# Fun With a Dremel & Briliant Metal Polishes - Mini Rocker Cover



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Been a busy weekend of detailing, and part one of the vehicles I am working on is to get the stainless on a show van looking as good as possible.

I was drawn under the bonnet to the stainless steel rocker cover on the 1275cc Mini Cooper engine:










Looked like it would benefit from a good clean and polish so off it came...














































A large proportion of this cover was polished using the PC and a 4" pad with Briliant #2 Aluminium & Stainless Steel Polish. Spread on speed 1 and worked with firm pressure on speed 6 until the polish started to dry out (use tiny amount of this polish).

However, the top of the cover had little channels and to get into them I decided to use a Dremel with a polishing attachment and used Briliant #1 Metal Restorer as the metal was quite badly marked in places. Worked on medium to high speeds,



















And finished with Briliant #2.

Took a good couple of hours, but I reckon the end result was worth it...

From this:










To this...










Some after shots (befores at the top):





































Close in, the efforts on the channels paid off too:



















More details on the van this is fitted too to come in the next couple of days as its part of an assisted detail I'm doing with a friend, and a very enjoyable one too :thumb:


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## ukimportz (Mar 23, 2007)

great job dave. it must of taken some time & patience to get it that good :thumb:


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## Guest (Mar 7, 2009)

Nice job Dave, I while back I did my old astra gsi redtop rocker cover also with a dremel.

Took ages but looked great in the end.

Paul


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## spitfire (Feb 10, 2007)

That's looking much better Dave :thumb: I see your still not looking after those knees though.


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

Great work dave, makes me want to go out and polish my rocker cover today


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## ads2k (Jul 12, 2006)

Something different there Dave, great job :thumb:


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

Looks much better Dave - look forward to seeing the whole bay detailed as well 

pretty much the same as the one I have in the MG albeit a bit smaller but mines not quite as shiny as that one though. I keep meaning to take it off and do it but never get round to getting a new gasket so I can refit it :lol:


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

Dave, do you always work in what looks like a cave?? good job on the rocker though!!:thumb: when are you going to start on the rest of the engine??


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## Vyker (Sep 17, 2008)

I don't know how you still have your knee's!

I couldn't sit on the floor like that, I'd break!

Otherwise, great work


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2009)

Nice.

Maybe time to get a bench grinder with polishing mop?

Noticed someone has been playing with block, gather rebuild.

Do you know if those polishes would work well on the bench grinder mop?


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

That looks great Dave, highly rewarding work :thumb:


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Bigpikle said:


> Looks much better Dave - look forward to seeing the whole bay detailed as well
> 
> pretty much the same as the one I have in the MG albeit a bit smaller but mines not quite as shiny as that one though. I keep meaning to take it off and do it but never get round to getting a new gasket so I can refit it :lol:


You'll be waiting a little while for that - the engine paint is being stripped off and redone before we get properly stuck in about inside the bay... in the coming months though, as all the other parts of stainless will be treated the same, including the new stainless radiator top which has been sourced, and the stainless engine steady that the owner is making himself to stop the engine from slapping about.



ianrobbo1 said:


> Dave, do you always work in what looks like a cave?? good job on the rocker though!!:thumb: when are you going to start on the rest of the engine??


As above, all in good time with this project 

The "cave" is my unit, keeps me dry and warm while working and the cars free from dust and the outside weather as well - so yes, I'll always be working inside the "cave" 



matt1263 said:


> Nice.
> 
> Maybe time to get a bench grinder with polishing mop?
> 
> ...


Something to look into that is for sure, it'll be on my list of experiments for the year. 

The engine was completely rebuilt by the owner last year, head ported and polished as well. Few other little bits and pieces done, still a work in progress and for the owner, its a labour of love... such a unique vehicle he has. Plus, there's some great childhood memories when you hear an old A-series engine being fired up and then revved up - very distinct sound, and one I remember from being around the garage as a kid.


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## parish (Jun 29, 2006)

Excellent job there Dave, but are you sure it's stainless? Looks more like an ally casting to me.


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