re-polishing aluminium trim

[marku]

I have been told many times that this is not possible other that using a treatment such as that on Mercedessource. But is can be done and very successfully. The door trim on the car was in a very poor state being scratched and pitted.  Started very nervously with a 300 grit paper to cut through any clear coat and the anodising and then using wet and dry moving up by stages to 2000 grit making sure that there was an even finish every time.  Tried using a buffing wheel to get the final finish but not satisfactory so used Autoglym metal polish cream. After two or three applications a mirror finish. Tried several types of sprayed clear coat  but not good enough. Ended up up using a brushed "Brass Lacquer" applied with a very fine varnish brush. Result a perfect finish with a good clear coat over it - looks new. A real plus for the car as the trim looked really poor against the new paint.

[rumb]

Can you post some photos of the finished work?

Some time could saved by having the anodize removed by a plating shop. I've heard that oven cleaner will removed it also.

[marku]

The sandpaper does bring it off quite quickly. That's the only real effort required would not go any coarser as then it would be difficult to remove the scratches. The wet and dry is no trouble and the metal polish is what you would expect. The brass lacquer is an industrial product so should last and being brushed there is quite a thick coat relevant to the sprayed finish. It also leaves no brush strokes! Very pleased with the result as I was very apprehensive on starting thinking I could well destroy it with little chance of replacement.

[Jed]

pictures please!

[marku]

You want proof! I will see what I can do but I have never bothered posting photos ever.

[Rolo]

Porsche recommends Vaseline for the anodized aluminum rims that were available up to 1989.  I wipe a thin film on my badly water spotted trim, and it looks okay.  Lasts a few washings.

[marku]

The problem with mine was not that it was just "clouded" but badly pitted and scratched. In any other situation it would have been scrap but as there was little chance of getting a good replacement I took the drastic action I did. Fortunately it worked really well.