Side Exhaust Cover Restoration

[Sheldon S.]

Does anyone have any information on getting the side exhaust covers restored. Can they be done by myself or do they need special equipment? If so where can they be done and what kind of cost?
Thanks in advance
Shedlon

[Joe C.]

Re: Side Exhaust Cover Restoration

Sheldon:

It involves a LOT of labor. I did mine myself, but if reproduction covers were available at the time, I would have bought them. Here's what it involves:

1. You MUST have any remaining clear anodizing stripped (professionally)first. Otherwise the surface will be too hard for any abrasive to work.

2. Use progressively finer abrasives/polishing compounds to polish the raised areas to a high luster.

3. Here's the hard part. Try to find a plater who has a tank large enough to accomodate the covers, in order to re apply the clear anodizing.

4. PAINT, yes, mask and paint the depressions with a heat resistant silver to match original color. These areas were painted originally.

Good luck,
Joe

[Ronnie Robertson # 36786]

A lot of work...

but the results can be very good. The clear anodizing can be removed from the ridges by sanding and rock pits by filing (use new files). Once the adodizing is off, begin using finer grades of wet sandpaper up to 1500+ on the ridges. Then, using your favorite compound, polish until the alum shines to your liking or until your hand wears out! Paint the recessed areas with a light silver metallic, wipe the ridges off quickly with lacquer thinner. When the silver is completely dry, lightly repolish the ridges. I coated the entire cover with VHT's clear top coat. Two years later mine still look great.
Also invest in the clear plastic shields for the front of the covers behind the wheels.
ROnnie

[John L.]

Re: A lot of work...

What color silver paint are you folks using -- dull aluminum, alumablast ?????

[Ronnie Robertson # 36786]

Paint

I use Dupi-Color C2971 Silver.