How to Get Shiny, Gleaming, Eye-Searing Valve Covers for Your Datsun

To get an extra look from your peers at the local car show, you may want to add that little something extra to the engine compartment by polishing the valve cover. The first secret to getting successful results is not to be timid with the coarse grit sandpaper! Try these steps to get you on your way to gleaming valve covers:

1. Remove the valve cover from the engine.
2. Use a file to remove casting flash.
3. Most covers will require at least 80 grit sand paper to start. This heavy of a paper will remove any deep imperfections on the surface. Keep sanding until all surface irregularities are removed. Pay attention to getting all of the areas even. This is the most important step and the most time consuming part of the project.
4. The cover should then be polished in stages through the following grits: 100, 150, 180, 240, 320, 400 and 600. Note that the object of this is to remove all scratches from the preceding grit with successively finer scratches. An important technique is to alternate sanding directions between grits. Maybe switching between hands for this will work. Unless you're ambidextrous, I can assure you the pattern will change. Who knows, it might work. When the crosshatch pattern disappears, go to the next grit. It is possible for you to skip a grit size, but far more sanding will be required to remove previous scratches. The finer grit 240 and up papers should be used wet for best results.
5. After 600 grit, you can finish polishing the cover using aluminum polish (such as Wenol) either by hand or a small buffing wheel.