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.
View attachment 1714621968
Others are a combination of powder coating and polishing ...
View attachment 1714621969
View attachment 1714621970
... 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.
View attachment 1714621976
View attachment 1714621977
View attachment 1714621975
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