I have two questions for the board, but first pardom my ignorance. I'm just getting into the fuel injection setups. First, did the 52mm throttle body come stock on anything, Lt1, LT4, ect.? Second, does anyone manufacture polished throttle bodies, or know of a tech paper on how to do it? I've already downloaded the techinical paper on polishing your TPI unit and I'm currently polishing my dist cov. and upper plenum. The runners are next. Thanks.

 

Holley and edelbrock make polished TB's.

 

First question - No, there were not 52mm stock TBs. Only 48mm.

2nd - Holley makes a full billet CnCd unit that comes with a smooth machined finish and is almost polished. The Edelbrock/BBK are cast aluminum. You may be able to order them polished, but I have never seen that option, plus they just are not as nice a product as the Holley.

 

The holley looks way nicer. Plus it's throttle blades are red and say holley on them. I know you won't see them but it's the little things that count.

 

If I were getting a throttle body I'd get the Arizona Speed & Marine. I know it's really pricey, but I think it's the best out there. It's also polished like you want, but it comes in at about 500$.

 

The Edelbrock throttle body is not polished. It's rough cast, even moreso than the stock one.

The holley is machined from billet aluminum, and although it's not polished, it's shiny enough that 5 minutes with some chrome polish will make it look like a polished piece.




It's a fantastic looking throttle body and works very well too.

BUT... unless you've got a LOT of horsepower, it's a waste of money from a performance standpoint. I bought mine because the stock one looked like hell bolted to the polished plenum & runners.

 

And this does what?

BBK's throttle plates are GOLD, and they say BBK on them. OOOOooooooooohhh.

The exterior matches a stock plenum quite well. If you want a polished exterior, I wouldnt get one for that reason alone. I'd do what Jim did. I'd also not get a BBK/Edelcrock for other reasons.

 

Don't forget that Accel makes a twin 58mm also

 

I know this doesn't do anything. It's for the neat factor.
No one sees edelbrocks red rockers but people still buy them for the neat factor.

 

Jim, Completely off Topic, But what did you use to paint your Engine Bay ? lol

I like the Satin Finish.

 

Flat Black Rustoleum. It really doesn't look as good as a satin engine bay paint that you can get from Eastwood, but it's extremely easy to maintain. Since I'm under the hood constantly, I'm always marking and scratching the engine bay. The flat black is extremely easy to touch up. Sand a spot, hit it with the rattle can, and in an hour it's impossible to tell that you ever had a mark there.

 

just a question, but how can you polish your dist. cover? on my car it's plastic.

 

Buy the distributor cover that came on the vettes it is aluminum and you can ploish it until your little heart is content.

 

aaaaahhhhhhhh.....

 

I think the real Question that Needs to Be asked is Why is your Name Colonboy ?

LOL

Thanks Jim, no offense but maybe the pictures are giving it a more Satin Look than it Really has

Ill Keep it in Mind tho, But I would like something beyond a Simple Flat.

 

How hard would it have been for GM to put a metal distributer cover on the F-body's. Really! Its crap like that, that really gets me.

 

Easy. They did it to cut costs. It probably cost them 25 cents for the plastic extension vs. probably 3 or 4 bucks for the aluminum one, multiply that by a half million cars... adds up.

 

You need to order the correct screws for the aluminum dist. cover too. They are different than the f body ones. Forget to mention that before.

 

It's probably due to all of the fluids & dirt all over it.

When I first did the flat black, it looked terrible. I thought it made the engine bay look cheap. But, now that I've refinished the airbox, replaced the heater hose & coolant/washer tanks, all of a sudden the engine bay started to look good. I think the black paint drew attention away from the body and toward the components more, which at the time didn't look good. Now that the other stuff looks nice, the bay looks nice. Now I just need coated headers...