I had the MAZDA officially weigh today. Full tank of gas and everything not connected removed from the interior. This was with no one in the car. It was dead center at 3300LBS The company I used is a CALIFORNIA State and Federal Certified WEIGHMASTER. I was a little surprised considering that MAZDA specification for my Curb weight (lbs) 2,940 (AT ) Naturally CURB weigh can be advertised with or without a full tank of fuel. MAZDA does not indicate which was used for the weighing as in dry or wet curb weight? A full tank of gas is 99 lbs. I know that my *sound deadening material and my stereo system added almost *250lbs. Sooooo...2940 +99 for a full tank of fuel and *250(aprox) = 3290LBS. So close enough to conclude that MAZDA uses DRY weigh method for advertising the vehicles weight specification@ 2940lbs.
https://www.mazdausa.com/siteassets/...ures_specs.pdf

 

Almost ready to do some coloring. I still need to sand a few more area's. JB Weld is not perfect and requires several application because of air that gets into the mix and cause a bubble to pop and leave a small cavity.

 

Sometimes you can work to much on a part that is going to get partially covers with other item. I am tired of sanding and decided ENOUGH!
So shot the base coat of VHT High Heat Silver Caliper paint. It seemed to cover nicely, and show all my missed flaws as well .
After letting the paint tac-out I shoot a light test coat on the back of the valve cover of the VHT High Temperature Anodized Blue to see how well the silver worked to give the illusion of a aluminum intake with actual anodizing? I think I will be satisfied? I will let the Silver dry over the week end before shooting the complete valve cover with the Blue paint. The final step will be to shoot a top coat of High Heat Gloss Clear coat.
Once that is done I can drill the oil filler hole and install the breather AN fitting and it should be ready to install?

 

Just to hide the JB Weld filling and also the use of a common PVC pipe connection for this valve cover modding I choose to use textured paint in the oil filler area. Plus IMO it will give a little contrast to the rest of the finished Blue valve cover.

 

My new oil filler cap arrived yesterday. I have already modified it for the MAZDA 's engine. It is basically a push in breather style breather cap but I have removed the breather portion so it is only a cap now.





The filler cap will fill the large area in the engine cover and stick up just high enough to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, or HOT ROD Kool.

 

I used the oven to progressively cure the heat paint. but when I pulled them out to slow cool I did not use a completely flat surface. Because I cured the paint to 375F the plastic was close to its thermal limits of holding its shape. Consequently the lower front right corner which is the least support by plastic ribs lifted by 3.26mm. No big deal an easy fix but it does mean using the suns heating and sitting outside all day on a flat surface and all 4 corners held flat against that surface. I will leave it out until this evening when the cooler temperature cool and reshape it back to a flat *valve cover. I am pretty sure the materials mold shape memory should do that nicely. I am sure @3.26 mm the bolts will pull it down and seal the rubber anyway, I just hate looking at it not completely flat at the base.
*valve cover aka rocker cover,aka camshaft cover

 

Its just to hot today..... 108F outside

 

The valve cover emblem I ordered came in today so I was looking how it will look when the project comes closer to completion.




The engine cover does not yet have it rubber boot installed nor the engine cover emblem.





Yes I do have and have tested it for jetting. The best I can achieve without a check engine light is aprox what would be a 65 shot so to be safe it will be jetted to a 50 shoot.

 

The one thing about rattle can paint when uses multiple colors is needing to wait several days between the different colors. And I just shoot a complete can of the Anodized Blue and need to get another can. The translucent color is very hard to do a dark finish without lot of paint. So this will be likely a full week of letting it set in the sun in my clear paint box. LOL

 

After sitting in the sun 106F for about an hour the paint glossed up.
It should look real good when I finalize it with a gloss clear coat.
You can see in the picture why I need to shoot most likely another complete can of the blue.