Shaving stock valve covers

d.garza18

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Hey all! Hope everyone’s doing well during this pandemic. I remember reading a write up on a guy shaving his valve covers, and I was wondering if anyone here has done it? I’d love the shave my stock valve covers and paint them black or the same magnetic grey I’m spraying the car..
 

lwarrior1016

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I shaved a set of mine. Just use a flap wheel to grind them down and then I used a sanding block to get them straight. Some primer and another round of sanding then paint. Sorry, I don’t have any pictures. They looked great though.
 
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d.garza18

d.garza18

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I shaved a set of mine. Just use a flap wheel to grind them down and then I used a sanding block to get them straight. Some primer and another round of sanding then paint. Sorry, I don’t have any pictures. They looked great though.
Thanks!
 
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d.garza18

d.garza18

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Are you base coat/clear coating the car? If you are, I say spray them the same color and use the same paint. Base coat/clear coat. It’ll hold up well, and clean up easy.
Yes i am! Still haven’t picked up a spray gun but i really want to paint my car myself. I have 3 quarts of metallic magnetic grey (Toyota color). The valve covers I’m more than sure I can spray with ease, so I’ll most likely be spraying them the same color as the car.
 

lwarrior1016

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Yes i am! Still haven’t picked up a spray gun but i really want to paint my car myself. I have 3 quarts of metallic magnetic grey (Toyota color). The valve covers I’m more than sure I can spray with ease, so I’ll most likely be spraying them the same color as the car.
I learned the hard way that a good spray gun makes a world of difference in the finished product. If it’s in the budget, pick up a devilbiss gti pro lite. You’ll spend around $350 for it. Don’t get the knock off gun. I went through two “cheap” guns (one of them was not cheap at all), and I ended up getting the gti pro lite. World of difference.
 

white95

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I learned the hard way that a good spray gun makes a world of difference in the finished product. If it’s in the budget, pick up a devilbiss gti pro lite. You’ll spend around $350 for it. Don’t get the knock off gun. I went through two “cheap” guns (one of them was not cheap at all), and I ended up getting the gti pro lite. World of difference.

..and I can’t wait until the day you show me how to use it :cool:
 

evilcw311

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DB makes great spray guns. Ranging from low priced entry level that still shoots well all the to top of the line custom guns for shooting high end paint jobs. Can’t go wrong with any of their products.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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d.garza18

d.garza18

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I learned the hard way that a good spray gun makes a world of difference in the finished product. If it’s in the budget, pick up a devilbiss gti pro lite. You’ll spend around $350 for it. Don’t get the knock off gun. I went through two “cheap” guns (one of them was not cheap at all), and I ended up getting the gti pro lite. World of difference.
Thanks I will look into it! I haven’t really dibbled or dabbled with body work etc, the most I’ve done is some minor scuffing and taping off haha. But I do plan on doing all the body work prep and paint on my car myself! I do know I will need a good compressor, and a water separator
 

ttocs

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what kind of compressor, dryer and filter system are you using? I learned the hard way that a good gun, a big compressor and an ok dryer and filter does NOT make me a painter. I was just out working on it 2 mins prior to this and I decided that I am proud enough to stand by it and say it was my first paint job and like Ferris Buehler on the clarinet I never had one lesson! I am also smart enough to say that its my last paint job...........
 
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d.garza18

d.garza18

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what kind of compressor, dryer and filter system are you using? I learned the hard way that a good gun, a big compressor and an ok dryer and filter does NOT make me a painter. I was just out working on it 2 mins prior to this and I decided that I am proud enough to stand by it and say it was my first paint job and like Ferris Buehler on the clarinet I never had one lesson! I am also smart enough to say that its my last paint job...........
At the moment none... but I do intend on buying all of that. Any recommendations?
 

ttocs

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my honest advice is don't do it yourself unless your willing to live with less than perfect paint that only you can take the blame for. The chance of you doing a maaco quality job your first time out is slim/none. I am counting the time till I can get mine done to fix the problems I made but I had the time.

I have a 60 gallon compressor and it was working overtime to keep up. Anything less and it better be super efficient or its just going to slow things down. I can't remember the dryer/filter I will have to look that up but I thought it was in the $2-250 range.
 
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d.garza18

d.garza18

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my honest advice is don't do it yourself unless your willing to live with less than perfect paint that only you can take the blame for. The chance of you doing a maaco quality job your first time out is slim/none. I am counting the time till I can get mine done to fix the problems I made but I had the time.

I have a 60 gallon compressor and it was working overtime to keep up. Anything less and it better be super efficient or its just going to slow things down. I can't remember the dryer/filter I will have to look that up but I thought it was in the $2-250 range.
Believe me I know I won’t do a 5 star job but it’ll bring me satisfaction when I can look at my shit box and say I did it myself and I’m okay with it... crazy I know
 

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