BJ8 grill polishing?

[wangdango]

Would like to polish my grill surround and the grill itself while they are off the car. Anyone have any tips/tricks/products that have had good results?
Thanks
Ed

 

[BigGreen]

I have done the grille itself with Mothers Wax Billet Metal Polish
Afterwards degreased and buffed with a rag
Then sealed with Wolfgang MetallWerk Concours Metal Sealant

Before

Clean

Degreasing

After

The surround is chrome, I would use Mothers Wax Chrome Polish for that

 

[Healey_Z]

meguiars all metyl polish and elbow grease

 

[davidb]

Wangdango

I used a product called Flitz to clean my grille, etc. It works pretty well on aluminum, chrome and stainless steel, and doesn't appear to "remove" too much metal (in my experience anyway). Also gets the blue discoloration off motorcycle chrome exhausts
https://www.flitz-polish.com/

At the same time, since you've got the grille off, you might consider (if you haven't already) what later factory MKIII Healeys did with their grille surrounds - the inner half of the grille surround was painted a light matte grey so as to not reflect against the grille slats, such as in the above photo from Healey Z. Either way still looks good, but I did mine in the grey and I like it better (no offense intended to Healey Z, who has a MKII, which didn't have this feature). I used a rattle-can welding primer several years ago, and it held up fine. I have to admit it was a bit of a bugger getting the grille surround on again....

Just a thought.

Cheers
DB

 

[wangdango]

David-
THanks for this info. My car is a '67, body #2726 I think if I remember correct. My grill always had a dull haze on the inner corners of the surround that never seemed to polish out to a shine. So that was originally a kind of grey? If so, was it a flat gray like gray primer? Is it that way on the top and bottom or just the bottom?
Thanks
Ed

 

[wangdango]

Anyone have pictures of a BJ8 with a grill restored as mentioned above?

 

[davidb]

Wangdango

If you have a copy of the Anderson/Moment Healey Restoration Guide, there's a good picture of the matte grille treatment on page 163, with the corresponding comment as follows: "...the oval(grille surround) was painted with a band of dull flat light grey paint on the part next to the grille slats, apparently intended to prevent reflection of the slats..." . Basically you mask off the inner half of the grille surround at the "break" point, all the way around. It's a bit fussy especially at the corners, but if you use a thin masking tape, it'll go around the corner nicely. Again I used some light grey primer that I had left over from a welding job, but I would imagine any good primer or matte silver paint would do.

I haven't figured out how to attach photos to my comments, but I'll send you a personal memo, with my email, and I can download a couple of photos of my grille/grille surround to give the idea...

Cheers, Dave

 

[wangdango]

David-
I had that book when it first came out and I think someone borrowed it over the years and I have no idea where it is now! From the pictures I have seen, I was thinking of trying the paint you buy at a hardware store that you spray on the inside of glass to give it the frosted/sandblasted look. That is kind of whats left on my grill now in the corners. I still would like to see a few pictures of what everyone has done.
Thanks
Ed

 

[davidb]

Ed

I sent you a couple of photos to your email address. Hope it gets thru. I'm kind of klutzy with a computer. Homer Simpson and I often share the same brain.

DB

 

[Chris_Masucci]

Sorry to dredge up such an old post. Are the grill slats supposed to be chromed or polished aluminum? I'm hoping polished aluminum, since I can at least start with 1000 grit sandpaper then, since conventional methods are not getting it done.

Finally found it. I need to strip the anodizing off first, then I can polish. I may hit it with some clear coat after I repair the dings and polish.

 

[BigGreen]

Be sure to use automotive sandingpaper, not the cheap one for your home DIY
Best start with 3000 and look what the result is before getting 2000 or even 1000

Hans

 

[healeyblue]

Sorry to dredge up such an old post. Are the grill slats supposed to be chromed or polished aluminum? I'm hoping polished aluminum, since I can at least start with 1000 grit sandpaper then, since conventional methods are not getting it done.

Finally found it. I need to strip the anodizing off first, then I can polish. I may hit it with some clear coat after I repair the dings and polish.

I have not yet tried it but have heard that oven cleaner will strip the anodizing off, just don't let it sit too long as it can etch the aluminum. I once polished some Porsche wheels that were anodized and did not know then about removing the anodizing, and it took forever to sand through the anodizing.

 

[Chris_Masucci]

Heavy duty easy off took about 45 minutes and 3 applications to keep it wet. It did work though.