Powder, paint, anodize or billet?
 

I'd like to hear from those who've had experience with any of the above chrome-like or polished silver finishes. Basically I'm re-powering this winter and looking for a shiny chrome or polished look on the valve covers, intakes and most of the bolt on accessories.

Each of our choices seems to have tradeoffs, but between powder coating, paint, anodizing or billet, what seems to hold up and retain it's brilliance the longest in the marine environment?

Has anyone tried the new chrome powder coat finish, or perhaps a paint that produces a similar result?

Thanks in advance.

K
I have used the "bright silver" powdercoat. Nothing like chrome but looks as a deep silver. It is a nice finish. If you want shine strip and polish the valve covers. Anodizing is also a option but not a chrome appearance either. A good coating guy could show you some examples. Pete

I think anodized can ONLY be on Aluminum.

I prefer anodized, i love the look of the metal underneath, you don't get that with powder.

Depends on the look you want.

Valves covers....heat, so would assume powder coat would last the best

Why dont you just chrome plate? No paint will be as durable as chrome plating. Plus the appearance is the best IMO. Just make sure its hexavalent chrome.

You could try to polish and clear powder coat after.

Polished aluminum looks almost as good as chrome, but the shine doesn't last. It gets cloudy quick and needs re-polishing, but you can't really do that with the VCs on the boat. If you polish and clear powder coat it may help keep the shine up.

Otherwise, there's no substitute for chrome.

Fixx
 

They make chrome powder coating,google it and have a peak..heres what i found and looks close to me..

the only thing i have herd is that you have to double bake it or something like that and make sure the powder coater has done it before..

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...26tbs%3Disch:1

Yuep, thats the stuff. In our neck of the woods they call it bright silver. Have done quite a few valve covers and intakes with it, still in person it is nothing close to chrome. Unless the have a newer product available, will have to check. Thanks Fix More options....

I would chrome plate it. It will look the best with the least amount of maintenance.
Look at this Cig's engines http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...o27066-en.html

The "Chrome" powder coat is pretty nice, not exactly chrome but more like a polished aluminum look and it is VERY durable.

Here's a couple of pictures of an old snowmobile sleigh my daughter an I restored a couple of years ago and some pictures of some parts I did on my drag sled.

Fixx
 

from what i have read their is a special process to doing the chrome powder coating.something about double baking it and applying clear and baking it again for the reflection..

when you have something chromed and if the inside of the valve covers dont get the same attention as the out side then it will flake off into your engine,,same with the intake what ever is on the out side goes on the inside..