Well, it just depends on what my customers want and/or what the original finish was. Sometimes they're restored to a mirror finish (with lots of hours spent tapping out dings, sanding away scratches and polishing on my buffer), in which case a clear powder coating can be applied to preserve and protect all that work.
... and, if there's severe damage on polished / anodized parts that requires metal filler (which sadly doesn't polish worth a damn LOL), they can be "recreated" strictly with powder coating.
In the case of zigs' Dart's front grille right there, he was looking for more of a brushed aluminum finish that was achieved through a heavy coat of clear on top of my Super Chrome powder. The factory's chrome-and-black look these grilles had from the factory could be recreated with powder too though.
Basically cuda67, it's just a job-by-job call as to best course of action on any part. But if you don't keep your car sealed up in a baggie out of the weather forever or protect the bare polishing with new anodizing, Zoop Seal or a clear powder, you will end up sanding out scratches and keeping Mother's Polishes in business every few months. :-D
