a lot of buffing.

Anything out there that’s like, “holy shit, that cut the work way down!”

Zephyr products is the best I have found from using all the different kinds

 

[Backlash]

2nd for Zephyr.