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I'm considering having some stuff done, ie valve covers, intake,ect. but these parts have been previously bead blasted so the original as-cast finish is gone. My question is will these parts look as good or the same as said parts that had not been previously bead blasted? It would be nice to see a pic of something previously bead blasted and then vapor blasted. Like half of a valve cover in each finish.

NO. It will smooth out the bead blast finish some . I suppose it depends on your expectations. If looking for a assemblyline look the vapor blast finish doesn't get you there. Depending on the part it can be a process to get you part of the way however. It certainly cleans things up but leaves a finish unlike new if that is what you are looking for.  On CJ valve covers for example it will get you close but you will have to do additional work to make them look more assemblyline. On aluminum intakes you almost completely lose the pores texture of a fresh cast aluminum. From what I have seen the process makes the surface look shiny and the opposite of the mat porous finish of a fresh cast vintage aluminum intake. 

Thanks for your reply Bob. When you said that the vapor blasting would get me part of the way to an as new look and that additional work is needed, do you know what that work my consist of? Is it a tumbling process or a different media and or pressure in a blast cabinet or a soak in a particular brew? Thanks again for your help!

Here's a 1969 Galpin ad with a " hardtop convertible "

Nice find Pete. Yes appears that Galpin, as usual was doing things other dealers were not.

Here are a couple of additional pictures on the subject

Believe both of these examples are Galpin cars now that I look at them and notes. May be the same car (at different stages of live while at Galpin) or different ones. Easy to see that both are ASC style design. With the car below wonder how many parade that one was in.





To of the page of one of their newspaper ads announcing the rumble seat option. Easier to read this way Galpin was not your "normal" or typical Ford dealer by any means IMO





And a 68 San Jose built coupe with sun roof - not listed on Marti. Originally sold by Towne Ford in Redwood City




And lastly - this post. A close up of what was left of the companies sticker applied to a 65 or 66 coupe they added a sun roof to at some point





This whole discussion reminds me of the vinyl top fastbacks that we use to find from time to time in Calif. Same sort of adding things to make cars stand out and sell especially in the later months of the production year when sales slumped. That was an Acme Top, out of LA thing. But that's another thread and discussion.   

They do have different wheels but could still possibly be the same car.

I'm considering having some stuff done, ie valve covers, intake,ect. but these parts have been previously bead blasted so the original as-cast finish is gone. My question is will these parts look as good or the same as said parts that had not been previously bead blasted? It would be nice to see a pic of something previously bead blasted and then vapor blasted. Like half of a valve cover in each finish.

Hey Bobby, just wondering how this process would work on valve covers or intakes and any cast aluminum piece that had been previously bead blasted?