belt trim cleaning/polishing question

[dascoupeguy]

Am going to throw this out there to all y'all...

In the current Bavarian Auto Winter catalogue ( we all get those, don't we...?) there is a product listed on page 52, (lower left corner) as 'Aluminum Trim Restore Kit'. this is to 'restore' anodized aluminim belt/waist trim.

Has anyone purchased the kit and if so does it work? Need to know if its worth $60.

Any feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks! DCG

 

[Stan]

If you want a truly spectacular job, remove all the trim and send it to Dan Ross at

Speedway Polishing & Coating
1979 South Ritchey Street
Santa Ana, CA 92705

Call him for a quote to polish and ceramic coat 714-542-7778. A few years ago it was $375.00

Looks better than new.

 

[deQuincey]

miracle products,...?

as far as i am experiencing in this field with my local workshop that does anodizing aluminium process

anodizing process sets up a layer or cover upon the metal, if you want to treat the metal you have to expose it by removing the layer, and this is done through chemical abrassion

then you can polish the aluminium, but then to close it from corrosión you will have to re-anodize it

it seems difficult to make this at home, but you never know,...does the kit include some electrolitic bath ?

 

[dang]

Another alternative (per my body shop owner friend) is to take the clear coat off and just polish the aluminum. Since the cars typically see less driving/weather it fairly easy to polish it up every once and awhile. My trim is scratched up and has sanding marks on it so I don't have worry about it.

 

[deQuincey]

Another alternative (per my body shop owner friend) is to take the clear coat off and just polish the aluminum. Since the cars typically see less driving/weather it fairly easy to polish it up every once and awhile. My trim is scratched up and has sanding marks on it so I don't have worry about it.

+1

 

[WALTER]

If you want a truly spectacular job, remove all the trim and send it to Dan Ross at

Speedway Polishing & Coating
1979 South Ritchey Street
Santa Ana, CA 92705

Call him for a quote to polish and ceramic coat 714-542-7778. A few years ago it was $375.00

Looks better than new.

Stan,

Is this quote for just the belt line trim or all the exterior trim?

thanks,

Walter

 

[Stan]

Stan,

Is this quote for just the belt line trim or all the exterior trim?

thanks,

Walter

This was just the belt trim. I sent my kidney grill with the slats removed too but that brings up the price. My belt trim was in pretty rough shape with some deep scratches. When I got it back it look like a new piece.
New belt trim is available for $1800.00

 

[John Buchtenkirch]

Another alternative (per my body shop owner friend) is to take the clear coat off and just polish the aluminum. Since the cars typically see less driving/weather it fairly easy to polish it up every once and awhile. My trim is scratched up and has sanding marks on it so I don't have worry about it.

-1 Sorry :-(, I just can’t recommend that. I did that on a damaged 914 Porsche windshield molding years ago. Initially it matched up very nicely but in 2 or 3 months it faded badly and stood out like a sore thumb even with heavy waxing. Possibly with some type of clear coat sprayed on it might work but getting clear coat to stick on a highly polished surface is going to be a tuff deal too. ~ John Buchtenkirch

 

[dang]

-1 Sorry :-(, I just can’t recommend that. I did that on a damaged 914 Porsche windshield molding years ago. Initially it matched up very nicely but in 2 or 3 months it faded badly and stood out like a sore thumb even with heavy waxing. Possibly with some type of clear coat sprayed on it might work but getting clear coat to stick on a highly polished surface is going to be a tuff deal too. ~ John Buchtenkirch

If you use bare metal/aluminum it will need periodic polishing, not waxing, similar to aluminum wheels that don't have a clear coat. A very mild metal polish is all that's needed. Not the perfect fix but an option.

 

[John Buchtenkirch]

If you use bare metal/aluminum it will need periodic polishing, not waxing, similar to aluminum wheels that don't have a clear coat. A very mild metal polish is all that's needed. Not the perfect fix but an option.

The wax on the bare (un-anodized) aluminum moldings is to slow down oxidation & dulling, not to polish them. I was only trying to point that even with the wax to somewhat protect the molding I had done, it dulled out quite a bit in just a few months. Every time you polish the moldings on the car you’re going to have to re-wax them and the adjoining panel not that it’s such a big deal. So your right, it’s an alternative, just not a very good one. ~ John Buchtenkirch

P.S. Maybe about 5 years ago I remember reading about a new wax that was supposed to protect bare aluminum very well but I have never used it, maybe another member has something to add about it ?? Sorry, but I don't remember :-( the product name.

 

[bavbob]

We all have opinions on this so here is mine. I took 0000 Steel wool and wd40 and cleaned up all the trim. This got rid of crap on the aluminum and also cleaned off the rubber bits. I then used Minwax floor restorer which is just a thin, water based polyurethane. The goal was not to restore the aluminum but to restore the appearance. The poly alters the (forgive me) refractive index of the molding and makes it look better than it is, gets rid of that anodized haze. The appearance is identical to placing water on it but it lasts. The poly also protects. There is no downside to trying and the stuff is 15 bucks at Home Depot.

 

[RTHLSS1]

Hi guys,

I had my trim polished and it looks great now. But now it is not protected and polished alu will fade away in few months. Ceramic coat is not good - had it on my polished wheels and they faded away very fast.

I would use clear coat but I am afraid of chipping material than. Did any of you use clear coat on polished trim - how did it hold up?

 

[HB Chris]

Ceramic coat on my belt trim is 12 years old and no yellowing.

 

[stphers]

I have all the aluminum pieces on a 2002ti that I am restoring stripped, repaired and polished. They came out great. I have some "Diamond clear " from Eastwood and a POR 15 product that is a clear coat ( product name escapes me at the moment ) I was going to try a bit on an extra piece that I had done with each product and see how they hold up. I had all the belt trim, lower impact trim and all the rest of the aluminum parts including just the center grill done and it was not cheap, cost me $1100.00 Canadian ( which is only about 650-700 US ) Will see how the two different coatings stand up.

Thanks, Rick

 

[aearch]

all my aluminum is stripped and polished
i have 3 cans of mothers
the absolute best alum polish in the WORLD
i just polish every now and then comes out like a mirror. ok
any clear coat will cloud it all up
no good

 

[HB Chris]

Professionally applied clear ceramic does not cloud at all.

 

[sfdon]

Chromatic anodizing is so cheap - why not just refinish ? Locally we use Sanford.
For prep there is Pro-fine in Hayward.
Stripping available at electroplating specialties in Hayward.