66 300 trim on front seats stainless?

[Shortbox1957]

Hi all, I've been working on a 66 300 440 car that was a one owner and stored for 30+ years after the original owner passed away. I've had the front seats reupholstered and replaced the carpet, the 440 has been completely rebuilt but the metal around the seats look terrible with scratches and dings. Is this trim stainless steel? And is there a clear coating over the top? I want to start cleaning them up and get the scratches and dings out and polished but don't want to ruin anything. Any advice from someone who's done it would be great!

 

[Ripinator]

Hi all, I've been working on a 66 300 440 car that was a one owner and stored for 30+ years after the original owner passed away. I've had the front seats reupholstered and replaced the carpet, the 440 has been completely rebuilt but the metal around the seats look terrible with scratches and dings. Is this trim stainless steel? And is there a clear coating over the top? I want to start cleaning them up and get the scratches and dings out and polished but don't want to ruin anything. Any advice from someone who's done it would be great!

View attachment 350192

View attachment 350193

View attachment 350194

View attachment 350195

I think Mike (@Zymurgy) may be able to help you. I remember looking closely at the seat trim in his '66 300 convertible at Carlisle a coupla years ago, and it was gorgeous. I think he worked on it to make it look that way.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

That trim is anodized aluminum. To be properly restored, the anodizing needs to be stripped, the dings and dents removed, the surface polished and then the entire piece is hot-dipped anodized. If just polished the aluminum will tarnish over time.

I will be doing this to my bucket seat trim (same parts) at some point. Oven cleaner will take the anodizing off, but I'll get mine professionally stripped.

 

[Shortbox1957]

Good to know, I really thought the trim on the upper part of the seat was stainless. Why can't the anodizing just be sanded off if I'm sanding out the scratches and polishing the whole piece?

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I guess you could sand it off, but the aluminum is so soft it might scratch badly. Plus it's a heck of a lot of work to sand, when it can be stripped chemically.

Remember, it will polish up nicely, but the shine will fade fairly quickly unless the part is clear coated (which will scratch due to the heavy use the seat backs get), or re-anodized.

 

[Zymurgy]

I think Mike (@Zymurgy) may be able to help you. I remember looking closely at the seat trim in his '66 300 convertible at Carlisle a coupla years ago, and it was gorgeous. I think he worked on it to make it look that way.

I was lucky on my trim, it was in very good shape, just dirty. My scrapes where all down low. I did buff them out which of course won't remove any scratches or dents, but I did find once installed looked much better. It is still on my list to do it right, but they still look pretty good 6 years later.

Ross has the right method but will definitely cost some money.

If it isn't in you budget right now, I think you will find it much more acceptable when you aren't staring at it at eye level out of the car.

Good luck you are going to have a beauty.