question about cleaning up different metals...

[timbn2]

how do the "pros" do it? how do they take this

and turn it into this?

im redoing a recently purchased wiper motor for my BN2 that started off looking like this:

heres where i am now:

My questions are concering how they (the "pros") take metals that look like the above picuters and make them look new again?
I can use the wire wheel, but would prefer not to ahve the marks left by it, and i dont want to polish it all nice and shiney like... i just want to make them look "new"!
Ideas, input?
thanks
tim

 

[John Loftus]

Hi Tim,

I glass bead blasted the die-cast metal on the wiper motor. The motor housing gets hammer finish paint. The stamped metal parts are zinc plated. Here's a picture of mine.

wiper motor

Just a bit more clarification. I start by cleaning off the old paint and gunk. Parts cleaner, lacquer thinner, paint thinner, etc. (usually just lacquer thinner). If the part is steel then either bead blasting or a fine copper wire wheel on the bench grinder will work to prep the surface for priming/painting or zinc plating. If the material is die-cast aluminum or similar then glass bead blasting is better. With some alum. parts I will coat with low gloss clear to protect it better from oxidation.

Cheers,
John