Cool!

The List:
1. Hatchman - "Reflective Chrome" looks like "Satin Aluminum"
2. ChrisM - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum", Paid, STATUS: cam covers on order from Ford
3. Hawgman - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
4. 05GT-Baby- "Red", may wait a few weeks
5. flamin ponyex- PM'd, waiting for reply.
6. Redfire05GT- "Refl. Chrome/SA"
7. Eleanor Dreaming- "Red"
8. MTAS - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
9. MilStang - maybe later?
10. Duckman- "Red"
11. nbk13nw- "Red"

 

New pic in sunlight

 

In case anyone was wondering about time and tools to swap them out. I used a little 1/4" socket wrench, an extension, a 7mm(ignition coils), 8mm(cover bolts), and 10mm(air box hold-down bolt) sockets, and a screw driver. I also laid some towels over the fender to protect it from scratching.

First of all, I loosened up all the cam cover bolts, about a dozen on each side. Then I loosened up the 4 bolts holding on the ignition to the cam covers. Had to pop off all the vacuum lines and a couple of electrical connections. Then move all the ignition and other wires out of the way. On the driver's side, I had to remove the intake. Some people removed the battery tray, but I found this unnecessary.

The cam covers came right off, slid forward, up, and out of there. The thick rubber gasket is pretty tough, and reusable. No gasket sealer used by Ford or needed.

I ended up taking the oil neck off of my right side cam cover. The stock oil cap snaps right into its place, same thread pattern, and I think it looks better, though harder to fill without it, but I have several funnels. If you want it off, just let me know, it pops right off, though it's a little difficult.

Took me about 3 hours to swap mine out, but I'm really slow, and take my time, and clean stuff as I go. I'm sure the more mechanically inclined with an electric screwdriver with a socket attatchment could possibly swap them out in 30 minutes. Even less if you have a buddy helping. It's pretty easy though, if you can take out thirty bolts and put them back in, you can do this. Just be careful not to cross thread the bolts putting them back in, and I recommend putting in the bolts on the ends in first.

Hope this helps.

B

The List:
1. Hatchman - "Reflective Chrome" looks like "Satin Aluminum"
2. ChrisM - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum", Paid, STATUS: cam covers on order from Ford
3. Hawgman - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
4. 05GT-Baby- "Red", may wait a few weeks
5. flamin ponyex- PM'd, waiting for reply.
6. Redfire05GT- "Refl. Chrome/SA"
7. Eleanor Dreaming- "Red"
8. MTAS - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
9. MilStang - maybe later?
10. Duckman- "Red"
11. nbk13nw- "Red"

 

Thanks Brad. Good info and instructions. Sounds easy.

 

what was the final price on these?

 

99 bucks, plust 20 for shipping and insurance to ship the coated covers out to you.
Then shipping/insurance to send your stockers back to me to be coated for the next person on the list. So after shipping, should be around 140. I recommend the insurance since these ugly suckers are $400 a set from Ford.

 

The List:
1. Hatchman - "Reflective Chrome" looks like "Satin Aluminum"
2. ChrisM - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum", Paid, STATUS: cam covers on order from Ford
3. Hawgman - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
4. 05GT-Baby- "Red", may wait a few weeks
5. flamin ponyex- PM'd, waiting for reply.
6. Redfire05GT- "Refl. Chrome/SA"
7. Eleanor Dreaming- "Red"
8. MTAS - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
9. MilStang - maybe later?
10. Duckman- "Red"
11. nbk13nw- "Red"

Still waiting on the covers from Ford. They have been shipped , so should be here any day.

 

THis may be a little late / dumb to be asing this now... but are these oing to be anodized or is this the new process that is like Chrome plating that is sprayed on? either one is fine, but the new process rocks! I saw a site on the net a few weeks ago and the process is amazing... and much cheaper thatn regluar plating and just as durable.

 

As far as I know, this is just old fashioned powder coating. It just happens to be a chrome color, no metal or plating involved.

I believe an electric current is passed through the part, the powder coat is sprayed on, then it's baked in an oven to melt the powder coat into a glossy finish that is more scratch and heat resistant than normal paint.

Got the covers in last night when I got off work at 10pm, so took them to the powder coaters this morning. Should be ready to ship to Chris by tomorrow/Monday latest. Chris, check PM's.

 

Update: I got the cam covers Thursday night, got them to the Powder Coater Friday morning, and picked them up and shipped them out today/Sat. to Chris. They look good, too!

I packed them very well, each in their own box. They came in two seperate boxes from ford with almost zero packing, but I got a lot of bubble wrap and peanuts to ship them in, just couldn't find a box big enough to safely ship both on short notice, since I wanted to ship them out to Chris today before the PO closed at noon. I'll find a box big enough to ship both of them for next time to cut down on shipping costs, and should get it back down to around $20. But they are packed extremelley well, and the boxes should last for many trips. Please pack the covers carefully, the studs and pvc connections can bend if kicked around. UPS has been playing kickball with my packages lately, so I'm using US Post.

Also, the PCer was doing some parts in a color called "Anodized Red", so we drove Jewl's car over to compare it to 'Marilyn', her Redfire. It was extremelly close, the Anodized Red was maybe a shade darker, with no metal flake. But he said he had some metal flake he could add to it, so the color match would be pretty close. I would say around 90% accurate.

Jewls has a Jet Throttle body spacer on order, and when it comes in, I am having it and her cam covers done in "Anodized Red', and of course, many pics to follow to see what ya'll think.

Glad we've got this ball rolling, I'm looking under the hood for more stuff to get coated!

The List:
1. Hatchman - "Reflective Chrome" looks like "Satin Aluminum"
2. ChrisM - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum", Paid, STATUS: on the way to Chris! Shipped 8/27
3. Hawgman - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
4. 05GT-Baby- "Red", may wait a few weeks
5. flamin ponyex- PM'd, waiting for reply.
6. Redfire05GT- "Refl. Chrome/SA"
7. Eleanor Dreaming- "Red"
8. MTAS - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
9. MilStang - maybe later?
10. Duckman- "Red"
11. nbk13nw- "Red"

Here's an example of "Anodized Red" (close to Redfire) and "Bright Red" (little darker than Torch Red). Hope this helps.

 

Just a heads up, there is a threaded bolt hole on the passenger side valve cover that has no bolt in it, and nothing bolts up to it. So when you're putting your valve covers back on, make sure you put the bolt back in the right/correct hole. You'll probably notice it like I did, and wonder what goes there.

This must be where the flux capaciter option bolts to.

 

That anodized red would look bad hiney on a throttle body.

 

Well, I hate that the throttle body spacer comes only in blue, so decided to PC it to match Marilyn. I am going to have the guy add some metal flake to the anondized red so it should be an almost exact match to Redfire. I will be the guinea pig for this and we will post lots of pictures when they are done. My TBS should be here this week sometime, so I *hope* to have them done next weekend.

 

How difficult is it to get them off and back on? Can someone explain the process? Nevermind, I now see the posted instructions sorry !!

 

Brad & Company,

The cam covers arrived today about 2:30 pm and they are gorgeous! I started at 3:30 and by 6:30 they were in my car. I've included a few pics below at various stages.

I started on the passenger side and it was the easier of the two. You need a 7mm socket to remove the coils and and 8mm for the cam cover bolts. I used a 1/4" drive ratchet with a short socket and 2" and 6" extensions.

My biggest problem was figuring out how to get the oil fill cap off (it unscrews counterclockwise!) The cover gaskets are a wonderful device and level of technology by comparison to the Windsor small-block valve covers I've been used to. The 2005 are reuseable and fit right back into the cover - and don't fall out while your trying to get the cover back on.

The difficult part of the driver side is the last four bolts on the bottom of the cover. The fuel line and AC hoses get in the way big time. You also have to be careful not to lean on the brake fluid reservior. It's plastic and wobbly - a far cry from the old cast iron buckets on the classic Mustangs.

The covers really dress up the engine compartment and are a reasonable match to my plenum cover. This is a great deal at the price. My hat's off to Brad for bringing this to us!

I did notice in Brad's pics and mine that the area on the covers that the flash doesn't touch looks grey or blue. That is a camera effect only - the entire cover looks just like the pic below that compares the before and after.

Brad: my old ones will be in the mail tomorrow. Thanks again.

Pics:
Before/after Covers [attachmentid=32162]
Passenger side raw [attachmentid=32163]
Driver Side Done [attachmentid=32165]
All Finished [attachmentid=32164]

 

Whoops - I forgot to mention that the driver side goes a lot easier if you remove the airbox. That's why Brad suggested a 10 mm socket for the hold-down bolt.

 

Wow, it looks great, especially with your intake cover!

Chris, thanks so much for the pics, write up, and the feedback. I am very glad that you are happy with the new covers.

That was quick shipping time, I sent them off Saturday, and you recieved them Monday, so not bad. Then again, we're in the same state. But looks like US Post Priority Mail gets them there quickly.

Yep, you are right, the 10mm is for the hold down bolt. I thought the ignition screws were a 6mm, thanks for the correction, they are 7mm, and I edited my previous post.

And thanks also to Chris for getting them on quickly and his stockers shipped off the next day. He's really helping out everyone else by the quick turn around time. Nice work!

 

The List:
1. Hatchman - "Reflective Chrome" looks like "Satin Aluminum"
2. ChrisM - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum", Paid, STATUS: Installed! stockers on the way back to me
3. Hawgman - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
4. 05GT-Baby- "Red", may wait a few weeks
5. flamin ponyex- PM'd, waiting for reply.
6. Redfire05GT- "Refl. Chrome/SA"
7. Eleanor Dreaming- "Red"
8. MTAS - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
9. MilStang - maybe later?
10. Duckman- "Red"
11. nbk13nw- "Red"
12. subzero05- "Red or Black"

Adding Subzero05 to the list, and some pics of some Hi Gloss Black pieces the PC'r has done:

 

Covers coming in today from FedEx, they will be at the PCr's by tonight, and hopefully going out in the mail tomorrow. Hawgman is going to be out of town for a week and has very generously offered to get bumped down one slot on the list, so Redfire05GT is up. PM sent

Also, a cleaning tip for everybody. To clean your stockers, all you have to do is squirt them with some cleaner/degreaser/Castrol Super Clean/Simple Green/Wesleys Bleach White/etc and then spray them off with a garden hose. I did this to mine and they were pretty clean. The covers are aluminum, so they can't rust, and they are going to get baked in an oven, so all the nooks and crannies will be good and dry.


The List:
1. Hatchman - "Reflective Chrome" looks like "Satin Aluminum"
2. ChrisM - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum", Paid, Installed!
Bumped up: 6. Redfire05GT- "Refl. Chrome/SA", STATUS: getting coated
3. Hawgman - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum" next on list, on trip
4. 05GT-Baby- "Red", waiting a few weeks
5. flamin ponyex- PM'd, waiting for reply.
7. Eleanor Dreaming- "Red"
8. MTAS - "Refl. Chrome/Satin Alum"
9. MilStang - maybe later?
10. Duckman- "Red"
11. nbk13nw- "Red"
12. subzero05- "Red or Black"

 

Brad I received the message. Proper thing done and other message sent PM. Thanks. This is moving fast.