does anyone know of a good polish for the chrome on the side of a 79 ford truck?

 

Turtle wax chrome polish just about any chrome polish will work but as a tip get some OOO or OOOO steel wool and use that with the polish. It will surprise you. I do it all the time on bumpers, chrome parts and it helps in removing the small rust pits too. Be sure to put a coat of good wax on when your done.

Bob

 

I have yet to find a product that can bring back dead chrome. and I've tried several. Steel wool will work on chrome to remove rust, and so will aluminum foil wadded up in a ball, or even a green 3M scrub pad. However these methods probably produce more harm than good.

I deal with alot of cars that have what people call "show-chrome" and it has been my experience that Steel wool, aluminum foil, et al. will leave swirl marks, and take off minor (microscopic) amounts of chrome, exposing the nickel to air, which will lead to a darkening of the chrome. (as the nickel tarnishes) The effects wont become noticable for awhile, but the swirl marks will be noticeable immediately.

Turtle wax does make a good chrome polish, as do several companies. My advice is to take whatever polish you decide to use, and rub some between your fingers. If it feels "gritty" or is not real smooth, then get rid of it. This "grit" is abbrasive and will leave scratches.

On my show cars I use car soap and water and nothing else. I dry the chrome before it has a chance to air dry. I rarely use any polish or wax, but once a year I hit them with Carnuba wax glaze, from mothers. Which is the glaze that I use on my cars as well.

Elbow grease is probably the most effective method.

Regards
Drew.

 

Mequires Scratch X is a great metal polish, event though its wax. They make a great metal polish too. A good one I just found is Eagle One Nevr Dull Wadding Polish. I'm trying to clean up the trim on my 70' and that Eagle has worked the best so far. But I'm going up the Wenol now, I'm tired of fooling with it.!!!

 

The "chrome" on the sides of '73-'79s is not chrome at all, it is aluminum that was anodised when it was made, the way to fix this stuff when it dulls is to strip the anodising, then you can polish up and work small dings out, then have it re-anodised, or seal it with polyurethane, this way it will STAY shiney for a long time.

 

that old anodizing is a bear. one way i have found to strip down to bare aluminum is oven cleaner. takes it right off, then steel wool and polishing compounds. looks real bad when you first do the oven cleaner. don't do it on the truck, will also remove paint just as well.

 

try gojo handcleaner on the chrome. works well for me for removing bugs, road grime and whatnot