stainless polishing

[tahoe healey]

I understand that the grill cover piece (behind the upper part of the grill surround) on a BJ8 is stainless (?). I was told it can be polished to remove some very fine surface scratches. Is this true? Can it be done at home or does it need to be sent out?

 

[Johnny]

I had the grille "brow" on my BN7 polished professionally. It turned out super!

If I'm correct that your referring to the grille itself, the vertical bars, I would remove and completely dismantle before taking to a polisher. The brow I referred to cost me $40 to have polished. Anytime you're able to dismantle an item it most likely will save you money. My brow looked awful originally, had dark splotches and minor scratches. They were able to buff those completely out. Good Luck.

 

[ThomP]

I'm not sure which stainless piece you're talking about, but you can DIY, just be careful! Many first timers get agressive with the polishing activity and wreck the piece by getting it caught in the buff.

Here's a link that shows the process:
Stainless Polish

Polish, polish; one's a nationality, one's a finishing material. No wonder english is sooo difficult to master.

 

[tahoe healey]

There is a flat (with curve to align with grill surround) piece that fits behind the surround. About 2 inches wide at the center and tapers to the sides this piece shines like chrome. Being flat it showes these scratches. Thanks for the replies.

 

[John Loftus]

I believe the brow piece is chrome plated on the BJ7 and BJ8. I have an original which just happens to be sitting here in my office and it looks just like the oval surround in finish and magnetism (stainless steel is usually non-magnetic). It's even painted silver on the back like the rest of the chrome. My bet is that the chrome has just gotten thin from all the polishing and exposure over the years and the fine scratches have that S.S. look.

BTW, the vertical bars should be anodized aluminum, not chrome (see many Healeys refinished incorrectly in this area) and the inner oval surface of the chrome surround is painted with flat silver paint after chroming to reduce the reflection of the vertical bars into the surround.

Cheers,
John

 

[Pete Haburt]

with John. I have seen a brow piece on a project BJ8 that had chrome flaking off and rusty steel underneath. The upper surround on my 61 BT7 is stainless.

 

[tahoe healey]

Well, you guys were correct. The magnet did stick. So, it being chrome means I live with the scratches I got from the people who rebuilt my stearing box last summer. Just goes to show you that it pays to do it yourself 'cause noone else cares like you do. (They also chipped the paint which they did touch up)