porting, polishing & chroming intake manifold

["Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxx>]

I certainly don't have time to do this anytime soon, but I've spent enough
time thinking about it that I thought I would ask some advice & opinions.

I have an extra intake manifold & Y-pipe that I would like to have tricked
out since I'm going to have my engine apart anyway to replace those leaky
water pump hoses that can't be reached while assembled. The last thing I
want to do is put it back together the way it is now -- as rough as a cob,
corroded, dull & gray. I'm thinking about polishing the Y-pipe (which of
course entails grinding down all the roughness & raised lettering - a lot of
work). I want it to look as shiny as pieces of a polished chrome P-trap
from under a sink. Would a finish like this hold up well? Or would I be
better off just painting or powdercoating? How about anodizing?

I've seen a photo of something like this on Don Steger's web site, but the
FX makes it hard to see. http://www.deloreanmotorcenter.com/restoration.htm
Does anyone have any other photos of this or anything similar? Please send
me some links or photos directly.

The insides are pretty rough too, and I'm wondering if there would be any
benefits from polishing there too. Is this what they mean by porting &
polishing? My guess is that it wouldn't even amount to a 1hp increase, but
that's just my guess. Does anyone else know better?

BTW, I'm also considering a different design for the throttle spool cover
that would fit UNDER the Y-pipe. The OEM one just looks like it doesn't
belong there and unbalances the symetry.

Walt Tampa, FL