Cleaning/Polishing Grill

[Furyus67]

What kind of metal is the grill and headlights in a ‘67 fury. What’s everyone using to clean and polish?

You can see mine is pretty dirty.

 

[413]

Anodized aluminum. Pressure washer and blow it off.

Must be careful of strong chemicals on this material.

 

[Big_John]

Agree with not using strong chemicals on anodized aluminum.

That looks like mold to me. I'd start with Dawn dishwashing soap and water with a soft brush first. If it is mold, a wash down with some bleach and water, followed again by Dawn soap wash off.

If that really doesn't work, I've never tried this, but I have read that Meguiars "Hot Rims" aluminum wheel cleaner is pretty mild and works well with anodized aluminum. I'd be cautious with it and try some small area and be sure not to let it dwell on the surface for any length of time. Again, never tried this... and I would only try it if the soap and water/bleach combo doesn't work.

 

[CBODY67]

Sometimes, with age, anodized aluminum can get a white-ish look to it. Might try some normal chrome polish or cleaner wax on a small section to see how it goes. Using some kind of foam applicator and then the microfiber polishing cloths?

CBODY67

 

[CBODY67]

I concur with Big-John on getting things cleaned off first with soap and water. To see what's really "there".

 

[bluefury361]

The frond end of our cars have been exposed to a lot of abrasive conditions through the years and can become a little pitted. Especially the soft aluminum parts. The pits will accumulate dirt That doesn't come off with normal washing. I use brake cleaner after a good washing. Then a metal cleaner/polish followed by a carnuba wax. Using just wax will pack the pits and compound the issue.

 

[RGORHAM29]

Hi Josh - I am late to this thread - but wondered how you made out. On my 68 Fury, the chrome, grille and light bezels had 20 years of dirt/grim, corrosion, and some pitting. My daughters found a Pinterest hack that we tried and worked perfectly. Need some dawn dish soap, aluminum foil and white vinegar. Wash the chrome, bezels, grille with dawn soap. We did the entire area and then started to proceed left to right. We put the white vinegar I. A spray bottle. Sprayed a small area (12-18” area) and let it sit for a minute or two. Then we took the alum foil and crumpled it into a ball (tennis ball size). We prayed the area again w the vinegar and took the ball of alum foil and rubbed the surface. Why foil? I have read that alum is softer than the steel wool and actually does not scratch the surface. Well - the aluminum foil trick worked brilliantly. no pun intended. In about an hour time we had the front end cleaned up and sparkling. Can us a chrome polish to help protract and buff. We didn’t do the polish but it is recommended. The green corrosion is gone and the chrome, grille and bezels still sparkle 2 years later....and a great way to get friends/family involved and see immediate results.