Georgia Fiero Club Forum

All Things Fiero => General Fiero Discussion => Topic started by: GTRS Fiero on November 02, 2017, 06:54:21 pm

Title: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 02, 2017, 06:54:21 pm: I'd seen some really nice strut covers for the pre-'88, but couldn't figure out how to make them for the '88. I'd still like a set of the pre-'88 strut covers, but they are no longer being made.

I did find that Rodney just released these (http://rodneydickman.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=431). I'm curious how they'd look.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 02, 2017, 07:04:26 pm: Here are Rodney's:

Here are the pre-'88's:

I'm curious what it would take to make these.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: scottb on November 03, 2017, 06:50:24 pm: Is the top flat or domed? I could ask my machinist but it will be at least February before he would have a chance to write the program.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 03, 2017, 06:53:44 pm: The pre-'88 version seems to be flat, but would have to have a hole for the top of the strut bolt, or whatever that is that sticks up.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: Fierofool on November 03, 2017, 08:26:53 pm: I have a machine shop that could burn text into the top of them with a laser, rather than having it engraved into it. Rodney's are steel. They would probably need to be painted or powder coated to prevent tarnishing or rusting.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 03, 2017, 08:49:20 pm: I'd prefer aluminum. Kudos to Rodney for his efforts, though.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 04, 2017, 11:09:20 am: The problems with the '88's are twofold: the bolt for the strut sticks up, and the screws holding the mount/support for the decklid vent.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 12, 2017, 06:56:01 pm: Rodney's strut covers are certainly steel. They are the correct size, although they are smaller than I expected.

Unfortunately, they don't match anything else in my engine bay. I'm not sure that chroming them would help, and worried that rust spots would rapidly develop if not treated in some fashion.

Wouldn't aluminum have been a better material for this?
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: Fierofool on November 12, 2017, 07:03:23 pm: Aluminum will oxidize, too unless it's clear coated. The center caps on my MSR wheels are aluminum and it didn't take long for them to start getting white chalky spots on them. Apparently they were never clear coated.

Your caps could be primed then painted to the color of your choice. i would recommend using a high temp engine paint then baking them at 250-300 for about 30 minutes.

We have 2 sets of knives that had a beautiful brushed aluminum handle. It only took several cycles through the dishwasher that they began to turn dark gray, then we started noticing they were giving off a black powder onto our hands. I scrubbed them down, rinsed them in white vinegar and let them dry. Then primed them with Zinc Chromate primer. When it dried, I sprayed them with a high temp engine paint, dried them, then stuck them into a board, put them in the oven, and they're still nice and shiny a year later. I do intakes and valve covers the same way.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 12, 2017, 07:11:45 pm: How about stainless steel?

Does powder-coating help?
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 13, 2017, 05:25:45 pm: Are the EGR adapters clear-coated, or what keeps them from oxidizing?
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: Fierofool on November 13, 2017, 05:46:36 pm: Powder coating would help protect the caps. Stainless would hold up pretty well, too. It can be polished, but it can also tarnish if the wrong chemicals come into contact with it.

The EGR adapter plates are aircraft grade heat treated aluminum. I don't remember the grade but it was something like T4160. They weren't polished, but were high speed finished with a flycutter. Edge milling was also done with a fine tooth end mill.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 13, 2017, 05:58:03 pm: So the EGR adapters shouldn't oxidize?
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: Fierofool on November 13, 2017, 07:47:49 pm: No guarantee, but they should hold up pretty good. At least better than raw aluminum.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on July 08, 2018, 02:07:02 pm: Quote from: scottb on November 03, 2017, 06:50:24 pm
Is the top flat or domed? I could ask my machinist but it will be at least February before he would have a chance to write the program.

I forgot all about this, and I'd bet you did, too.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on June 30, 2019, 08:36:08 am: Still interested in this.
Title: Re: Strut covers
Post by: GTRS Fiero on February 11, 2021, 09:34:02 pm: Well, now Rodney had aluminum '88 strut covers.