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This Honda Civic Type R rocker cover restoration is extremely satisfying

The B16 inline-four engine was Honda’s first jump into the world of Variable Valve Timing & Lift Electronic Control, or VTEC. This plucky little engine could rev to over 8,000rpm and produced 160hp once VTEC engaged at around 5,500rpm. The 1.6-litre soon became a staple of JDM tuning, with it appearing in the CRX, Integra, and Civic in the late ’80s and while it may be coming up to 40 years old, it can still hold a candle to today’s powertrains.

With it being so popular, it’s no surprise that some aren’t in such good a condition, but it breaks my heart so see the iconic red rocker cover that Really Random Channel got his hands on in as bad a condition as this. Thankfully, he knows a thing or two about how to restore parts like this back to their former glory, so he quickly sets to work.

First, he removes the rubber seals and preps the surface ready for its wrinkle red paint finish. This involves a thorough cleaning and the blasting of all the existing red paint from the surface. Then, with the letters sanded with fine-grit sandpaper, he applies the paint.

It’s a gorgeous colour with a matt finish that makes the raised letters pop once he peels the paint off of them and finishes them with a gentle sand. With all-new hardware fitted it looks like it’s come straight off the factory line. But while many were blown away by his work, some were curious as to whether some of his cleaning methods had actually damaged or made it dangerous to use the cover again, specifically the sandblasting. This was his reply in the comments section:

“Hi, I just want to leave a comment here to clear up a few issues that people have been having with the restoration. Yes the cover was sandblasted and did have blast media in behind the vapor plate but what i didn’t show on camera was the time i took to ensure the every spec of sand was cleaned out from every nook and cranny of that cover especially from behind the vapor barrier. I would not allow this cover to go back into service without being absolutely certain that there was no debris left inside.

“The paint used in the video is specifically formulated to be used on bare metal, No primer needed. I have used this paint for years and never had an issue with paint failure.

“I also did not mask the grommet recesses deliberately and that is because once the paint has fully cured if you use the correct sized wire wheel and a quick spin in a drill you get a totally clean edge and perfect mating surface for the rubber grommet unlike the sharp jagged edge you always get when masking round grommet recesses. Again i didn’t show this on camera as i didn’t think you would be interested in a small detail like that.

“So i hope this comment helps you all out and clears up a few of the issues people have been having. See you all in the next video :)”

His work is excellent, so if you have a bit of time to spare, make sure you look through his videos. These are some of our other favourites:

Alex Harrington

Alex started racing at a young age so certainly knows his way around a car and a track. He can just about put a sentence together too, which helps. He has a great interest in the latest models, but would throw all of his money at a rusty old French classic and a 300ZX. Contact: [email protected]

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