barracuda grill stripping

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Darren

Darren

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Hi everybody.
I am taking apart my grills on my 68 barracuda to replace the mounting studs and thought I would polish the grills but noticed the finish on the grills have some kind of coating. Is there a way of stripping this coating besides sanding? I heard oven cleaner might do it?
The grills and light bezels will need some minor dolly work so there are going to have to be stripped and polished. Thanks for any advise.
 
if your going ot strip anodizing, I have done this on headlight bezels and it aint fun. First you can try REAL nasty original formula EZ-Off with Sodium Hydroxide, no generics or lemon scent. That may 'soften up' the anodizing but I had the best results with 800 sand paper. Now I was sanding a pretty bug piece with a smooth finish, but your grill may just take multiple EZ-off applications. I let mine sit for about 4 minutes before I washed it off. You can let it sit longer as a grill may not be as critical texture wise as head light bezels. You can be judge of that
 
Over cleaner Easy off......works great...I did mine and I was really impressed with the results. ..it may take 2 or 3 attempts. ...were gloves and eye protection during spraying outside . ..use a green scrub pads to increase the effect of the EASY OFF, apply in the sun and allow to sit for approximately 3 to 4 mintues keep in mind there will much hand sanding several gits of wet paper and buffing to achieve a high shine.
 
Dale Coulter said:
Over cleaner Easy off......works great...I did mine and I was really impressed with the results. ..it may take 2 or 3 attempts. ...were gloves and eye protection during spraying outside . ..use a green scrub pads to increase the effect of the EASY OFF, apply in the sun and allow to sit for approximately 3 to 4 mintues keep in mind there will much hand sanding several gits of wet paper and buffing to achieve a high shine.
Click to expand...
Did you spray clear coat on it after you polished it?
 
While I can’t really help with coating other than to sand it off with 600-800.I wonder if wet sanding would provide a better finish.
Could you explain the process on how to replace the mounting studs and where you found the hardware. I need to do the same.
 
tubbedamx said:
While I can’t really help with coating other than to sand it off with 600-800.I wonder if wet sanding would provide a better finish.
Could you explain the process on how to replace the mounting studs and where you found the hardware. I need to do the same.
Click to expand...

The water allows the sandpaper not to build up as fast. Making things go quicker. And gets the removed metal out there. Also the sandpaper tends to last longer. Wet sanding is the finer steps after straightening is done. Like when you get 320 or finer grit.

Most likely you’ll be starting with 220, or less, or a file.

Sand with a small flat board/stick or stiff sanding pad ~4" long. That will act as a long board and keep things from getting wavy.

Often with rock pits and/gouges in a front piece, a fine file is helpful. Hit dings out from the back just so there is a very little mound sticking out of the front. Then long file that mound off and you end up with a flat ding free surface.
 
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67fbcuda said:
Did you spray clear coat on it after you polished it?
Click to expand...

Most of the times clears will yellow with a piece exposed like exterior trim. Most people with indoor kept cars leave them bare aluminum and maintain with Wenol or Semichrome.
 
I tried oven cleaner and I tried using a buffing wheel and polishing compound for the side trim for my 67 Coronet 500. Finally ordered the Annodize remover from Blu Lightning. The annodize remover worked where everything else I tried either didn't work at all or would have taken forever. It was also alot less harsh on my skin than the oven cleaner.
Blue Lighting Restoration Products
 
The problem with these grille surround is there are so many road nicks that go pretty deep.

You can spot the deap one on the back side of the piece buy looking for outward bumps. You've have to clean/steel wool the inside to spot them. They are easier for me to see before you remove the anodizing. I pop the deep ones out with a rounded off punch. Most of the time with a $3 Harbor Freight Center Punch that I have grinded and polished the point to a bull nose. I pop them out. Then sand or file flat.

image_18511.jpg


My other favorite tool is a Radiator Hose Pick to get in hard to reach areas. I don't use the point. I just use the side of the point. You don't hit it hard, it's just aluminum. Just multiple soft blows against a block of wood:

image_13452.jpg


I like to file the straight pieces. The file becomes a "long board" and takes the waves from sanding and straighening out. The dull spot are the low spots.

The sands with a hard foam block. Or stick of wood on flatter surfaces.

sb353.jpg


Some Before, during, after pics:

8169182-IMG_9000.jpg


8169182-IMG_9002.jpg


Sorta munched up

8169182-IMG_9001.jpg


Same angles as above but "after"

8169182-IMG_9042.jpg



8169182-IMG_9039.jpg


Pics of “longboarding” and wet sanding The

rhgrillssurrounda_pic01-jpg.jpg


Knocking down the high to take ripples out

img_9060-jpg.jpg


rhgrillssurrounda_pic17-jpg.jpg


rhgrillssurrounda_pic15-jpg.jpg


rhgrillssurrounda_pic18-jpg.jpg


copy-2-of-rhgrillssurrounda_pic03-jpg.jpg
 
autoxcuda said:
The problem with these grille surround is there are so many road nicks that go pretty deep.

You can spot the deap one on the back side of the piece buy looking for outward bumps. You've have to clean/steel wool the inside to spot them. They are easier for me to see before you remove the anodizing. I pop the deep ones out with a rounded off punch. Most of the time with a $3 Harbor Freight Center Punch that I have grinded and polished the point to a bull nose. I pop them out. Then sand or file flat.

View attachment 1715170969

My other favorite tool is a Radiator Hose Pick to get in hard to reach areas. I don't use the point. I just use the side of the point. You don't hit it hard, it's just aluminum. Just multiple soft blows against a block of wood:

View attachment 1715170970

I like to file the straight pieces. The file becomes a "long board" and takes the waves from sanding and straighening out. The dull spot are the low spots.

The sands with a hard foam block. Or stick of wood on flatter surfaces.

View attachment 1715170971

Some Before, during, after pics:

View attachment 1715170972

View attachment 1715170973

Sorta munched up

View attachment 1715170974

Same angles as above but "after"

View attachment 1715170975


View attachment 1715170976

Pics of “longboarding” and wet sanding The

View attachment 1715170977

Knocking down the high to take ripples out

View attachment 1715170978

View attachment 1715170979

View attachment 1715170980

View attachment 1715170981

View attachment 1715170982
Click to expand...
That is very interesting! The finished product looks very good. Is that the same way that you straighten stainless? I imagine that it is harder to repair than aluminum, right?
 
67fbcuda said:
That is very interesting! The finished product looks very good. Is that the same way that you straighten stainless? I imagine that it is harder to repair than aluminum, right?
Click to expand...

Same concepts, yes.

If it’s really crushed like the edges of those headlight bezels, yes. Most of the times easier because where it is gets less damage. Stainless doesn’t pit as deep.
 
autoxcuda said:
The problem with these grille surround is there are so many road nicks that go pretty deep.

You can spot the deap one on the back side of the piece buy looking for outward bumps. You've have to clean/steel wool the inside to spot them. They are easier for me to see before you remove the anodizing. I pop the deep ones out with a rounded off punch. Most of the time with a $3 Harbor Freight Center Punch that I have grinded and polished the point to a bull nose. I pop them out. Then sand or file flat.

View attachment 1715170969

My other favorite tool is a Radiator Hose Pick to get in hard to reach areas. I don't use the point. I just use the side of the point. You don't hit it hard, it's just aluminum. Just multiple soft blows against a block of wood:

View attachment 1715170970

I like to file the straight pieces. The file becomes a "long board" and takes the waves from sanding and straighening out. The dull spot are the low spots.

The sands with a hard foam block. Or stick of wood on flatter surfaces.

View attachment 1715170971

Some Before, during, after pics:

View attachment 1715170972

View attachment 1715170973

Sorta munched up

View attachment 1715170974

Same angles as above but "after"

View attachment 1715170975


View attachment 1715170976

Pics of “longboarding” and wet sanding The

View attachment 1715170977

Knocking down the high to take ripples out

View attachment 1715170978

View attachment 1715170979

View attachment 1715170980

View attachment 1715170981

View attachment 1715170982
Click to expand...
Very nice work.. thanks for this tips ..
 
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