Topic: Clear coat on Aluminium chromed trim

[66RavenGTCoupe]

Hi All,

Helping a friend with his '69. He got his aluminium headlight bucket trims chromed but was told that he needed to get them coated to stop them dulling off.
Can anyone tell us what this is?

Thanks

Daniel and Greg.

[krelboyne]

Aluminum trim was anodized or 'bright dipped'.

[J_Speegle]

Not sure why chrome plating would "dull off"  If that was an issue one would see allot of bumpers being clearer

If he did "chrome" those curved pieces then I'm guessing he doing the lower grill and hood trim since only having half of the trim done

Sorry - I've never tried to get aluminum chrome plated.

[Bob Gaines]

Or anodizing was mistakenly referred to as chromed.

[GD64]

Or the pieces were sanded and polished.

[Bob Gaines]

Or the pieces were sanded and polished.

Yes more likely and once aluminum was polished it needs to be protected from oxidizing. A clear coat paint will flack off eventually and doesn't protect nearly as well. If regular anodizing is done it will severely dull down the shine . "Brite dip anodizing doesn't dull the shine nearly as much and holds up well over many years. Brite dip anodizing is a special process different then regular anodizing and not a process that a lot of platers are set up to do. People get the two confused all of the time and are dissatisfied  when after getting their shiny part regular anodized it comes back dull. Brite dip is what the car manufacturers use on shiny aluminum trim typically.

[ddonzella]

If it's aluminum polished to look like chrome then buy a quart of Shark Hide from a marine supplier or Eastwood. It clear coats aluminum with a polymer liquid that will keep it from dulling. However you must follow the directions precisely or you will have a rainbow type sheen on the treated polished aluminum surface.