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..

Thanks for the input. Wow, that Cig looks nice. I really like that polished stainless or chrome type of scheme, that's close to what I'm looking to do. Just one color, and the rest chrome or polished bright finish.

It sounds like powder is more durable than chrome, unless it's not done right. The powder coating on my Xtreme Marine Swim Platform started to come off third season by example, and that's supposed to be a top notch place. But when I called to see what they'd do about it, they said basically nothing. And that was a $3000 investment, so I'm nervous about all of this.

I'm just going to have to give local powder place a piece to try it out first, or see if he has something already done in powder chrome.

Thanks again for the input.

P.S. Cool sleigh Lee. :D

Keith, The pulley's you saw where polished billet aluminum pulley's from IMCO. To further the "Look", I had them polished again locally and coated them with this product.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ZSP-9550R/

Local Hot Rodder turned me on to this stuff. He claims it lasts (the shine that is) for over two years. Does not dull the polished finish either.

Powder coating the polished surface is good, but be aware that the finish look does dull somewhat. Gives the appearance to me like a matte finish. But, it is very very durable and long lasting. And NO, you don't have to coat all of the surface either. Give Exotic Coatings in Romulus Michigan. Sterling and Sunsation uses this company.

Okay, I'm learning a few things here, thanks. :D I've been a little nervous about billet, thought it would pit and fade. Coating is key I suppose, seal it and protect it. Makes sense.