Whenever I've had them off, I completely strip and repaint them. It's tedius but worth it. Aircraft paint stripper does a pretty decent job of breaking the paint loose. Multiple applications are needed. Get yourself a 3m buffing wheel that looks similar to Scotchbrite. Brown ones work very well. It will aid in removing some of the paint, especially in recesses, and it won't scratch the aluminum like a wire wheel. Power drill and safety glasses are a must.
Once you've got all the paint removed, wash the parts with a good degreaser like Castrol Super Clean. Rinse well with water and let dry. Then because it's aluminum, wash it good with pure white vinegar, rinse well with water and let it dry again.
Get yourself a can or two of Zinc Chromate primer. It's what is used to paint aircraft. Coat all surfaces. Don't worry about masking out surfaces to be polished or left unpainted. Let it air dry and sun cure for 24 hours.
To match the original red, I like the High Temp Engine Enamel by Dupli-Color. DE 1605 Ford Red. It's almost an exact Fiero Red. Spray all parts, coating thoroughly. Let it dry and sun cure for another 24 hours.
Using a window scraper that utilizes a single edge razor blade, you can place the blade on 2 ribs of the valve covers and push the scraper along to slice up the paint and primer from the flat surfaces that are to be polished. Once you've removed the paint from the flat surfaces, you need to turn your attention to the edges of those surfaces so that the paint doesn't turn loose. Paint will naturally pull away from any sharp outside corner and puddle on any inside corner.
Place the blade at a 45 degree angle and push it along the sharp corners of all the polished surfaces to remove just a small sliver of paint.
Using a power pad sander, polish out the flat surfaces, starting with 200 grit and finishing up with 400+ grit. Remove all residue with pure water and let dry. If you can find the high temp clear, you can overspray everything to help prevent oxidation of the bare aluminum areas.
Send the wife to visit her Mother and while she's gone, preheat the kitchen oven at 250 degrees. Place the pieces on the center rack and bake for 30 minutes.
Let cool, install and enjoy,
My engine after about 3 years.
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