Making the Grille Shiny

[Wheel]

I like the look of a shiny upper grille so I thought maybe polishing the aluminum would get close enough to the "chrome-look" to make me happy. I think it could get even "chromier" with aluminum polish like Baddog, but I thought I would try with stuff laying around the house first.

Step 1: Removed the old flat black paint with a chemical paint remover (Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper).
Step 2: Rubbed the Grille by hand with steel wool, starting with a coarse grade and ending with a very fine grade.
Step 3: Polished with a small cloth pad on a cordless drill.
Step 4: Applied "Mothers Chrome Polish" to protect the surface.

I wasn't quite sure how to finish it up so I settled on the Mothers Chrome Polish for now. Does anyone have any experience with applying a clear coat of spray paint? I did some google searches and it seems it might not last as the polished aluminum surface is too smooth to get good adhesion.

Photo 1) Before Paint Removal


Photo 2) Stripping the Paint


Photo 3) All Done

[4uall]

going to do the same when the weather permits. Looks great.

[124JOE]

dont use clear coat spray

use a silicone spray to seal it up
it will keep it looking good

but it may need a fresh coat once a year
its totaly invisable and wont yellow

[Kent124]

Looks great. I should to to mine.

[ga.spyder]

I have had the 'chrome' grille on mine for years now.I stripped the old suff off ,and painted it with rattle can chrome.I re-do it every winter.I always felt it made it stand out a bit

[RRoller123]

If you clear coated after painting, it would probably last longer (?) Or do you redo it each year for another reason? The chrome is really nice, kind of reminds me a little bit of Maserati styling. (Not bad company to be compared to I think) {:^)

[ga.spyder]

It really holds up pretty well,although you are probably right about clearing it.I re-do it every winter mainly to relieve the boredom! I did it 5 years ago,and it created interest with owners at the first FFO I attended.Since then I have seen quite a few done that way.I did it on a whim,figuring I could always repaint it black if I hated it.

[narfire]

If you clear coated after painting, it would probably last longer

I find clear coating the shiny stuff... Valve covers ect. the colour darkens a bit to more of a pewter colour if I have sprayed with rattle-can aluminium, then it really goes to pewter after rattle-can clear. Easy to wipe oil and grime off though.
Perhaps try a section with clear coat on the backside and see what you think
Chris

[DocGraphics]

When I cleaned mine up this last spring I painted it with the "chrome" paint, no clear (primered first), from the parts store.
Quite the change from the black that was on it. still looks good w/o any clear so far..
I have used clear in the past to cover a bright silver type paint on some models I built & as Narfire has said it tends to dull it down to a pewter/drab silver type finish!



The whole polishing the alum. would have been my first choice but my grill was LESS than perfect to start with. (paint required)

[grittracing]

looks great !

[jfrawley]

The purists keep telling me it should be black but, sorry I like it silver.

[ga.spyder]

Hey...what do the purists know ??

[RRoller123]

Painting the grilles is definitely on my Spring list. Looks great! I already did the cowl grilles too in silver last Fall, soon after buying the car.

[ga.spyder]

I really like that! I have never even thought of doing those.It is going on my 'to do' list.

[DocGraphics]

I like that look for the cowl vents too. Another thing on my to-do list