Grille trim

[shelbyshelby 52]

I’ve been cleaning trim pieces lately and buying nos pieces to replace my used up pieces. I’ve started on the grille area and I don’t have squat that looks nice. The pieces that are aluminum, the coating is long gone and the pieces are dull. Can these be restored? Maybe polish and painted clear or clear powder coated. Or do I need to buy these nos too. I believe they’re easy enough to find but expensive nos. I need it all. Anybody had luck with bringing these pieces back to shine?

[aslanefe 333]

As far as I know, originals are  polished, bright dipped and anodized. In my experience polishing and spraying clear coat does not last long as the clear starts pealing. They refurbish them, but I do not know a place I can recommend.

Edited January 15, 2018 by aslanefe
Typo

[JayEstes 172]

I had the same problem with mine.  I was unsure how to finish them, but they were in good condition.  I believed they weren't bright chrome finish, but some kind of coating.  What I chose to do (which i figured is always reversible) is to paint them with a bright aluminum paint.  Just rattle can that is a bright metallic aluminum color.  It's not a glossy paint, but not flat either, just kind of a nice semi-gloss.

I'm actually very happy with how they came out.  This trim is well back under the hood anyway, and not facing forward, so I'm satisfied with it.  Installed pics attached.

[Cruzzar 22]

I took fine wet and dry sandpaper and sanded off the clear anodizing coating which left a pure aluminum finish. This aluminum is an almost deadsoft  aluminum and can be polished up easily by hand. I clearcoated mine after polishing it (use a good degreaser/wax remover before clearcoating it to remove any wax residue from the polish. I drove the car to shows for about 5 years with no degradation . 

[aslanefe 333]

18 hours ago, Cruzzar said:

I took fine wet and dry sandpaper and sanded off the clear anodizing coating which left a pure aluminum finish. This aluminum is an almost deadsoft  aluminum and can be polished up easily by hand. I clearcoated mine after polishing it (use a good degreaser/wax remover before clearcoating it to remove any wax residue from the polish. I drove the car to shows for about 5 years with no degradation . 

Cruzzar, do you happen to remember what kind/brand clear coat did you use?

[shelbyshelby 52]

Cruzzar, do happen to remember the grit you started with? I tried starting with 600 wet/dry. It took a lot of the chalky coating off, but the still shiny part of the coating seems pretty tough to get off with 600. Think I need to scrub more with 600? 

[shelbyshelby 52]

I’ve been at this one trim piece, mainly to see if I need to start shopping for nice used pieces or nos pieces or see if the trim can be made to look nice again. I prefer to put as many ford pieces back on a car as I can. So the 600 grit by hand was so slow at removing the factory clear, I gave up. Had to be a better way so I remembered a headlight restoration kit I had left over from a couple years ago. I used it on this trim. It’s still not all done but after 1 interation. It removed 90% of the coating. The 3M kit starts with a rotary disc for the angle grinder with wet 500 then go to 800 wet then 3000 wet  then finally to 3000 polishing pad with polishing compound. I think another round will make it look really nice but that’s TBD. If anybody has anymore specifics how they restored their trim, I’m all ears. Btw is all the grille trim a gloss finish originally? Even the wider pieces? 

[Cruzzar 22]

Shelbyshelby, , sorry for the slow response, my laptop took a dive on me and I am just getting back online. It's been about 6 years ago that I  redid my trim and I think that I started with 320 and worked up to about 2000. Just try not to induce any more scratches than necessary, it will just take you more time to sand out even thou it is really soft aluminum.

[Cruzzar 22]

Aslanefe, sorry for the slow response, I am just getting back online from a laptop dying on me. I think I just used some of the clear that I was shooting on my body panels. PPG clearcoat.