Trim restoration

[blackmamba]

Good Morning! Well the dreaded day of the 68 Polara Coupe Restoration is here! What can be done to refurbish this piece? I've found some sites of Professional restorers but I'm not looking for Concours Quality! lol! With a mixture of Silver Argent kinda fogged onto Chrome? Have any of you "Spray Gun Jockeys" out there had any success in refurbishing items like this?

 

[commando1]

What can be done to refurbish this piece?

What piece?

 

[blackmamba]

Didn't the pic come up?

 

[commando1]

Didn't the pic come up?

Finally, it did.

 

[commando1]

It is not chrome. It is anodized aluminum.
Buff out the shiny part.
Argent the non shiny part.
Clear coat everything.

 

[Fury Pursuit]

Don't clear coat your aluminium, it will corrode under the clear coat.

If you don't care about the car,...then go for it. But you will ruin the piece.

 

[blackmamba]

Thanks! It's hard to tell where the Anodized leaves off and the Argent goes on? Some parts of the Argent paint look "Feathered", with no natural lines. Looking at a site now on you tube about restoring Dodge Chrome Trim and Argent Painting Exterior Trim and Wheels.

 

[commando1]

Don't clear coat your aluminium, it will corrode under the clear coat.

If you don't care about the car,...then go for it. But you will ruin the piece.

Why are aluminum wheels from the manufacturer clearcoated then?

 

[Fury Pursuit]

Why are aluminum wheels from the manufacturer clearcoated then?

Why? Because they are fresh castings or forged wheels, prepped and cleaned and free of contaminants that lead to corrosion.

Unless you prep your piece with the proper chemicals which most folks don't have, your piece will be loaded with contaminants which will corrode.

That's why.

 

[73Coupe]

It is not chrome. It is anodized aluminum.
Buff out the shiny part.
Argent the non shiny part.
Clear coat everything.

They really made the grills out of cast aluminum and not pot metal?

 

[monaco75]

Why? Because they are fresh castings or forged wheels, prepped and cleaned and free of contaminants that lead to corrosion.

Unless you prep your piece with the proper chemicals which most folks don't have, your piece will be loaded with contaminants which will corrode.

That's why.

Soo, What are the proper chemicals?

 

[Fury Pursuit]

Soo, What are the proper chemicals?

An acid base dip that will "etch" the substrate, dissolve oils and contaminates.

I use an industrial licensed product.

There are over the counter varieties. They take longer, and don't always do the job.

Do what works for you and suits your desired level of quality.

 

[commando1]

Why? Because they are fresh castings or forged wheels, prepped and cleaned and free of contaminants that lead to corrosion.

Unless you prep your piece with the proper chemicals which most folks don't have, your piece will be loaded with contaminants which will corrode.

That's why.

You sound a little testy...

 

[Big_John]

If the anodized surface is good, just shine it up with your favorite polish.

I like this stuff.

If the anodizing is in rough shape, then you need to strip the anodizing, buff and polish. Have it anodized if that's in the budget, otherwise you can just keep polishing it from time to time.

 

[Yatzee]

Never heard of clear coated quality aluminum rims. Just doesn't happen to get that nice pateana ( or however you spell it ). To get a really nice aluminum look you'll have to sand with 1500 wet/dry until you can feel no transitions in the anodizing. Go to a local Sherwin Williams auto paint store and purchase GBP etching primer (grey) and spray on a base coat of primer. This is shear primer and drys absolutely smooth. Next ( and this will blow your mind ) at a quality hobby shop, buy two cans of TAMIYA brand chrome spray paint. The cans are only 100 ml and need to be warmed in hot water before use to up the pressure in the can. Spray on a let dry for at least 48 hours. The finish will almost totally resemble anodization but the final gloss will be determined by the top coat you apply of the same brand (TAMIYA) clearcoat - flat, semi or gloss. Unlike regular clearcoat this stuff is shear like their paint and has no roughness on the surface like regular clear. It'll probably run about $65 to do this but you won't be disappointed by the looks.

 

[bluefury361]

A combination of brake clean and XXX steel wool will clean the surface and pull most contaminants from pores/pits of anadized aluminum. Then polish with your favorite metal cleaner/polish. I like "Brite Boy".

 

[Big_John]

Never heard of clear coated quality aluminum rims.

The aluminum wheels you see on newer cars are clear coated. I've had several cars with them.

 

[CanCritter]

lotsa good info here....

 

[Tink]

I found this article on anodizing aluminum. Seems pretty easy. http://www.wikihow.com/Anodize-Aluminum

 

[Big_John]

I use some polishing supplies from these guys: http://www.caswellplating.com/

They also have some anodizing supplies and they have a support forum that seems pretty good.