Homegrown trim restore

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wish i had my 68 s back...that is one hellova buff job..and your hard work paid off...what kind of wheels did you use? loose buff? sisal? which compound..I have a buffer here...and the compounds for stainless...you said you sanded... what grits? and how were you able to remove the sand scratches? anyway thats one happinin cuda..I would be very proud of it...JIm
 
nobody sells lye around my area does anyone know what else will work
Dunno where you are or where you've looked. Red Devil brand lye should be found at hardware stores or grocery stores. If not crystal Draino is the same thing.
 
wish i had my 68 s back...that is one hellova buff job..and your hard work paid off...what kind of wheels did you use? loose buff? sisal? which compound..I have a buffer here...and the compounds for stainless...you said you sanded... what grits? and how were you able to remove the sand scratches? anyway thats one happinin cuda..I would be very proud of it...JIm

Thanks Jim!

After the anodization was remove I used 220 grit and then started buffing. Some of the deep scratches I removed with 100 grit and hit it with 220. I used the 220 until the aluminum "felt" smooth ... then started the buff from there. There is a few things I would have like to have done different now that I found a pretty good web site with supplies. Like maybe started with Emery first.

If you go to page 1 of this thread you see the size wheels and compounds I used. Look at the colors and that is the order I used brown, white, and (Rouge) red (can't remember the names at the moment). I didn't even use the Rouge on the aluminum. I tried it but really couldn't tell that much difference.

Here is a place that seems to be really good on prices.

http://www.tarheelparts.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?cart_id=8270902.418

I might have mentioned it already but I've found a bigger motor and when I can afford it I will purchase so nicer buffing wheels, and larger compounds. I got my stuff from Ace Hardware (including the lye) and it is not cheap there. I noticed on the above web site that I can get a large brick of compound for the same price as a little roll of it.
 
i got my buffer(grizzly) on the ...bag...it was under a hundred bux and seems to work well..once again awesome work on that grille..i hope my recent resto of my sharkstooth goes as good...Jim
 
Great job Mullinax! A little tip that might help is when doing the longer pieces of mouldings tape them to a 1X2 board. This will keep them from bending and helps with the heat and most importantly elimanates the flying spear effect. In high abrasion areas I clear coat with wheel clear. Although it dulls the effect a little it protects against the little chips and nicks.
 
Great job Mullinax! A little tip that might help is when doing the longer pieces of mouldings tape them to a 1X2 board. This will keep them from bending and helps with the heat and most importantly elimanates the flying spear effect. In high abrasion areas I clear coat with wheel clear. Although it dulls the effect a little it protects against the little chips and nicks.


Thanks for the tips and the link to the buffing supply place that you gave me awhile back. I haven't bought anything there yet but I will some day. I can't be spending to much money don't you know..:toothy10: I can't wait until I can't get some better quality buffs/compounds and put them on that motor I have. My dad had one with all his stuff over the years and my mom found it the other day. I had forgotten all about it. :angry7: I can't make out who the manufacture of it but it does spin some serious RPM.
 
Glad I could help. Just remember the faster it spins the further it throws things! Looking forward to seeing the Cuda around this year maybe at the Blue Ridge Fest in May.
 
I gotta say that you have done one heck of a nice job on those grills. I'm inspired to try the ones on my car now, I love the results you got. Thanks for sharing all the details, Man I love this site!!!!Geof
 
Glad I could help. Just remember the faster it spins the further it throws things! Looking forward to seeing the Cuda around this year maybe at the Blue Ridge Fest in May.

That sounds good. I got my gas tank out right now but I should have it all wrapped up by then.


I gotta say that you have done one heck of a nice job on those grills. I'm inspired to try the ones on my car now, I love the results you got. Thanks for sharing all the details, Man I love this site!!!!Geof


Your welcome. When it comes to saving some money I'm all for it but also it is my hobby so that means a lot.
 
I can't wait till you get your hood inserts and P L Y M O U T H script back from the chrome dudes, that will look really sweet.

Spaz, here are some pics of the P L Y M O U T H script mounted on the car. These pics aren't best in the world but beats nothing at all I guess.
I wanted to at least update this thread showing that I got off my arse and got them installed. lol
 

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Man that turned out NICE, good job!


Thank you sir!

It took a lot of patience and work. Oh did I mention work! lol

There was times I had to walk away from for about a week. I was looking at the company that restores those bezels. You send them yours and they send you restored bezels that are perfect, but the cost was around $3000. So I made up my mind that I would try to restore these the best I knew how.
 
$3000!?!? That's highway friggin robbery. Good motivation too, obviously worth the work.

I'm trying to figure out how to paint the inlaid lettering and lines on the aluminum trim on my Valiant; yours turned out good.
 
$3000!?!? That's highway friggin robbery. Good motivation too, obviously worth the work.

I'm trying to figure out how to paint the inlaid lettering and lines on the aluminum trim on my Valiant; yours turned out good.

I can't remember where I saw it or where I even got the info. Its been awhile. When I was on there website they had pictures of the bezels and how they are restored. It was just like a assembly line with 67, 68, bezels hanging up on carts. It was pretty awesome pictures.

That looks superb!!!! Want to do my headlight Bezels?

Considering what I went through with these... no not really! lol
 
You can buy oven cleaner that contains lye. Works just as well.

George

the value brands(store brands,walmart and dollar store type) do not have enough lye in them to effectively strip anodizing. the best one is the original "yellow top" easy off oven cleaner or Draino crystals, some soap shops sell straight lye, but be careful with that stuff it potent as all get out. I've also seen it at the country feed store in 5 lbs bags (what they use it fir is a mystery to me)


Duh just looked at the thread date..
 
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