Here's a part off my mini-bike that I'm restoring that I had vapor-honed. Works really well on aluminum parts.

So after a cast aluminum Winters manifold is either Shot Blasted (Steel media) or Vapor Honed..........and then installed on your trailer queen show car..........what's the Reality
of keeping the manifold Clean........Hoping that No Fuel is ever Leaked upon it..........

I was just thinking if coating with CERAKOTE would be a better long term Cosmetic Finish ??

From Belair62's post #34 from2/11/2005 I first saw this in a NCRS article along time ago called"

"Color it Aluminum by Bill Halbert"

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...luminum&page=4

This is the process I used on my 1967 Bloomington Gold, Benchmark Corvette for the valve covers and Intake manifold back in 1988 when I was cleaning it up before Judging. I believe I was the person who gave this to Ron Norman @ McHenry Classic Car parts many years ago. It works Fantastic though I sprayed the Krylon Dull Aluminum #1403 on the Thinner then brushed it on the part, let it dry, and the brushed it of with a soft Horse Hair brush. I hope this helps.

Bill

I know the question is four years old I'm not sure anyone answered the question about a version of the 569 manifold with numbers cast on the runners, but the answer is "Yes, there are manifolds like that." I have one on one of our cars. I believe it is a later, over the counter piece but I did not take the splash guard off to verify the date before we installed it on a 1971 CE engine.

The process that Bill posted works excellent. I have used this process for judging and have nothing but compliments on how original the aluminum looks.

1971 LS-6 Corvette's had the later manifold with the cylinder # on each intake runner. I have never seen a 1970 LS-6, L-78, nor L-89 with the "Numbered" intake on it from the factory. I would assume the over the counter 569 manifolds built after the 1970 model year had them as well., but you know what assume means.

Bill

This Aluminum Intake was METAL Shot Blasted in a machine that is only
used for Clean Alum Parts so as to not contaminate the metal shot

3963569 LS6/L78 Intake that I ran thru Metal Shot Blaster.................