A12 Aluminum intake manifold restoration

pro-streeter · Apr 10, 2018

Would like some ideas or ways to clean my Edelbrock A12 manifold. I would like to return to it natural aluminum finish. I understand painted engine color would be correct for 69 1/2 A12 cars. I have used glass bead on other manifolds with good and some cases great results. These original castings tend to have a smoother cast finish than most later versions. I will use what is needed to protect all machined surfaces whatever the method.
Thanks in advance

flypaper · Apr 10, 2018

Bead blasting aluminum is risky because the media can and will lodge in the pores. Great on steel or cast iron, not recommended on cast aluminum.
here are a few other ways to go

a needle scaler will work
aluminum wheel cleaner
Coil cleaner(the stuff you spray on AC coils before you hose them clean)
steam pressure washer

moes · Apr 10, 2018

I like to use walnut shells instead of glass beads in my blast cabinet. They dont etch the aluminum like glass beads do.

gkent · Apr 10, 2018

Needle scalers don't get into all the nooks and crannies AND they don't do a very good job of duplicating the original finish. In fact, I've never seen anything yet that could produce that "as cast" look. The closest I ever came was on an original unmolested max wedge crossram that was only suffering from oxidation. I gave it a very fast once over with aluminum oxide and it was the cat's *** but it still didn't glitter like a new "out of the box" Eddy intake!!

Lionized · Apr 10, 2018

Soda blast.

Bill Monk · Apr 11, 2018

I cleaned mine with a stiff bristle brush and purple stuff degreaser then ran it through the dishwasher. (do not attempt this if the wife is home). I did repaint mine though but it came out great

biomedtechguy · May 3, 2018

Bill Monk said:
then ran it through the dishwasher. (do not attempt this if the wife is home)

dadsbee · May 3, 2018

Be careful.. no she didn't catch me, but our water turned my wheel light brown...

gkent · May 3, 2018

At the Detroit Autorama a few years back I was admiring a BEAUTIFUL 32 Deuce and mentioned the fact I liked all the "raw" aluminum (blower, valve covers, etc) and asked how they got it all looking the same consistent color. The owner's wife said he ran it all through the dishwasher WITH detergent. Now most soaps are Alkali so there will be a reaction with the aluminum. I didn't ask if they'd coated it afterwards but I think it would be a necessity to stop corrosion which, if you know anything about bare aluminum, occurs almost immediately.

A12 Aluminum intake manifold restoration

pro-streeter

Well-Known Member

flypaper

Well-Known Member

moes

Well-Known Member

gkent

FBBO Gold Member

Lionized

Well-Known Member

Bill Monk

Well-Known Member

biomedtechguy

Accelerati Rapidus Maximus

dadsbee

FBBO Gold Member

gkent

FBBO Gold Member

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