MADMAC Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 What do you guys reccomend on cleaning the grilles for our cars. I've been working on the grille I just bought from Danny and it's a really straight piece. This will end up being the 4th one on the car since I've owned it. It's not perfect but it's pretty close. I first rinsed it down with hot water and a little bit of soap to get anything loose off of it. Then I started using Brasso, but stopped after a while because the can even says that it's abrasive. It was cleaning it up pretty well though. Then I broke out the Dremel and started polishing slat by slat. About three hours later I had half done. Any recommendations on polishing compounds?
monte70car Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 try some fine steel wool with chrome polish.
Cali4nia Monte Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 Looks great Mac....be glad you don't own a 70 or 71...WAY more fins to polish!!
Jared Richey Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 Use a BRILLO pad. DO NOT USE AN SOS pad it will scratch the chrome. A few good rubs over the grill with a Brillo pad and that hase will be gone. Then of course chrome polish will polish out the chrome. you're gonna probably repaint the inside rectangles of the grill anyway, so use the brillo over the whole grill. Some sandpaper inside the squares may also be used where the paint is going to be. Don't let the sandpaper rub on the chrome thats not going to be painted, the sandpaper will of course scratch it.
Canuck Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 My 70 grille was the same when I got it with a haze all over it. I know it sounds silly but I used a brass brush on mine and it came out great. I tried it on an area that is not seen first and it worked well and I got braver as I went along. Pretty soon I was brushing the front of the grill. I repainted all the black with a Plasti-Kote paint called Trim Paint. It has held up really well.
DRDIRT11 Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 i used a brilo pad then no. 7 chrome polish then wax. i prefer new finish but had something different. then i painted the inside. i like this look instead of the chopped up chhrome look. making that chrome look nice is hard.
7tonemonte Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 Brass wool is better than steel wool for that stuff, the fibers of the steel when they break off, if they lay they will rust. Ive seen where people clean thier windows and then they have all the stains down in the cowl area, little rust fibers everywhere that stain the paint. Just my one cent (I cant afford 2 anymore)
jim's 70 Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 I think any kind of grill work needs a removals of the grill, a comfortable chair, a big t.v. with a nice long football game or nascar race, and a few..ummm...beverages. Someday I will do mine after milking all of you for all your trail and error results...yes I am that lazy. Sorry, I know I am no help as far as suggestions, but I learn from the rest of you. Jim
MADMAC Posted February 1, 2009 Author Posted February 1, 2009 Thanks for all the suggestions everybody. I have some better pictures I'll be posting that show the before and after a little more clearly.
MADMAC Posted March 16, 2009 Author Posted March 16, 2009 Alright... after hours (and hours and hours) of cleaning, Dremel work, light sanding, and taping I'm finally done. Well at least mostly; I have to do a little removal of overspray... Here's what I got: Halfway taped off. Here you can see how much straighter the new grille is. The older grille was pitted badly. Here you can see the flat black I painted the slots with. I know it's not correct but it really brings out the chrome. (It was overcast today but the grille looks really nice in the light.) This one had alot less pitting.
Shadow Gray SS Posted March 16, 2009 Posted March 16, 2009 Nice work. That taping took some patience huh?
MADMAC Posted March 16, 2009 Author Posted March 16, 2009 Man Jake... the taping took more time than anything!!! A few different times I thought "Screw it! I'm painting the whole grille!" I think I've got something like 12 hours on it. A labor of love?
Canuck Posted March 16, 2009 Posted March 16, 2009 That's one thing I've learned doing all my painting detail work: the time is 90% masking and 10% painting. Its amazing what you can do with some time and patience. Nice Work!
7tonemonte Posted March 16, 2009 Posted March 16, 2009 Nice work Marcello, time and patience pays off in the little details!! Looks great
kc8oye Posted March 18, 2009 Posted March 18, 2009 four-ought steel wool (0000) and a chrome polish of your choice.. cleaner wax's work really well too. (I clean a lot of chrome stuff at leo's all the time)
Cali4nia Monte Posted March 18, 2009 Posted March 18, 2009 oh Marcello it looks really nice. Nothing like shiny chrome...
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