Alluminum restoration

[Voodoofalcon]

I want to polish up my alluminum grill , head light rings, and tail light rings. The polishing part is easy what are you guys doing to protect it afterwords to keep it looking good. Anodizing, clear coating, clear powder coating ??

Mike

[doghows]

You could clear powder it but I have been using a product called sharks hide. It last up to a year and very easy to apply! Amazon has it.

[Voodoofalcon]

Have you done clear powder coat before Steve? Just wondering what it would look like on polished aluminum. I will look into this shark stuff. Thanks Steve

[doghows]

I have put clear powder over aluminum, copper, brass, and chrome yes chrome. It gives it a look of being wet almost like a painted finish but no color.

[PhilC]

You could clear powder it but I have been using a product called sharks hide. It last up to a year and very easy to apply! Amazon has it.
Good stuff. I use it on my aluminum boat to keep it from oxidizing and simply reapply annually. I order direct from Sharkhide and save a few bucks (no sales tax). [thumb]

[Luva65wagon]

Is this stuff good for doing carb bodies and intakes? I've noticed anything that is aluminum (like these things) already looking a little "chalky" due to being in the weather. May have to give it a try if it works on boats too.

[PhilC]

Is this stuff good for doing carb bodies and intakes? I've noticed anything that is aluminum (like these things) already looking a little "chalky" due to being in the weather. May have to give it a try if it works on boats too.
It should work, lots of engine part pics in the Project section of their website as well as a pic of my first boat (pg5) the day I traded it in for our current one. I'd be careful not to spill any solvent on the parts, lacquer thinner will remove it, and as I found out by accident, detail degreaser will too. :(

[dhbfaster]

For the sharkhide stuff...looks like it should work for grills, door sils, light bezels, etc. Theres a cleaner, polish and a protectant. Are all three of those needed? Or do you get a more original look if you skip the polish step?

And...how much of the stuff is needed to do all the original parts on a falcon?

[PhilC]

Don a quart will do everything on a Falcon many times over. I was able to do the initial application on our 20' boat when new, and renewed it almost three times before I had to open the second quart.

It won't help much with any anodized pieces unless the anodizing is removed and part is polished.

I have used the cleaner and protectant, but only on non-anodized boat hulls. Used a different polish (3M) when I buffed our old boat so no first hand experience with the Sharkhide version.

Hope that helps. ;)

[dhbfaster]

So...the question is...does anyone know if any of this stuff anodized? I don't think it is. (headlight bezels, grill, tail light bezels, door sills (thresholds)?

It is all bit sand blasted...as in...from the west Texas desert. I suppose the only way to make that look good will be to polish it.

[doghows]

Yes it is all anodized! Be careful do NOT try to polish it, the anodizing will start to come off and then you have no choice but to polish the crap out of it, or re anodize it or??? Powder coat it. :rocker:

[dhbfaster]

It's pretty ugly as it is.