The Trim Polishing thread

[Impalabricker]

It's about that time to polish the trim on the old Chevy. I'm sure there are numerous posts regarding the removal of the clear coat and polishing but they are scattered. I'd like to consolidate the advice here, as well as start with the traditional question:

What have you guys used to remove the factory clear coat and polish the trim? I know many of you take your trim to professional restoration shops but what about the do-it-yourself methods? Whats the best route to go for removing the clear coat, and will the chemicals damage the SS swirl inserts if the trim is SS trim?

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

I assume you are referring to the anodized aluminum pieces of trim.

There are stainless and chrome trim pieces as well. The stainless is easy to polish.

The aluminum has an anodized coating that is difficult for the hobbyist to duplicate. It can be removed with a solution of NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide, also found in most over cleaners). It'll take your fingerprints off it you get it on your hands .

I stripped the anodized aluminum side pieces (all 6) from my '62SS car by hand on a buffing wheel, it took hours. Then you can get the shine back by gradually moving to finer and finer abrasives until you get to the "rouge" stage (very very fine). I was able to stay away from the engine turned swirl area with the wheel, no problem. Scratches are somewhat easy to remove, but dents require a bit of finesse. Those need to be "bumped" back into place with a pick/hammer and dolly. Next time I will probably remove that SS center strip and replace it with the correct piece of metal (not plastic) tape. Paul uses a two sided adhesive strip if I'm not mistaken

The grill and the head light covers are also anodized and they are harder to polish. Awkward might be a better phrase. I used a sodium hydroxide solution and dipped those in a pan I fashioned up just for the application.

My rear panels were in decent shape and mostly swirled, so I left those alone but polished them lightly to get the top layer clean. It's possible to go through the engine turned swirls, so be careful here.

There are some solutions that claim to fill the pores after polishing to hold the shine, but they don't seem to last very long until another topping is needed. Some say ATF is a good sealer. I used a product recommended on this Forum, but can't recall the name at the moment. It was almost a decade ago...

I had a lot of hours into these pieces, and they came out OK for a driver, but not good enough for a show car. Those need to be done by professionals who know the tricks and have more experience.

I'm sure others have insights as well.

Good luck!
TomK

 

[59K9]

I'd like to add one gem of wisdom I learned the hard way...hold on to the piece you are polishing like your life depended on it...I have a 1.5 hp baldor floor polished and one night while I was polishing a headlight bezel for a world of wheels event I attend I pushed a little too aggressively...not having heavy gloves on cost me the tip of ring finger...it will grab a loosely gripped piece and throw it across the room at best...

 

[blkblk63ss]

I'd like to add one gem of wisdom I learned the hard way...hold on to the piece you are polishing like your life depended on it...I have a 1.5 hp baldor floor polished and one night while I was polishing a headlight bezel for a world of wheels event I attend I pushed a little too aggressively...not having heavy gloves on cost me the tip of ring finger...it will grab a loosely gripped piece and throw it across the room at best...

You too!! Yah , I did not lose any finger ,but it sure destroyed the piece I was polishing.

 

[pvs409]

For the 1962 Chevrolet's the Impala SS side trim, grill, headlite covers, hood lip molding, top of trunk moldings. rear 1/4 hooks, taillights,valance panels, rocker moldings -- all these parts are not clear coated, they are bright dipped anodized aluminum trim. For the metal SS trim I do not think it can be treated with the drain cleaner or it will turn dull. I think that is what Tom is saying.

Most original aluminum trim discolors or turns gray. The gray cannot be polished out without removing the anodizing. I have about 8 to 10 sets of 62 SS side trim and all but 2 sets have turned gray/dull and do not shine.

All this aluminum trim cannot be polished without removing anodizing as Tom notes(other than polishing the anodizing off the way he did it (lots of work...). Once anodizing is removed then the aluminum trim can be polished and repaired. The costs to have the aluminum trim restored professionally has gone up significantly over the last 20 years. In my opinion reanodizing is necessary (after scratches and dents are removed) to get a nice shine similar to polished stainless trim.

Removing the metal inserts on 62 SS trim (or 63 and 64 SS also) is not easy, they were glued onto the aluminum trim at the factory. I think the only way is to heat the trim and pull the metal inserts off. Tom is correct new SS metal inserts are installed using double sided 3M tape that has adhesive on both sides of the tape after you pull the paper off it. Its trimmed before installation with a scissors. Do not use tape SS inserts (they do not last and will peal off. ( I just looked a friends 62 impala SS with the "tape" SS inserts "glued with peal off over the original metal inserts " and they were pealing off and they were gold in color not the correct shine like the aluminum trim around it).

I realize the 6 metal SS inserts for the side trim are significantly more expensive than the tape - but they extremely nice compared to the tape like the notes I listed above.

Here is a longer description of the anodizing removal. To dip long side trim pieces can't be done without a long tub to hold each trim piece and lots of drain cleaner.
http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/665.cfm

I do not like leaving my aluminum trim not anodized. I have mine professionally restored. To me its worth the $ I have plenty of other restoration things I can do myself.
Its each persons decision on who does the aluminum trim. Try a fender or door piece to see how it goes to see if you can do it. You can sand through aluminum much easier than stainless trim.

Almost all the trim on 62 to 64 Impala hardtops & convertibles around all sides of the front, back and side glass (not the glass itself) is stainless steel. Polishing stainless is after repairing the stainless dents and scratches and then sanding the stainless -then polishing using gray and white stainless sticks on a buffer like 59K9 notes -but be careful as he states. My Baldor buffer turns at 1500 RPM.

The black painted pot metal chrome piece on the bottom of the rear glass only on 1962 "Impala Hardtops only" is pot metal and has to be rechromed by someone who does pot metal rechroming (or buy the new repro piece)

There are youtube videos off how to do fix dents & polish stainless. I avoid stainless trim that has a number of dents so its easier to polish with 240/400/600/1500/2000 grit body shop sandpaper (the black stuff) after fixing minor dents.

Paul

 

[bobs409]

And all of the above is why I chose to just buy repro moldings! Instant shine! Bad thing is our cars have about 30 pieces of trim to buy. Good thing is our cars have about 30 pieces of trim. Today's cars have 0 trim and 0 style!

 

[models916]

Build a frame of 1x6 and line it with a plastic tarp. Box should be as long as the longest piece of trim. Mix water and Lye (sodium hydroxide) and pour it into the make shift container. Let it soak only a minute of two. You can test with some steel wool. If you pull it out and the steel wool will shine the trim, the coating is off. Rinse and polish. I buy Lye at the grocery store in the laundry section. It's a power in a box about the size of jello. Wear gloves and eye protection.

 

[303Radar]

Build a frame of 1x6 and line it with a plastic tarp. Box should be as long as the longest piece of trim. Mix water and Lye (sodium hydroxide) and pour it into the make shift container. Let it soak only and minute of two. You can test with some steel wool. If you pull it out and the steel wool will shine the trim, the coating is off. Rinse and polish. I buy Lye at the grocery store in the laundry section. It's a power in a box about the size of jello. Wear gloves and eye protection.

Be careful with Sodium Hydroxide and aluminum. Sodium Hydroxide will eventually eat and dissolve aluminum. I'm not saying any of the above information is wrong or bad, but this is a case/situation where a little is good, but more isn't better! Sodium Hydroxide is really dangerous for cast aluminum.

I know for removing paint off of plastic, brake fluid works well, but it is very slow if not in-effective for treating aluminum.

 

[4speedman]

As a couple of members have already said be very careful when buffing the trim Wear heavy gloves and a face shield and pay attention to what you are doing.I have ruined a couple of pieces and nearly been injured the buffer will grab and through the piece in a milisecond when you get it in the wrong angle. Read the instructions on buffing before you start, this is not something to be taken lightly.I have had some good results but will avoid doing any buffing if possible.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Truth be known I've "zinged" a piece or two when I was doing my side trim. Had to take one more scratch out .

It does take a of time and patience, wear gloves and goggles as mentioned.

Mike's suggestion in making a pastic-lined box is spot on, that's what I will do next time for the long pieces. It did take forever and a day to strip those by hand...

I used a product called "Zoop Seal" after I finished polishing. It's held up OK (it's been 8 years or so) but I wipe them down every couple of years (while still on the vehicle).

 

[models916]

I don't think there is any other solvent way of removing the anodizing from GM aluminum. Liquid Plumber, Easy Off, etc all contain Lye.

 

[70gmcer]

Easy Off (yellow cap). Sprayed on, left soak for 15 minutes....rinsed off with water....Polish with aluminium polish. Seal with "Nu-Finish" once a year polish. Job done. My 63 trim has held up great.....Don't know if the oven cleaner hurts the SS inserts or not. Mind is a reg Impala.

 

[Impalabricker]

Excellent replies! I did but the SS inserts from dallas county? I think thats the name, he's the only guy who has them on ebay that Paul showed me. Then I chickened out on installing them, and just hunted down original factory SS trim for a total cost of under $500 "Yeah I know, thats a great deal! So yes, ruining the original swirled pieces is a concern when it comes to removing the anodizing. So I think soaking is out of the question. Unless anyone here has tried it on SS pieces? I also plan on polishing the 6 side trim pieces with a dremel and polishing pad so i can take my time and do it carefully. I guess Im just afraid I will discolor the swirl inserts.

 

[62bubble]

For all of my side moldings on 62 thru 64 impalas, and all other narrow pieces, I use a length of 4" plastic PVC pipe. Cap both ends with the glue used to connect said pipe. Cut out the top of the pipe with the proper cutting tool, the length needed to fit in the long quarter panel pieces. Lay the pipe on saw horses to keep it level, fill it with anodize remover and check the moldings often, leave them in just long enough to remove the anodize. Use fine steel wool to remove any loose anodize. Goggles and rubber gloves is a MUST. Buff out and coat with Mothers Aluminum polish..

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Yeah, I "worked around" around those SS inserts by hand and it took some time and you had to be careful. Now that I look back, I should have removed the original SS swirl section then used the NaOH solution in a made up tray.

I have a fair set of non-SS side trim that go on the next one, and I have the correct SS swirl strips to reapply and turn them into SS trim pieces. If they turn out great, I might swap out the original ones I did years ago and redo those for the new build (a to-cloned SS convertible) .

Years back I purchased some of the non-original tape and decided not to use it (glad I went that way). Side-by-side the correcct SS swirl strips look soooo much better than the cheapo tape replica (no offense to anyone, but I've seen it on a car and it didn't look correct.

Have fun with your project!
TomK

 

[bobs409]

I'll add something. Do not let the oven cleaner dry on the part! Did that once on a practice part and I think it etched into it and I couldn't get it off.

I bought some "anodizing remover" from a place years ago, probably Caswell plating? It was a powder you mix with water. Worked good.

One other point making, I HATE polishing trim!!!

 

[blkblk63ss]

Yah.when you are done polishing trim, just as well go take a shower because that compound will be on you ,messy job.

 

[Jim Sullivan]

Just a note, if you're going to use oven cleaner, use a good name brand. I've tried the off brand stuff and it barely works.

 

[bobs409]

And when you get all done with that work, you get the joy of repeatedly polishing on a regular basis as the metal now has no protection! (unless your having them reanodized $$$) If you don't protect the metal, it will corrode.

 

[bobs409]

Yah.when you are done polishing trim, just as well go take a shower because that compound will be on you ,messy job.