Trim repair

Author Topic: Trim repair  (Read 1643 times)

Offline 71chmark

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Trim repair
« on: December 31, 2005 - 11:03:24 AM »
I have all the trim for my 71 Challenger but it's dinged up and could use polished.  Anyone know anyone who does this (polish and fix dents) and does it cost a fortune?  I'm especially concerned about my hood as it has the lip underneath and the repos I've found don't.

Couple more questions:
What's a Rim Blow? I have one of those huge simulated wood steering wheels. I don't like it.
Why do I have an extra gas filler tube in my trunk that goes nowhere?
I have chrome trim on the front lip of the front fenders near the front window extending to the hood. Is this original?

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Offline Tropicalcats

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Re: Trim repair
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2005 - 11:31:15 AM »
A couple places to help in trim resto that have been very good to me.
http://www.anobrite.com/
and

http://www.nuchrome.com/
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Offline 70Cuda

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Re: Trim repair
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2006 - 08:45:25 PM »
A rim blow steering wheel actually has the horn mechanism around the backside of the rim.  The cool thing on a Cuda is that you can get a fish centercap.  Rimblows are pricy but nice.

As far as the trim, heck yeah it's expensive to get redone and either a trim speciality place or a chrome shop would be likely candidates.  If you don't know about any of these, ask around at restoration shops.  However, I priced out all of mine on my 70 Cuda and it was somewhere around $1200-$1300.  So, I bought the buffing kit from Eastwood and did it myself including dent removal.  Make sure you order extra buffing pads, especially the sisal ones. 

The stainless pieces you really can do a lot to them (hammering, filing, etc) to take dents out and they polish up nice in the end.  The aluminum is harder to do (different buffing kit) and I ended up just sandblasting mine to get the anodizing off and then filed and cleaned it up as nice as I could and then buffed it and finished it off with a coating of the Eastwood satin clear to give it back the anodized look.  It's a heck of a lot of work, the kits come with directions, and you can do it and save the cash and in the end, it's looks really good and is quite satisfying to say you did it yourself.

I'm not sure on the back tip of the front fenders having a trim strip but if it does, you might expect it to extend across on the hood - again, I don't know.

Offline cudaaah

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Re: Trim repair
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2006 - 07:32:54 PM »
I have also purchased, from Eastwood 1(800)-345-1178, a polishing kit and buffer motor, and tackled my trim.  I found myself saying "WOW" while polishing 
It came out great...
Plus you get to spend more time in your garage!

 

Oldschool

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Re: Trim repair
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2006 - 07:34:59 PM »
I have also purchased, from Eastwood 1(800)-345-1178, a polishing kit and buffer motor, and tackled my trim.  I found myself saying "WOW" while polishing 
It came out great...
Plus you get to spend more time in your garage!

 

Did you have any die-cast metal pieces that you polished?  If so, how did they turn out?  Thanks in advance.   :cooldancing:  .....Oldschool

Offline cudaaah

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Re: Trim repair
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2006 - 07:46:50 PM »
I'm just learning about polishing...I believe my trim is stainless steel.  what type of pieces would be dye cast?

Cudaaah

Oldschool

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Re: Trim repair
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2006 - 07:58:21 PM »
 Most trim around glass is stainless or aluminum.  Some of the trim around lights/lenses are die-cast pot metal.  I have die-cast around the rear taillight lenses on my car that need refinishing.

Offline 71340RT

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Re: Trim repair
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2006 - 11:58:40 PM »
The extra gas filler tube in the trunk is really a vapor separator which should have 3 hoses conecting it to the gas tank under neath the car next to the filler tube.


70 Plymouth Cuda 340 4-speed
71 Dodge Challenger RT 340 automatic
1973 Dodge Challenger 360 automatic EFI
2002 Harley Davidson Dyna Wide Glide
2003 Dodge Stratus RT coupe
2009 Challenger RT Classic B5 Blue
2014 Ram Express 5.7 Hemi 4X4