[Harvey]

Wondering if the buffing wheels and metal polishing compounds that Eastwoods sells would be what I want when polishing the chrome, aluminium and stainless on my car. Has anyone used them and what do you think? I have to have something to do over the winter. Can set up and polish away in the basement.

 

[1970fastcat]

They work great. I have made a few pieces of stainless look much better than factory, like a mirror even. Be careful with aluminum though, if you get it too hot then it will cause the aluminum to "flow" a little and have streaks. I got their 2 speed buff motor, and it works great. I find myself using it all the time on all kinds of stuff. They even sell an expander wheel that takes sanding belts, that is awesome. I just aquired a wood lathe from the 40's that I have been "restoring", and it has come in real handy for refinishing all the machined parts.

 

[1969XR7Vert]

Keep in mind that what you can do with anodized aluminum (how the aluminum is finished on our cars) is limited. If there are dents, scratches and the like you have to strip the anodizing off, sand out scratches, remove dents and then polish (aka "getting black"!). Finally, once the aluminum is looking just fabulous, you take it to a plating shop and they bright dip followed anodizing. Some people leave them bare and keep waxed, I prefer the anodizing, it is a lot tougher.

 

[doctordesoto]

i have heard of stripping the anodize with numerious household items (drano,ect) but i would take them to an anodize shop and have them stripped---then do your repair and start sandig (with a block if possible) with about 320 wet or dry--then 400, 600 800 and 12000 if you want a good job---then polish as req and go back to the platers for a flash of clear anodize---looks as new
alot of guys leave the alum just polished and reinstall---a little too shiny for a restored type car--i did this on a t-bolt replica i did and you con touch the pollish up by masking the surrounding paint and using wenol or even neverdull
some of the stainless that small and not damaged can be brought back with 4/0 steelwool and wenol--a little more work but a bunch safer---try it on the stainless around the side glass and see what i mean
doctordesoto

 

[Harvey]

Thanks all. Not sure if I want to tackle the aluminum rockers myself or not. I need to find someone in my area that does anodizing. There is a chrome plating shopping about an hour away that some have recommended as being very good. Maybe they anodize as well? Will check into it.

 

[bosselim69]

Marcos is the best at polishing and re anodizing. the Cougar vendors use him so he knows the trim pieces on the Cougars and what to do and not do. Not cheap, you can plan on the north side of $400 to do the trim pieces and around $600 for the rocker moldings. http://www.kingoftrim.com/home.html

 

[doctordesoto]

i know that may sound expensive but i had approx 40 hours in the alum wheel trim on our 67 and wadded the last one up in the buffer
doctordesoto

 

[1969XR7Vert]

Wonder if B&B is making any progress toward the 67/68 rockers they said they were going to make. The price was supposed to be better than the 69/70's (which are $600), think they said $400.

 

[Harvey]

I have everything chrome in the basement. Need to polish stuff like the air conditioning vents, plus the grills on the tail lights and headlights. Was thinking of buying the kit eastwood sells for a drill or dremol to use on them? I like the idea of having the aluminum re anodized. Pricey maybe but with everything else I am doing I think it might be the best way to go also. Will see, I am thinking it is going to be a long winter. Bob? would you use self etching primer under the SEM black on the tail light grills? Also will be redoing the black on the hubcaps with SEM Black. Do you think it would be better to use primer on them also?