Author Topic: Restoring Window Mouldings  (Read 3858 times)

joesauer

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 195
    • View Profile
Restoring Window Mouldings
« on: October 05, 2011, 11:38:16 PM »
Looking for suggestions on the best way to restore front & rear window mouldings (hopefully without taking them off the car).  Mine are in good shape, but real dull & discolored.

Sauron327

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1412
    • View Profile
Re: Restoring Window Mouldings
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2011, 10:19:50 AM »
Take them off. You can polish them yourself with rouge or send them out. Depending on severity, scratches can be removed with wetsand paper in increments beginning with 400 and finishing with 2500. Dings can be removed as well using various blocks and massaging. If you cut through the flash chrome an appearance difference will be noticed. Lose control of the piece while buffing and you can destroy it and/or injure your paw. Without the correct polisher and rouges, you cannot maximize the results easily. Depending on your objective, satisfactory results can be achieved using a regular buffer. Restored moldings have a more polished look than they were originally. The process in tedious. There was a seller on E-Bay periodically selling polished GM sets.

mark x22

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
Re: Restoring Window Mouldings
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2011, 10:50:01 AM »
Can you have them re flashed chromed ?

IZRSSS

  • Guest
Re: Restoring Window Mouldings
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2011, 12:47:35 PM »
If you have never attempted polishing/buffing moldings I highly recommend you practice with spare pieces. This includes removing dings/dents. It is very challenging at first but surprisingly simple once you get the hang of it. If you follow Scott's advise you'll have it made. I also found the link below extremely helpful. Something else that isn't covered that you may find useful...on your final buffing passes, run the full length of each molding through the buffer. In other words, parallel to the buffer. This is called, with the grain of the metal. Your results will be much better.

http://www.corvettefever.com/techarticles/corp_0506_stainless_steel_corvette_trim_restoration/steps.html

Mark - If you talk to reputable platters in your area, they will know exactly what flash chrome is and can also do this process for you.

 

anything