Painting your intake cover:

I received a couple of emails aking how I painted the intake cover. So for those who'd like to know...here it is:

1. Clean thoroughly!!!
2. Apply basic gray automotive type primer coat. Two thin coats should do it.
3. Spray with a Dupli-Color can of touch-up paint the same color as the vehicle (or any other chosen color). Spray in thin coats and let dry in between, being careful not to over spray and cause any dripping (this takes patience). I used 4 light coats. Let dry for at least two days in a warm climate (or three if cooler).
4. I suggest hand brushing the VORTEC portion, being careful not to let drip. For the blue I used Testors model paint. I mixed some dark blue with silver and used that. A small hobby brush should work well. (This can be done a few hours after applying the base coat.)
5. Carefully mask the swirls and the raised vertical lines, being careful the tape is well seated at the base of the contours (more patience needed).
6. With an exacto knife or a fresh box cutter blade, carefully trace the base of the raised areas you want painted, applying just enough pressure to cut the tape. Gently peal off the areas you want exposed, making sure it's clean afterwards and the tape sticks at the edges.
7. Completely cover the rest of the intake with more masking tape and paper, being careful not to leave any gaps.
8. Gently spray the exposed areas, using about three very light coats, just enopugh to cover. Let dry only about 5-10 min between coats. Wait about 5 more minutes and gently remove all the masking tape, exposing the finished product. Touch up as needed, if needed.
9. Wait until dry and apply about 4-5 light coats of Dupli Color clear-coat and let dry. Vwa-la..your're done!!! You can add pinstiping, decals, stickers or whatever else after it's completely dry.

This is what it looked like after painting, but before the clearcoat. Also I painted the the oval around the Vortec/swirls a little daker (after masking).
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/3/web/2091000-2091999/2091584_14_full.jpg

Let me know if there's any other questions or comments:

man that looks good. looks like i have a saturday project :iceslolan

man that looks good. looks like i have a saturday project :iceslolan

Tried mine and it got all f'd up... paint would come off with my fingernail. had to get another cover...

Hey nice tutorial. Is the truck safe to drive with the cover off?

Hey nice tutorial. Is the truck safe to drive with the cover off?

Absolutely... it is purely cosmetic. Drove mine for a wek or so with out it

Thanks for the Tutorial...Looks like I may have a Winter project ahead of me. Just have to remember to really really clean it as I've been Armour All'ing all year...

Where can I find a rounded cover like that? I'm going to paint mine next week probably, but would like one of the newer ones for looks.

Where can I find a rounded cover like that? I'm going to paint mine next week probably, but would like one of the newer ones for looks.

Junk yards won't sell 'em, and I had to do an extensive search on bulletin boards in the "for sale" section.

I've got it primered and taped off now, and I think it's going to look awesome. I'm going to paint the whole thing red with black strips and lettering. Or would it look better the other way? I'm also ordering some red spark plug wires.

Where can I find a rounded cover like that? I'm going to paint mine next week probably, but would like one of the newer ones for looks.

I don't think the the new covers will fit the 1999-2000 motors. I have the squared cover and it has two fasteners. I think the newer might only have 1.

I don't think the the new covers will fit the 1999-2000 motors. I have the squared cover and it has two fasteners. I think the newer might only have 1.

Yeah there's two clips on the back and a screw towards the front

Yeah there's two clips on the back and a screw towards the front

Yeah thats way different from the 1999-2000 style.

I don't think the the new covers will fit the 1999-2000 motors. I have the squared cover and it has two fasteners. I think the newer might only have 1.

Yeah the newer one has one, but it seems like I ran across someone who put the rounded one on theirs and it worked fine... just no bolt for the second hole

I can't find any metallic blue paint!! lol

and what colors go with blue? i was thinking maybe black

I can't find any metallic blue paint!! lol

and what colors go with blue? i was thinking maybe black


Silver goes good with Navy blue... my dad had a navy and silver '84 Silverado

Now, off to the store to find paint!!

I just got mine done and installed. I kind of went cheap and didn't tape off the swirl or words. I just got some chrome paint and shot the whole thing chrome. I used about 3 or 4 light coats and let it dry for a few days. Looks pretty cool in my opinion.

Maaan..ya'll have made my day!!! I painted the bloody thing just for $#!+$ and giggles and thought some of you might enjoy it. Then I got a couple of emails. I'm really glad I was able to share something just for the sake of cool!!! It almost inspires me to go down the street and paint my neighbor's Ford pink or lavender..LOL!!! Naw, just kidding. I hope you all enjoy your rides this weekend. I've never had a vehicle for three years and was just as stoked about it as the day I bought it.

:bananasmi

Maaan..ya'll have made my day!!! I painted the bloody thing just for $#!+$ and giggles and thought some of you might enjoy it. Then I got a couple of emails. I'm really glad I was able to share something just for the sake of cool!!! It almost inspires me to go down the street and paint my neighbor's Ford pink or lavender..LOL!!! Naw, just kidding. I hope you all enjoy your rides this weekend. I've never had a vehicle for three years and was just as stoked about it as the day I bought it.

:bananasmi
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Man, I don't even have mine this weekend because it is in the dealer's service center because the f'd up my seatbelt
:swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: :swear:

Hey Bones,

What's the 411 on your grill? Is it a Tahoe Grill with some Chromy inserts? Looks sharp. I love Chrome and have been thinking about converting mine to an all chrome format of some kind...

Lemme Know when you get a sec...

Evan

Just gotta love eBay. I got the inserts 2 1/2 yrs ago on eBay for about...Hmmm..really cheap!! (They're bolton so they can easily be removed.) This past May, I found the grill which I thinl came off an '04 Suburban on eBay for about... hmmmm... real cheap!! I think the whole setup came to about 180 bones. Painting the bowtie was part of what lead to painting the intake cover. Yup, just gotta love eBay.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/3/web/2091000-2091999/2091584_1_full.jpg

Hey Thanks man,I'll keep my eyes open.
Cheers

Be careful on ebay, because they have Tahoe "grilles" listed but they're actually just grille inserts

I just got mine as a factory replacement when I hit my last deer. I'd trade it for a solid black one, or a W/T model that I could paint to match the truck.

I just got mine as a factory replacement when I hit my last deer. I'd trade it for a solid black one, or a W/T model that I could paint to match the truck.

I'll trade u mine for it, and i live in GA

I want to be able to paint that chrome strip in the middle..the whole grille really and get a billet bowtie and speed grille insert.

Call a junkyard? Then sell me yours

Call a junkyard? Then sell me yours


you should just sand it down and paint it to match the truck. thats just my :2cents:

Damn I'm mad now. Everything has gone down without a hitch now. I get the area around the swirls taped off and get painting, the top swirl's looking good, but the bottom part starts cracking like crazy. So that's going to add another day probably b/c i'll have to primer it and sand it, then paint the swirl again.

Call a junkyard? Then sell me yours

I'll be looking around and see what I can find.

:useless:

I can't find any metallic blue paint!! lol

and what colors go with blue? i was thinking maybe black

Metallic (dark grey) GunMetal With blue is my dream color combo and would be my choice if my silvy were blue, but its green. :dunno:

I think a powder coated dark grey would look tough! Nothing too shiny under the hood, it will just drive you carazy when it dulls!! Doesnt krylon make an enamel 2 part kit that looks like powder coating?
Are you guys using engine grade paint (high heat) enamel?
Thanks!!

I used Dupli Color auto touch-up spray paint for the base coats. The primer was a plastic compatable gray primer which I believe was Krylon and the Yellow was also Krylon (but I think Dupli Color would almost work better). I topped it all off with the Dupli-color clear coat. The secret is to use lite coats and let dry in between. Too much paint at any one time will cause problems.

I will unveil my intake cover tommorow, and have about 30 pics of the paint process.

I was going to do mine this week, but they're picking peanuts behind the house this week, and the dust is horrible!! Maybe this weekend at my g/f house

they're picking peanuts behind the house this week

mmmmm peanuts :icon16:

OH yeah. Goobers. Bout time for me to go rob a peanut wagon and get some to boil :D

I painted mine this Friday night. It looks good to me, and I've had many compliments on it (it's not installed yet.) I used 4 coats of primer, 4 coats of metallic blue paint, and I'm going to use 4 coats of clear. I'll get pics when I get home on thursday and post up.