Rocker cover problem

[brubaker19]

Guys so I left my TVR in with a fellow for respray and he painted a few items I didn't want painted!! One was the rocker cover. I enclose a picture. I don't have the expertise or confidence to take it off myself so I was looking for in situ options. I bought some pure acetone but it has limited effect on whatever paint he has used. Options include wire wool,going down in grain size. When the paint comes off (if it comes off) what will it look like naked? I assume I should do the drivers side one for consistency.

Sorry if all this seems stupid - any advice would be really appreciated.

Peter

[briantvr350i]

Hi,

I can only hope that that he used a sharper stick on the respray...

Being serious, the usual solution is to remove the covers from the car, the passenger side one is quite easy, the drivers side on is a PITA because of the heater pipes and fuel hoses in the way...

Take them to a reputable powder coating place, have them blasted and then have them powder coated your color of choice.

Suggest that you obtain some new gaskets for when you come to replace the repainted covers, take very great care to make sure you don't drop the metal spacers into the engine when you are taking the covers off or putting them back on... Make sure you wash the covers out with paraffin or fluid from a parts washer to get rid of any residue from the process...

Suggest you unscrew and remove the flame trap from the drivers side and don't have that powder coated.

Regards,

Brian and green Griffith 500

[brubaker19]

Thanks Brian for the reply. I suppose I'm wondering whether I could just return it to bare metal and would that look ok? The engine is fairly standard and original so having two things bright and shiny will look out of place. He also painted some other bits bright blue which I managed to get off! Do you think I could get all this stuff off in situ and it wouldn't look weird.

Peter

[Paulprior]

I think it’s very unlikely that you could do a decent looking job without removing them, there are far too many things in the way

[Belle427]

Removal and blasting is the only way to do it properly, funny enough I was watching this last night.
https://youtu.be/gBfiOyLCXoI

[brubaker19]

Thanks for the replies. I just wouldn't have the confidence to take these both off and put them back together. I will have a go at it myself in situ and post some pictures of the finished product. If it doesn't work I will have to leave it in to get done.

Again really appreciate the expertise in this forum

Peter

[eff eff]

brubaker19 said:

Thanks Brian for the reply. I suppose I'm wondering whether I could just return it to bare metal and would that look ok? The engine is fairly standard and original so having two things bright and shiny will look out of place. He also painted some other bits bright blue which I managed to get off! Do you think I could get all this stuff off in situ and it wouldn't look weird.

Peter

I think I'd be returning the car to the painters and ask them to rectify their mistake!

[phillpot]

WTF have they done they look horrendous. What kind of Cowboy outfit paints (very badly) bits of your engine what weren't agreed to?

[2gins]

eff eff said:

brubaker19 said:

Thanks Brian for the reply. I suppose I'm wondering whether I could just return it to bare metal and would that look ok? The engine is fairly standard and original so having two things bright and shiny will look out of place. He also painted some other bits bright blue which I managed to get off! Do you think I could get all this stuff off in situ and it wouldn't look weird.

Peter

I think I'd be returning the car to the painters and ask them to rectify their mistake!

Given what's been done and how I'd be skeptical about doing this. I'd be taking it straight to my nearest TVR specialist, have them sort it out and give the original painter the bill. A good outcome would be if he pays 50%. It'll probably amount to a couple of hours labour and the cost of the remedials, not the end of the world.

Soda blasting will strip the paint and dirt off back to bare metal and from there your options are to lacquer to protect the metal finish, powder coat in a colour of your choice (black would be nice and neutral) or leave to 'weather' back in - but that would be a shame after soda blasting. You don't want shot blasting on aluminium - soda or vapour is what's usually recommended.

Incidentally what type of bolts are used on the rocker covers, mine are not hex, torx or star but something else. LIke hex but with concave flats? If I could get them off I can have the heater rail away which is another item I can clean/polish while awaiting my liberty.

[brubaker19]

The painter actually did a good job on the outside but had a mental breakdown during the year!!! he had the car. TBH at the end of the process (which was very drawn out) I felt sorry for him. He went bankrupt and was detained by police under the mental health act. He never finished the car and it's a very sad story. The whole thing (apart from the exterior paint job) was an abject disaster.

I'm on my own in this one, I can leave it in and someone to do all this but I thought I would see what I could do myself. I've already managed to get some paint off the fan covers and another engine part that was painted blue (with acetone). I never asked him to paint any of the engine he just took it in his mind to do it.

Again thanks for the replies,

Peter

[lancepar]

2gins said:

Incidentally what type of bolts are used on the rocker covers, mine are not hex, torx or star but something else. LIke hex but with concave flats? If I could get them off I can have the heater rail away which is another item I can clean/polish while awaiting my liberty.

Photo of original Bi-Hex (12 point) bolt.


Peeps replace em with cap heads.

Edited by lancepar on Friday 17th April 13:59

[MikeE]

lancepar said:

2gins said:

Incidentally what type of bolts are used on the rocker covers, mine are not hex, torx or star but something else. LIke hex but with concave flats? If I could get them off I can have the heater rail away which is another item I can clean/polish while awaiting my liberty.

Photo of original Bi-Hex (12 sided) bolt.


Peeps replace em with cap heads.

I was going to ask the same question about the bolts, where can i get a socket to fit these so I can tighten my leaking cam covers?

[Zener]

5/16 or 8mm bi-hex socket 1/4 drive best 3/8 second best is what your after

[lancepar]

Not 12 sided as my earlier post, 12 point.

Best option at the moment.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-16-SOCKET-Bi-HEX-3-8-...

(other sockets available)

[Hedgehopper]

You really need an extended socket to clear the water pipes. I bought mine in Halfords as the one in the link is out of stock but the pic. shows you what to look for.

https://chimaerapartsonline.co.uk/product/rocker-c...

Edited by Hedgehopper on Friday 17th April 14:26

[2gins]

Thanks guys

Hope you get the kob sorted OP. Sounds like te worst case is a couple hundred quid for nice clean rockers.

[phazed]

MikeE said:

I was going to ask the same question about the bolts, where can i get a socket to fit these so I can tighten my leaking cam covers?

Multipoint AF socket , 7/16ths from memory.

[phazed]

Oops, hadn't seen other posts. 5/16ths AF it is....

[MikeE]

phazed said:

Oops, hadn't seen other posts. 5/16ths AF it is....

Just ordered an 8mm from Halfords so lets see if that fits (apparently 5/16 = 7.9375 so should be close enough!)

[phazed]

MikeE said:

phazed said:

Oops, hadn't seen other posts. 5/16ths AF it is....

Just ordered an 8mm from Halfords so lets see if that fits (apparently 5/16 = 7.9375 so should be close enough!)

Don't forget the old rover is all imperial.