How to remove crinkle finish from Holley valve covers?

I'm getting a pair of the cast aluminum black crinkle finish valve covers along with my 460. They're showing their age. I'd like to strip that and polish them up. Can I use a chemical paint stripper or should I take them to a sand blaster (or some other blasting media)?

Thank you.

Brake fluid may strip it off there. At least it would if you didn't want to strip them!

Paint remover brush it on let it work take a water hose and hose it off you can get it at walmart in the paint dept.

Don't think I would sand blast them, might warp.

Heck, get some of that aircraft paint remover. My friend wanted the paint off his bumpers and grill so we used that stuff and it all looks like brand new chrome and aluminum. Worked great.

is good, but don't green out and use the new "safe" paint stripper unless you have months of time.

If you live near a automotive machine shop with a hot powerwash machine, these can give you a big head start on taking off paint. The heat and water based alkaline chemicals will loose the paint.

I just stripped a pair of Cleveland valve covers with krinkle paint, it was very difficult, baked on like powercoating.

Bead blast them !

soda blast wont damage the metal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodablasting

Send them to NitroPlate and have them ceramic coated. They do the stripping and they will look like chrome and will never be needed polished again.

permatex gasket remover...coat them real good and let it sit for a few first.

Hell, it's just paint! Blast it off or use a paint remover. I prefer blasting, then clean throughly with a cleaner, apply a bit of heat to the valve covers (oven, sunlight or heat lamp) then apply a new coat of wrinkle paint or what ever type of paint you want. A light coat at a time, then heavy with the last coat. I did a pair years ago and the owner accused me of buying him a new pair! If a Livermoron like myself can do it, why can't you?

Dave.

I think all of the above should work.
I'm a fan of the aircraft paint stripper or bead blasting.

When I posted the question, they were still still in the seller's garage. I've got them now, and it's obviously just paint. I had thought it was powder coat or some other process that would bond it to the metal until the end of time. It's actually flaking off.

I'm telling ya that gasket remover is no joke...take if for what its worth.