Protecting Aluminum - clear, paint, or natural?

[La Mesa Stout]

So I'm working on a few aluminum parts like my timing gear cover, valve cover, etc. and I've cleaned them, and polished with the wire wheel. What is the best way to give them long term protection from oxidation, but still keep the unfinished aluminum look?
I have concerns with clear paints due to engine temperatures. Also I don't want a high gloss finish.
Any suggestions?

[mnstout]

I would have them anodized. A good shop can give you a matte finish. They will do this by a chemical etch (alkaline or ammonium bifluoride) or by a bead blast. Then anodize the part.

If you want to try painting, I have someone that has produced Matte urethane clear coats for me. PM me if you want their contact info.

[Carlyn Dinkler]

I glass bead aluminum engine parts parts like you are doing, wash good, and use an inexpensive clear coat (like Wal-Mart brand). The coating seems to last a long time, does not seem to 'yellow' badly, and the gloss finish looks good.

On the valve cover, after glass beading & washing, apply a new decal (3RB for the Stout), and then clear coat.

I have new reproduction 3RB & 3RC decals ($7.70 each), new reproduction grommets ($2.11) for the vent pipe (for vent hose to air cleaner), replated vent pipes ($19.50), and new oil filler caps ($11.54 round, no triangular caps new or used) .
Carlyn Dinkler, [e-mail]

[La Mesa Stout]

Well I've got a bunch of work done on the aluminum parts now.
We had a bit of a delay due to needing new window glass for the blast cabinet, and finally replacing the media with glass bead (works 10x better than play sand). I ended up buying a rather expensive matte finish catalyzing clear coat by Kustom.

I cleared the valve cover (forgot about your sticker, but I'll get that and reclear), the timing gear cover, oil filter housing, and the two rectangular pushrod covers on the side of the engine.
I did not clear the intake manifold, waterpump housing, thermostat housing, or waterpump. I'm no so sure the clear is going to stay on in the high heat, so we go all natural there.

All the steel hardware got removed, rezinced, and reinstalled.
The thermostat and waterpump housings had quite a bit of corrosion that had eaten away some deep pits where the hose will attach, so I ground those a bit to get a smoother surface, but I can't get all the pits out since there wouldn't be enough metal left.
End results look pretty good. We'll see how they stand up against the test of time.

[Carlyn Dinkler]

I recommend that you clear coat all. Even if high temperatures (like the intake manifold from the exhaust manifold heat) causes the clear to yellow some, the parts will look better & shed dirt longer if the pores in the aluminum are closed with the clear coat.

The thermostat support, 16128-40010 which goes in the top hole of the water pump housing and which the thermostat sets on, are normally rusty and in bad condition. I had these reproduced by one of our Toyota Crown people as a machined aluminum ring (56.91mm OD x 45.08mm ID x 5.90mm thick). These are $18.25, and used on the RT43/52 Corona and RK41 Stout, at least. Carlyn Dinkler, [e-mail]

[Frenchy Dehoux]

I had the intake and exhaust manifolds on my 58 Toyopet jet coated so that they do not burn off if painted otherwise. They look great and last for ever also better for the performance. I also had my entire exhaust pipe and muffler restored and jet coated not cheap.

Frenchy