chrome restoration

[dixiedog]

  Does anyone know how to restore the chrome peices with dents.  I have the two headlight chrome peices that go on each side of the 70 challenger grill, left and right.  The chrome is fine, they have dents on the out side rim.  Is there anything I can do to fix this.  These parts are big $.  HELP!  Thanks, Dano

[purple1]

The headlight bezels are made from anodized aluminium. The dents can be carefully removed from the back side. However it will leave places that will need repolished. It is impossable to polish the anodized coating and it has to be removed. I have done some 71 headlight bezels this way.

I used an aluminium coil cleaner (HVAC stuff) and steel wool to remove the anodized coating. Be sure and use rubber gloves, this stuff will eat skin. Rinse good with water and repeat till all the anodize is gone.

After hammering and sanding out the dents and removing the anodize the bezels can be polished to a chrome like shine.


Dave

[dixiedog]

Thanks dave.  Dano

[purple1]

Just to give you an idea how far you can go here is one area I repaired on a bezel.

Dave

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Umm, Dave...

  I think you got a money maker there.    There are plenty of smashed bezels from 70 and 71 Challengers out there. That is fantastic!!   



 Mike

[Moparal]

Umm, Dave...

  I think you got a money maker there.    There are plenty of smashed bezels from 70 and 71 Challengers out there. That is fantastic!!   



 Mike


    master

[purple1]

Thanks guys.

I don't think I want to do this for a living though. It took a lot of time to get that bezel looking like that. 

Dave

[bb71challenger]

I wonder how much of a pain it would be to re-anodize the bezel? Beautiful work on that one bezel, never would have thought that you could have got it so straight   

[E-Body Products]

Dave, outstanding metal working skills.  Looks like that bezel was chewed up and spit out before you got a piece of it.  Awesome...    

I generally use a small hammer and small wooden tools to hammer out the dents.  Sand, sand finer, sand even finer, replace elbows, sand some more, polish, polish even finer, then polish some more (Wear Safety Glasses)... 

Be careful as the polishing wheel can quickly warp your part by grabbing it and slamming it against the wall.   

Good luck... You can do it, its really not as bad as I make it sound.  It is also very rewarding!

Daniel
www.ebodyproducts.com

[dixiedog]

  Mine aren't near as bad as that.  That is amazing.  I would have never thunk it would look as good as that.  That is awsome!

[ksierens]

Though I have never used them, here are a few links to people who restore trim.

http://www.tuffwheelrestoration.com/
http://www.alltrim.com/
http://www.kingoftrim.com/

[mcgheejt]

Mine aren't near as bad as that.  That is amazing.  I would have never thunk it would look as good as that.  That is awsome!

 

[purple1]

I wonder how much of a pain it would be to re-anodize the bezel? Beautiful work on that one bezel, never would have thought that you could have got it so straight   

I looked into this. Its just not worth it for a few bezels. The chemicals are hazardous and expensive. And without the anodize you can allways repolish them.

Pic of some of the tools I made to do this. Its not that hard, just takes a lot of time.

Dave

[dixiedog]

 :wow:Dave you were correct.  It took a little time and work but my 70 headlight bezels look like new again.  I made me some tools out of wood dowels and used them with small hammers, scredrivers and various other instruments.  The results were awsome.  I used a dremel with a flapper wheel and removed the anodized coating, hammered out the dents with the wood dowells (different shapes I made), used coarse and fine steel wool, buffed and polished.  Repeated the process several times and now have very presentable headlight bezels that I didn't have to replace. 

Thanks, Dave
 It's guys like this that make this a wonderfully helpful site.

[cudagirl4406pk]

Advance plating in tn is the best for all parts for and for bumpers i use tricityplating.

michele