How would you clean this aluminum trim?

Fast Eddie B

Fast Eddie B

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2016
Messages
605
Reaction score
630
Location
Western New York
76EEA703-31E0-4E4E-8C7A-9CC1A27CBBE7.jpeg
60 Fury grill. Dirty. Dull. Can’t get fingers in those deep recesses. There must be an easy chemical or abrasive solution that doesn’t require elbow grease and torn up fingers...
 
Could well have "clear anodize" on the base aluminum. Try some car cleaner wax on a small section and see if the "dull" waxes off. IF it does, then use a firm sponge with the cleaner wax. It'll take a while to do the whole thing, I suspect.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
 
It depends on what I'm cleaning. For this, I'd probably use a stainless cleaner, you get get it anywhere you buy cleaners.

f73eb4d8-57c1-444e-9625-8daed5249ab4_1.1b5f1a56099a8f247e06891868124fb2.png
 
I would check with Will BlueFury61.

He is an expert on this trim stuff.
 
QUESTION . . . Is that grille chromed steel or anodized aluminum? THAT will determine what cleaner to use.

My suspicion is that it's anodized aluminum, clear anodize. To do a chromed steel item like that would have been very expensive to do, especially with all of the hand-work needed to get it polished out.

Now, if you use a cleaner on the anodized surface, with a too-fast drill motor speed, that'll "burn" the anodize and if you continue past that, burn through any anodize that might be there, which means you'll have to do the whole thing that way. In another thread, there was mention of an easier way to get the anodize off.

Another reason for it to be clear anodize aluminum is that the anodized surface can be less picky about water spots and such, than chrome would be. I'd hate to think of wiping down that whole grille every time the car was washed, rather than a quick dry or "blow dry". Everybody has their own tolerance level of such, though.

CBODY67
 
CBODY67 said:
QUESTION . . . Is that grille chromed steel or anodized aluminum? THAT will determine what cleaner to use.

My suspicion is that it's anodized aluminum, clear anodize. To do a chromed steel item like that would have been very expensive to do, especially with all of the hand-work needed to get it polished out.

Now, if you use a cleaner on the anodized surface, with a too-fast drill motor speed, that'll "burn" the anodize and if you continue past that, burn through any anodize that might be there, which means you'll have to do the whole thing that way. In another thread, there was mention of an easier way to get the anodize off.

Another reason for it to be clear anodize aluminum is that the anodized surface can be less picky about water spots and such, than chrome would be. I'd hate to think of wiping down that whole grille every time the car was washed, rather than a quick dry or "blow dry". Everybody has their own tolerance level of such, though.

CBODY67
Click to expand...
It is definitely anodized aluminum. I have been down all those roads. My 77 T&C had it all de anodized and polished like chrome and, yes, will need regular maintenance.

I was hoping to find a miracle cure to separate the dirt and grime film from the anodized surface and then just polish the anodizing. Oven cleaner will get the anodizing off in short order then leave a nightmare polishing job on all those rungs - at least to get them chrome-like.

I’m going to try all the solutions here and see which works ‘fastest’. I already tried an anodized aluminum polish from Eastwood that is made in Germany. It made one spot look like new, but then it is not touching other spots. It is a near miracle cure and tells me something will dissolve just the crud.
 
Every year I repolish my antique brass fire extinguisher. I tried the miracle stuff but not anymore. They are trying to re invent the product. Try "Brasso" for about $3.50. Its been around for about a century. You could do it by hand and save even more.
 
You could try some Simichrome polish.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002YUQ4E/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm afraid that anything you do is not going to be easy.

I did read yesterday that "Cudachick" of Phoenix Specialty Coatings, who has a really great reputation for powdercoating etc. is using something called Ceracoat to finish polished aluminum. If you end up stripping the anodize and polishing, this may be the stuff to use. I'm going to look into it for some of the polished aluminum I have.

Posts #32 and #40 in this thread.
got new wheels..:)
 
Leanna "Cudachick" is great people. Contact her and ask her about it. I've dealt with her numerous times and she is top notch. One of the great assets to our hobby.
 
FOUND THE MIRACLE CURE. Took a chance on a product at a tent at the Daytona Turkey Run. $10 and they said if it worked I could get more at Walmart of all places.

Rubbed it on till it turned black, very quick and little pressure. Let it sit a few seconds (they said a few minutes) and voila, everything wiped off clear as a bell.

Exactly as I wanted. Couldn’t have ordered a better product.

7AD0F007-9BE2-4024-B41E-AC15792BCBE9.jpeg
598B3548-1807-4667-9F21-66DE79F7CB3B.jpeg
AB85A648-014E-418D-86A6-2217234E4F15.jpeg


CB347B78-93DA-4176-99A3-1C0A0E236902.jpeg
 
Same EXACT process you describe but with "Brasso" that I described earlier and it about half the cost. Remember what I said about reinventing products.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Aluminum trim repair on 60’s mopars
Replies
3
Views
823
Mocop
M
Gerald Morris
My Cure for the Summer Time Blues, Tranny Cooler + GOOD Copper Radiator
Replies
6
Views
3K
Gerald Morris
Gerald Morris
Pete Kaczmarski
Hagerty article, Imperial ambitions in the age of Exner and Eisenhower
Replies
9
Views
4K
LeBaron1973
LeBaron1973
Back
Top