1965 Dart Grill - How Shiny?

[PocketAces]

I'm having my aluminum trim re-anodized. Before they can anodize it, it must be stripped and polished. The anodizing company will chemically strip the parts for a low price, but it's up to me to polish them, or have them polished.

Most of the pieces just get polished to high gloss, but I'm not sure about the grill. I've collected four different grills and they are all dull. That could be because they're old and the elements have taken there toll. Or it could be that the grills were never as shiny as the other parts.

Has anyone ever seen an NOS grill? Should it be just as shiny as the candy canes and the headlight rings? Or less shiny. Perhaps the top and bottom should be full shine and the center should be less shiny?

Opinions and or pictures welcome.

 

[65 Dartman]

Has anyone ever seen an NOS grill? Should it be just as shiny as the candy canes and the headlight rings? Or less shiny. Perhaps the top and bottom should be full shine and the center should be less shiny?

Opinions and or pictures welcome.

I have a NOS grille still in the box. I will dig it out from storage tomorrow and take a few pics

 

[PocketAces]

I have a NOS grille still in the box. I will dig it out from storage tomorrow and take a few pics

That would be awesome!

 

[C130 Chief]

The grille was a milled extrusion as opposed to a stamping like the trunk panel. I believe is was anodized originally "as extruded" which would be a satin "machined" type finish. The trunk panels were also satin as near as I can tell although the remainder of the aluminum and stainless trim was polished.

I'm interested in this re-anodizing you're having done. Post the results.

 

[PocketAces]

After stripping I will need to sand to get rid of pits and scratches. I guess I could sand in the direction of the extrusion (lengthwise) and just not polish. The trick will be deciding what grit to end with. Another option could be a light media blast after sanding.

It seems like the top and bottom of the grill is shinier than the center portion. Perhaps I will polish just those parts.

My trunk panel is quite a bit shinier than my grill, especially on the back side, but I guess that could be the result of less exposure to the elements than the grill would receive in the front of the car.

 

[PocketAces]

I dropped all the pieces off today for stripping. They should be ready for pickup tomorrow. Then the sanding and polishing begins.

 

[65 Dartman]

I was not able to get any pics today as me and the wife spent pretty much all day in court on behalf of the grandson. I'm off tomorrow so we'll try to do it then.

 

[YellowDart69]

Thinking back to my brother's new in '65, the grill was a satin finish, not polished.

 

[65 Dartman]

Got a chance to take some pictures of tmy NOS 65 Dart grille. Other than the black accents, it appears the whole thing was anodized; it's all real shiny.

 

[PocketAces]

Wow, shinier than I thought. Thanks so much for the pictures!

 

[PocketAces]

Looks like the paint is flat black, correct?

 

[65 Dartman]

Looks like the paint is flat black, correct?

Correct - looks to be flat black to me.