So as a few of you probably know, my CSX is hamstrung with a busted tranny, so I've decided to store it until i stop being a poor college student. On one of my many trips of mourning out to my garage, I noticed that my valve cover was tarnishing (a previous owner must have media blasted the black paint off, because my cover is all chrome). Figureing it was just natural oxydation, I grabbed some chrome polish and rubbed it off, but it was alot harder than it should have been. Is this just because my car is sitting so it never heats up enough to keep it from happening, or is it a common problem or something? Any help is a godsend, thanks. jim
The valve covers are made of aluminum, so most likely what you've got is one where a previous owner stripped off the paint and polished the aluminum. A good aluminum polish will usually bring back the shine, but if the oxidation is heavy enough you may need to re-polish or even sand the cover to restore the finish. Bare aluminum holds up ok in the elements (better than steel), but it will still need occasional polishing to keep it from oxidizing.
I recently had the head rebuilt on the CSX and since the intake and valve cover were off I figured it was the perfect time to freshen up the motor area. The block was taped off and the entire engine bay was pressure washed after some 15 years of collecting road grime, looks way better now. Anyways, I had the valve cover and intake repainted by the place who remachined and clear coated the GLHS wheels. The cost was only $60 for both pieces and they came out looking very nice, like new to be exact. There is no doubt it's more working keeping polished aluminum looking nicer than black powder coated aluminum. Polished Shelby valve covers do look nice when finished properly with a high shine. Seen a few go on Ebay for about the same money you see the one piece 89 CSX covers go for.
