Any tips to clean up and shine the chrome trim to like new on my 78? Do the pieces need to be rechromed or will they simply shine up?

 

They will clean up somewhat with aluminum polish, but for an as close as possible factory look, you must strip the anodize coating with an anodize stripper, then buff the parts to a high shine, and then recoat with something like sharkshyde or zoopseal.

 

I've used steel wool....doesn't come out perfect, but much better than it was and it's real cheap and easy. If your going for a show truck look it's not for you though!

 

rubbing compound and elbow grease, did real nice on my wheel well moldings

 

I'm getting ready to clean up my chrome. I found this company's site; they sell all kinds of buffing compounds. If in doubt you could call them for advice on what to buy:

Contact Southwest Metal Finishing Supply Co. - Southwest Metal Finishing Supply

 

There are many levels that you can get by cleaning, but, trust me,if you want a showroom quality shine, anodize strip, buff, and seal is the only way to get close to the factory mirror finish. Turn over a piece of old trim that hasn't been exposed to dirt/dust and uv rays and oxidation and you will probably find a few spots that you can see to give you a gauge of what the chrome should really look like. We are so use to seeing dingy trim, it's hard to remember what factory fresh trim looked like.

 

It's not chrome trim, it's anodized aluminum trim. Over time, the anodizing fades away. Once faded, there is little you can do with it.

You have three choices:

1) Remove the anodizing, then polish the aluminum, but you have to keep on polishing it...forever, or the aluminum will oxidize quicky.

2) Have the trim re-anodized...expensive.

3) Buy reproduction trim from Dennis Carpenter...even more expensive.

There are all sorts of products you can buy to polish the trim, but none will restore the finish...to what it was when the truck was new.

 

[quote=NumberDummy;10374831]It's not chrome trim, it's anodized aluminum trim. Over time, the anodizing fades away. Once faded, there is little you can do with it.

You have three choices:

1) Remove the anodizing, then polish the aluminum, but you have to keep on polishing it...forever, or the aluminum will oxidize quicky.

Unless you seal with sharkshyde or zoopseal...and occasionally you will have to reseal based on that particular mfg. suggestions.

 

2nd that bill i realy laugh every day i see i see trim guys are trieing to pawn on evilbay with the words
"just needs to be polished" no such "easy" thing on aluminum and as the other people said strip and polish forever, replace, or re-anodize i had my grill suround re-anodized in cal to a total of $1500.00 with shipping to alberta canada about 4 years ago so a d/c grill would have being a realy good deal if they would ever make them

 

Just came across this post. Has anyone spray painted the trim and then applied a spray clearcoat to protect it?

 

You mean like this? I am sure it will work if you prep the surface properly.

 

For the aluminum trim I just used a rough grit to get the anodized part off, then up to a fine grit, then used a buffing wheel with jeweler's rouge. It's a real pain. I ended up coating mine with the same ceramic coating I used on my paint (that has a lot of patina). I turned out pretty good. If your aluminum isn't too bad, you might be able to get away with just the ceramic coating.