Side screen windshield frame polish?

[GilsTR]

Have any of you ever polished out a post 60,000 alum windshield frame? If you did...what tool did you use? What polish? How did you protect the glass and rubber?
Any tips greatly appreciated. Gil

 

[TR3driver]

You have a post-60K aluminum frame? They were very rare on the earlier cars, and I was under the impression they were phased out totally by the end of 1959.

I used some fine brass wool on a old grill recently, and it really put a shine on it. Also used it on my chromed WS frame and it did wonders there as well. Didn't seem to damage the rubber or glass any, but YMMV

 

[TRcheologist]

Randall,

Thanks for your post. I was looking for a solution, short of dismantling and re-chroming my windshield frame, to clean my windshield frame up. Any specifics you can offer regarding your use of brass wool - cleaning agents, polish, etc. - would be welcome.

Thanks again.

Sean

 

[angelfj1]

What you use to polish the windscreen depends on the metal. As Randall has noted, most windscreens were chrome plated. I believe the base metal was brass. Only a few were cast aluminum. For chrome, you have a wide range of products at you local auto store. If that fails and if your chrome is not badly pitted, here's something else you might consider. Have the windscreen professionally polished. This would be less costly than to have the screen re-plated and may look just as good. One problem I have run into recently is the current backlog at most chrome plating firms. The queue here is almost one year for the best quality chrome firms.

If your screen is aluminum you have fewer options, but you can do the work yourself. Google "aluminum polishing and restoring" then consider using a product such as alodine to prevent further oxidation and apply a good coat of paste wax containing carnuba.

 

[TR3driver]

Any specifics you can offer regarding your use of brass wool - cleaning agents, polish, etc. - would be welcome.

I used just the bare wool on the WS frame and grille; along with a generous dose of elbow grease. It really is amazing how well it worked. I could feel the wool pulling at any dirt or corrosion, then sliding easily once the surface was smooth and polished. Unlike other abrasives, it just stopped cutting once the surface was shiny. The wool also falls apart as you use it (leaving a fine brown dust), I used most of a ball on just those two items.

On the WS, I followed up with some "Blue Magic Metal Polish Cream" that I found at my FLAPS. Don't know if it's any good, it certainly does not cut dirt & corrosion like the wool did, but maybe it will help preserve the appearance. I've used Zymol in the past, and it seemed to work well (nice because it's also for paint).

For rusty chrome, Fred Thomas has recommended to use a spray of PPG DX 579 Metal Cleaner mixed with water (4 parts water, 1 part 579) in combination with the brass wool. I tried that on the very rusty rocker cover and it did work better than just the wool. In fact I was sorry I didn't take a "before" picture, as the difference is simply amazing!

I had written the cover off as a total loss cosmetically, but since my goal is supposed to be getting the car on the road ASAP, I was going to use the rusty old cover at first. But when I finally found the DX 579 (had to go to two PPG dealers, the first didn't stock it) I just had to try it out. There's a section of the cover that I haven't done yet, I'll try to get some "before and after" of it.

DX 579 is mostly phosphoric acid, so wear gloves and eye protection while working with it. FT claims the diluted form won't harm paint as long as you keep it wet and rinse it off with water, but I haven't put that to the test, yet.

 

[PeterK]

Flitz polish, For both chrome and aluminum, it removes junk, fine scratches, and clouding. It's amazing stuff, made in Germany, similar to simichrome. Works wonders on old bumpers too.

 

[TRcheologist]

Thanks guys. Great input... and a few spring projects!

Sean