Side Rocker Scratch
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Side Rocker Scratch
Hey y'all from Texas. Got side pipes put on my 71, and then re-installed after some exhaust leak issues. Anywho, the guys buggered up the side rockers. There are small little scracthes on them. I know it's going to drive me insane because the pipes are what people look at when they get close up and then they are like oh, nice scratches on the side rockers. They are not deep scratches, is there anything that can be done about this? Can these be polished out?
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 4,399
Likes: 793
rockers
Hey y'all from Texas. Got side pipes put on my 71, and then re-installed after some exhaust leak issues. Anywho, the guys buggered up the side rockers. There are small little scracthes on them. I know it's going to drive me insane because the pipes are what people look at when they get close up and then they are like oh, nice scratches on the side rockers. They are not deep scratches, is there anything that can be done about this? Can these be polished out?
Roger
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Well, the more you can feel them with a finger nail the less they will vanish with buffing,
Like the other fellow said pictures would help but I have seen people who know how to buff really do wonders on stuff....
Like the other fellow said pictures would help but I have seen people who know how to buff really do wonders on stuff....
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
They seem to be pretty superficial scratches, not that deep. Hell it would be somewhat acceptable if it was a straight scratch, but its all of the place, like a kid drew a picture or something haha
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,202
Likes: 4,287
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Bf,
The rocker trim panels have an anodized layer on their surface if they're original.
I'm really not sure just how you would 'polish' the scratches out.
My feeling is that by time you 'polish' the scratches to a point you can't see them, the anodizing will be gone and you'll be into the matte aluminum surface under them. You won't be 'polishing' it, you'll be removing it. The anodizing is microscopic in thickness. My thought is the scratches may have already removed it .
That's just starts a whole new set of problems.
No easy answer to return the trim panel to it's original appearance. There have been lot's of suggestions over the years to re-do the finish without the anodizing which all lead to a slightly different finished appearance.
That likely won't matter in this case.
I guess the rocker trim has about the most difficult 'surface' to work on on our cars.
Regards,
Alan
The rocker trim panels have an anodized layer on their surface if they're original.
I'm really not sure just how you would 'polish' the scratches out.
My feeling is that by time you 'polish' the scratches to a point you can't see them, the anodizing will be gone and you'll be into the matte aluminum surface under them. You won't be 'polishing' it, you'll be removing it. The anodizing is microscopic in thickness. My thought is the scratches may have already removed it .
That's just starts a whole new set of problems.
No easy answer to return the trim panel to it's original appearance. There have been lot's of suggestions over the years to re-do the finish without the anodizing which all lead to a slightly different finished appearance.
That likely won't matter in this case.
I guess the rocker trim has about the most difficult 'surface' to work on on our cars.
Regards,
Alan
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Pro
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 535
Likes: 8
From: London Ontario
You have found one of the biggest issues with the aftermarket side pipes. The original owner of my car had a set of Hooker pipes on mine for over 20 years. The clamps rubbed a hole through my rocker trim on both sides and can't be repaired. Finding good originals is getting difficult and expensive and even the imported replacements have been on back order with Corvette Central for over a year! 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 147
From: S Nevada
Alan has it right again. That anodizing layer is scratched up. Thats not gonna buff out. Mine were scratched up and unsightly (for me anyway) so I made the decision to have the anodizing removed and polished. More work keeping them clean though.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 448
Likes: 42
You cant really polish out these scratches. You can however conceal them a bit by using some oily coating like Armor all. Or a thin smear of oil.
Another option would be to vinyl wrap them. They wrap entire cars with the stuff now a days. Tons of finishes to choose from and very cheap to do. Durable as well. They might even have a similar style of vinyl to match what is already on the car. Check with local tint shop, they are the ones that do this. Cheers.
Another option would be to vinyl wrap them. They wrap entire cars with the stuff now a days. Tons of finishes to choose from and very cheap to do. Durable as well. They might even have a similar style of vinyl to match what is already on the car. Check with local tint shop, they are the ones that do this. Cheers.