Correct Finishes

[Shawn]

Hi all,

I'm looking for images of correctly finished 1966 Shelby Cobra intake, valve covers, oil pan and distributor.  Valve covers are the closed letter type natural finish.  Car was finished May 1966

[J_Speegle]

Hi all,

I'm looking for images of correctly finished 1966 Shelby Cobra intake, valve covers, oil pan and distributor.  Valve covers are the closed letter type natural finish.  Car was finished May 1966

Intake, oil pan and distributor would have a freshly cast aluminum finish with specific surfaces machine to a brighter (than the cast) look.

The cast surfaces on the dist would not have a consistent look but areas of slightly darker and lighter finish
Though not a hipo dist the picture below shows a "restored" dist on the left and an original on the right. Arrows show the cast main body and some of the many surfaces that would have been machined later fore comparison. Its an older picture and I should add an arrow to the top lip that engages with the dist cap as well the lower unseen when installed, raised sections




Valve covers for your time period would be painted with black crinkle paint and the letters and fins unpainted. Today people reproduce the final surface of the machined/unpainted raised surfaces using multiple techniques I suggest you use the search as there may be a dozen of threads already that speak to what has worked or didn't work for others 

[Bob Gaines]

I thought I would add some clarification in that the finish of the closed letter diecast valve covers have a brushed finish while the fins on the cast aluminum oil pan of the same engine are polished. I replicate the brush finish be starting with a 80 then 100 and finally a 150 . You have to sand in one direction only to simulate the correct look.Others go finer but the 150 is what closely replicates the brush finish based on many original and NOS samples I have studied. The polish on the fins of the oil pan and earlier open letter valve covers is a medium polish it was never as good as mirror finish from the factory. In concours for instance if the fins are too shiny or the wrong brush level it warrants at the very least a mention and at the worst depending on level of difference a small deduction.

[Shawn]

Thank you both for the information this is very helpful