R66

I am getting ready to buff the windshield and header trim on R66.
I did the 68 RS and it came out so well I decided to continue on with R66 trim.
I bought a new spiral sewn buffing wheel with a gray compound as a loose wheel was taking a lot of time after sanding out the scratches.

Decided to grab a piece of old windshield trim out of the storage area to test it first. I started sanding with 500 grit to get some deep scratches out. Then went down to 1000 grit and 2000 grit in steps. I found there seems to be a hard coating, (maybe flash chrome?) on the test piece that is almost impossible to remove. Although I believe the trim is from a 69 Camaro, it could be from a 71 Vega.

Does anyone know if this coating of the stainless trim is also used on the 66 Corvette trim and or hub caps and what kind of coating it is???

I also want to do the 66 hub caps and Rally Wheel trim rings on the 68RS, but don't want to proceed if they are coated with chrome or something.

Donny Brass

the trim is flashed.

DUB

Stainless steel trim has no coating on it. It is polished.

NOW...the aluminum moldings used on later Corvettes and other GM cars are anodized with a coating that must be removed to get the aluminum to buff up to a good shine but it can oxidize and need routine maintenance....which is why GM applied the clear anodize coating....which can get 'milky' over time.

DUB

65 Pro Vette

I did my outside trim on my 66 cp and 65 convertible and it came out perfect. The inside trim from my convertible was flash plated.

project63

Your stainless trim is flash chromed and yes it makes it very difficult to buff. You can easily remove it by taking the piece for a quick 3 minute swim in a muratic acid bath. Be very careful with that stuff and do not breathe the vapors. Rinse afterward with baking soda dilute (1lb per 5 gallon) and then hot soapy water.

For long term protection, you will need to have the pieces flash chromed after you get them buffed to suit you. Otherwise they will oxidize and take on a yellowish haze appearance.

tc

DansYellow66

My car spends nearly all it's time in the garage but the polished out SS trim on it still looks brilliant after nearly 20 years after I polished it out. It's always possible that someone else tried to polish it before I did, but I couldn't even tell there was a flash chrome coating left on it. The piece you are experimenting on was probably flash chromed originally too. If there is any yellowing after all these years I can't tell it. Just buff it out and don't worry about it.

R66

Thanks everyone,

Looks like I need to find a spot to test each piece before I start buffing it. From what you all say, it is a flash chrome on stainless or a coating on aluminum (maybe anodized). I am pretty sure my test piece is stainless with flash chrome.

I have a couple of small dents in the hub caps I want to take out and buff the surface. Guess I'll do it carefully after a test area.

Once again, thanks.

SDVette

I could not find a chrome plate shop that wanted to flash chrome my stainless after I removed the dents and polished it. The two I talked to said it was a difficult process to get right.

So I gave it a coat of Zaino Z3... and I re-apply it whenever I polish the car.

Looks great at 2+ years.

MOXIE62

Cannot speak for any other part but I know for certain the 62 hubcaps are flashed coated. I removed a dent from one, polished it and you could see a big difference in the brightness of two sides.

mblake101

Hi - Would you by chance know of a place that will flash chrome C2 stainless trim? I spoke to a couple of firms a few months ago that were recommended by others here on the CF, and neither offer flashing. They only perform polishing services.....Hope you can help...Thanks

Gary's '66

Maybe because you have a yellow car?

Gary

DansYellow66

OK - that's pretty good.

csherman

Pauls Chrome - chrome plated all my stainless

mike coletta

ALL stainless trim on GM cars from the era was flash chromed.

54vetteguy

I would agree with Chris on his recommendation for Paul's Chrome. Last year I sent to them the stainless steel side trim for my 1954. A mix of pieces with 2 or 3 having flash chrome while the others did not. It was a separate process to remove the flash chrome so they could begin the dent removal process. in the end everything came back beautiful!
John

SDVette

Not to hijack.. but does anyone know if the reproduction stainless is flash-chromed as well?

DUB

I stand corrected.

Oddly enough....I have buffed the exterior windshield trim on many 83-67 Corvettes and could never find a line where I cut through the chrome.

Learn something new everyday.

DUB

DansYellow66

Don't feel bad - I metal worked all of my trim myself and polished all of it (there were no injuries or pieces of trim flying into the neighbors yard) and I never noticed any change in color or appearance anywhere. I was familiar with sanding aluminum trim and how it will show a line as you go through the anodizing but at the time back then, I wasn't aware the SS trim was flash chromed. It kind of makes me wonder if it might oxidize away over time.

MOXIE62

I do not think all was. I've polish a lot of hubcaps and burn thru but never any stainless moldings. I think the caps were flash coated because of the environment they would be exposed to.

R66

Went out to the garage today and grabbed a magnet. The piece I was trying to buff was non-magnetic, probably aluminum with the flash chrome. Thanks to those that stated some trim is aluminum.

Went to the 68RS Camaro and all trim around the cockpit and windshield was lightly magnetic, e.g. 304 stainless steel (cheapest grade of stainless with a large carbon content) except the top section under the bow which I know is carbon steel with chrome as I had replaced it. I have sand and buffed the stainless and found no flash chrome.

Went to R66 Corvette Convertible and found the exterior windshield trim including the pillar trim is magnetic. Sanded out some scratches and buffed it. No flash chrome. Assume it is 304 stainless.

Went to in interior of R66 and found the pillar trim is non-magnetic, however the header piece at the top of the windshield on the interior is magnetic. Pillars are probably aluminum with flash coating. Not going to try to sand them as they are not that bad.

I tried the R66 hubcaps and the 68 Rally Wheel trim rings and neither were magnetic. This scares me as only very expensive 316 SS is non-magnetic. Yet I can't believe the rings and caps are aluminum with a flash coating or anodizing.

Going to hit a couple of rough RW trim rings I have with sand paper and try to buff them to get the results.

I think DUB hit it on the nose again. Thanks it was not my nose.
He may even be smarter than my wife. But don't ask her or I will pay.

Thanks to all for the input. I will let you know how the RW trim rings and caps come out (I have some that are almost junk). Don't have the money to test one of R66 hub caps and have to replace it.