Project "shiny grill"

truckdoctor

truckdoctor

Member
For all you p5 owners that are fed up with the dull looking radiator grill, here is some good news, it can be made nice and shiny without too much work. I hear you saying I'm happy with my anodised grey looking like a winters day grill, and that's fine. Others may not realise that lurking below that protective coating lies a lovely shiny finish that will enhance your cars looks no end. So before you get started there are a few tips and tools you need to collect before you begin. If you don't look around the cleaning products at your local superstore then next time your there get some drain cleaner, like this
Frontgrillbling011.jpg

Sodium Hydroxide content is what you require here, and please follow the H@S instuctions. Also while your shopping get some of these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6pc-POLISHING ... 2a25c23c84

So now you have all the stuff required you can begin removing the grill and drilling out the individual grill segments. As you may have noticed these are in a particular order due to there size so keep them like that and cover each one in the drain cleaner solution.
Frontgrillbling004.jpg

Watch the magic happen as the anodising bubbles away. Try one piece at a time until you have an idea how long to leave in to soak. Wash off with plenty of cold water and your ready to begin polishing each piece individually until you have a most magnificent shine, just like
chrome!

Now when they are all polished, begin with the re-assembly (remembering to keep them in the correct order) with your trusty pop rivet gun

Frontgrillbling014.jpg


I painted my horizontal supports black to disguise them and make them disappear into the background and not detract from the overall effect.
Frontgrillbling005.jpg

After re-assembly protect you hard work with a good quality way, polish sit back and admire what you have done.

Frontgrillbling006.jpg



Frontgrillbling003-1_zps75e59bb5.jpg




Hope you like it?
 
That should have been standard in my eyes :D
I find it very hard to not polish items up when I realise they're aluminium :LOL:
Seriously I have a mirror polished bw35 alloy sump in progress, which next to nobody else will see :LOL:
A treat for the MOT tester
Good work as ever truckdoctor!
Jim
 
corazon said:
That should have been standard in my eyes :D
I find it very hard to not polish items up when I realise they're aluminium :LOL:
Seriously I have a mirror polished bw35 alloy sump in progress, which next to nobody else will see :LOL:
A treat for the MOT tester
Good work as ever truckdoctor!
Jim
Click to expand...
That sounds good Jim, proves I'm not the only one that likes things shiny, any pictures ?
 
Nice work there Truckdoctor. Who doesn't love some bling, especially in contrast with Admiralty Blue?
Jim Corazon, I thought I was a sick puppy painting my gearbox sump in a gloss black, I gotta say polishing it so the MOT tester can check hs reflection really is taking detailing a little too far! Still, now I/we want to see a photo, fella! ;)
 
I don't want to take over your thread truckdoctor, but here's a taster.
Work in progress isn't usually that interesting if you don't see the "before" pics.
Of which I didn't take any :roll:
Harvey will be able to tell you how different it looks already though
This photo is after I removed the casting marks and pitting and did a first rough cut with the buffing compounds.
This is as far as I got before refitting to test if I'd cured my rear band problem.
It's an alloy cast of the original tin pressing, with thicker side walls.

10122012882_zps7f798809.jpg


I made a paper gasket to suit and it hasn't leaked a drop, even though the car has sat for weeks now not moving.

10122012883_zps2dd98dd2.jpg


It will be coming back off soon to properly sort my gearbox so I'll finish it off with multiple photos on and off the car :D

Jim
 
I'm not sure I'd go to the lengths of shining up the gearbox pan, but I did make an effort on the SU dashpots. Not enough of an effort though; I've been looking at them thinking they need a bit more spit and shine.
 
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