Clean and Polish Anodized Grille

[1963JAM]

Good morning. Any experienced suggestions on clean and polish 1966 Satellite grille. I read a 2011 FBBO post on stripping and polishing the aluminum, but would rather avoid that. Any new products that can revive anodized metals? Thanks

 

[AR67GTX]

Polishing it on a buffer with a mild compound will improve it some but weathered anodizing doesn’t take to polishing like stainless steel. Also it won’t get into the return areas of the bars very far. About the only way to do that is with a cone buff on a Dremel, or by hand - and from experience it’s very tedious. I had mine striped and buffed out but I spent about two full days myself sanding and polishing with Mothers aluminum polish the return areas of the bars and I could probably have spent more time on the underside of them but I figured they don’t show. But polishing would improve the old anodizing somewhat, just don’t get too aggressive and go through the anodizing.

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

Use "Brasso" and elbow grease. It is a creme polish that I have used for years. It's about $4.00 for 6 ounces.

 

[sam dupont]

Brasso is good, but you might want to look for vintage Brasso if you have a lot to do. I bought some new stuff and gave it away to a neighbor because it was disappointing to me. Like so many other chemicals, it has been fixed, i.e. neutered.
I watch for vintage chemicals at auctions and rummage sales. Even with a lot of scrubbing, the new Brasso is not nearly the same. The old stuff is more: wipe on, wipe off, and move on. I don't know what's in the old stuff, but I do wear gloves when using it. I polish a lot of vintage chrome and I like Brasso followed by Mother's Carnuba. Know an old timer with a shelf full of chemicals? A little goes a long ways.

 

[Jerry Hall]

I striped the anodizing off my 66 grill. It takes some keeping up now, and a good polishing once a year.

 

[wvmarv]

Good morning. Any experienced suggestions on clean and polish 1966 Satellite grille. I read a 2011 FBBO post on stripping and polishing the aluminum, but would rather avoid that. Any new products that can revive anodized metals? Thanks

View attachment 1282451 View attachment 1282452 View attachment 1282453

Watch this video. Very Easy.

 

[toolmanmike]

I striped the anodizing off my 66 grill. It takes some keeping up now, and a good polishing once a year. View attachment 1282516

But it looks great.

 

[1963JAM]

I striped the anodizing off my 66 grill. It takes some keeping up now, and a good polishing once a year. View attachment 1282516

That's exactly what I want to avoid, the continuous polishing. I imagine there's a lot of cuts to the fingers wiping the grille.

 

[sam dupont]

Watch this video. Very Easy.

I am going to find a sacrificial piece of trim and try that... It must strip oxidation first.
I buy my Lye in 50 pound bags. I use it fairly often and I would advise all here to be very cautious. That guy's high pressure water hose and his small glasses scared me. I don't wear a suit, but I go overboard protecting my eyes. I can, and have, taken a lot of burns to my hands and arms, but the burns can come so fast and hard, I would never want it in my eyes. When he rinsed that trim, spray went everywhere

 

[440 4 speed]

That's exactly what I want to avoid, the continuous polishing. I imagine there's a lot of cuts to the fingers wiping the grille.

You could send it to an anodizing shop and have it done, get back, install and should outlast you.

 

[AR67GTX]

I think the maintenance of polished bare aluminum is over-stated a bit. Yes, if it were an every day driver out in the weather and getting lots of bugs, acid rain, UV etc, then it would take a lot of maintenance. Hobby cars, occasional fair weather cruisers, mostly sitting in a garage, mostly dusted and wiped down with detailer spray - polished and waxed aluminum is going to hold it’s finish for quite a while. Modern ceramic waxes are so good that I doubt repolishing is needed more than every couple of years. And if it gets a ding or something it’s a relatively easy fix.

 

[wvmarv]

I am going to find a sacrificial piece of trim and try that... It must strip oxidation first.
I buy my Lye in 50 pound bags. I use it fairly often and I would advise all here to be very cautious. That guy's high pressure water hose and his small glasses scared me. I don't wear a suit, but I go overboard protecting my eyes. I can, and have, taken a lot of burns to my hands and arms, but the burns can come so fast and hard, I would never want it in my eyes. When he rinsed that trim, spray went everywhere

High pressure water hose? LOL. What world are you living in. He's wearing gloves, holds the piece out away and directs the water spray away from himself. The splashing you see is going toward the camera, not himself. Yes he could have been wearing safety glasses but at least he is wearing something.

 

[sam dupont]

High pressure water hose? LOL. What world are you living in. He's wearing gloves, holds the piece out away and directs the water spray away from himself. The splashing you see is going toward the camera, not himself. Yes he could have been wearing safety glasses but at least he is wearing something.

Hey, don't wear anything, they are your eyes and the first pair are free.

 

[1963JAM]

I think the maintenance of polished bare aluminum is over-stated a bit. Yes, if it were an every day driver out in the weather and getting lots of bugs, acid rain, UV etc, then it would take a lot of maintenance. Hobby cars, occasional fair weather cruisers, mostly sitting in a garage, mostly dusted and wiped down with detailer spray - polished and waxed aluminum is going to hold it’s finish for quite a while. Modern ceramic waxes are so good that I doubt repolishing is needed more than every couple of years. And if it gets a ding or something it’s a relatively easy fix.

View attachment 1283172

Good point. It is a fair weather driver. By the way your grille looks great.

 

[dbc105]

I'm planning to strip the anodizing off my '68 grill, polish and then have it clear powder coated to keep from having to polish all the time. I saw some headlights doors done that way at MOParty last year. He said they were had been done a couple years and they still looked good.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

I did it the easy way for my 63 Plymouth. Sent the 3 piece grille and headlight bezels tp 5.7 HEMI here on FBBO. He removed the bright dip,removed the dings in the bezels and polished them like jewelry! Worth every penny!!

 

[CudaChick1968]

Look into CeraKote ceramic clears.

 

[partsmonsta]

Good morning. Any experienced suggestions on clean and polish 1966 Satellite grille. I read a 2011 FBBO post on stripping and polishing the aluminum, but would rather avoid that. Any new products that can revive anodized metals? Thanks

View attachment 1282451 View attachment 1282452 View attachment 1282453

Your anodize is shot, no doubt about it.
Believe it or not, there are many pristine Grilles for 66 Satellites that come up for sale, here or eBay.
Just keep looking religiously, you'll find a nice one.
--------------------------------------------
In the meantime, polish it by hand with WHITE DIAMOND polish, available at Advance Auto. Don't get too aggressive, cuz it has a slight abrasive. Finish by spraying with DUPLICOLOR WHEEL CLEAR, also available at Advance Auto. The Clear will hide alot of imperfections in the anodize. If you keep it waxed, the clear will last many years.

 

[Fran Blacker]

There was an NOS headlight for sale here. $250 plus shipping. Seems reason price, mo.
FOR SALE - 1966 PLY. SATELLITE HEADLIGHT BEZEL NOS

 

[Robertop]

That's exactly what I want to avoid, the continuous polishing. I imagine there's a lot of cuts to the fingers wiping the grille.

Weathered anodized aluminum cannot be polished without removing the anodizing, which is clear in nature. If you do, then you end with no anodizing and have to polish again from time to time. Ideally, take it to an anodizing outfit and replace the anodizing, end of story.