Have a friend that has a 78 El Cam, I think thats the correct year. The trim is aluminum and is tarnished. He says that it came from the factory with the trim clearcoated. What's the best way to polish this trim? Will the clearcoat buff off? or is something else better?
Yhanks, Jack

Yep, the clear will buff off. It will come off with stripper, even scotch bright. If you really wanting some shine just buy a conical buff and some polishing rouge (white or red) and go to town on it. Scotch brite pads and some aluminum polish would get the shine back in those parts. POR-15 sells a nice metal polish and stripper too if you don't want to go to the exstent of elbow grease with Scotch Brite.

HK

Thanks HK, I told him you would know what to do. I have a couple buffers and rouge but had never ran into clearcoated alum. before. Wanted to check with you before I tried it.
Jack

Hey HKing, Do you use por 15 yourself?

Do I use POR-15, yes, I use alot of their products. I have about 3 quarts of POR-15, topcoat and their clear I've used on many things. I also like their 2 part clay. I don't currently have a can of their metal polish, but have used it before. Its pretty good stuff, but I usually don't have the time to wait on shipping so I have 2 bottles of Cartier Magic polish and sealer, thats good stuff too.

HK

would you use their metal ready on metal to be bc/cc'd or not? and would that make any diff as its the actual por15 that does the rust proofing huh? I'm just wanting to make sure I don't f up my paint before i spray it so if I get annoying, just call me dave
have you ever bc/cc'd over por15? did you use their primer? huh? HUH? sorry, didn't mean to yell.

Metal Ready is actually something like the many rust killers out there. Metal Ready actually put a zinc coating over the rusted metal or any metal its sprayed on. POR-15 doesn't actually do anything chemically to rust. POR-15 is just a very strong Polyurethane moisture hardening coating that when applied over rust locks out all moisture and oxygen to prevent rust from forming or continuing to eat away at your steel. Rust needs both moisture and air to form, POR-15 just locks the steel in its coating to prevent the air and moisture from coming in contact with the metal. Paint does the same thing, some paints just don't hold up to everything POR-15 does or harden from contact with moisture.

Metal ready can be used on bare metal before any sealing or priming, it won't hurt anything. If your going to spray the body panels with Metal Ready you might as well buy a quart of POR-15 for the entire body and take full advatage.

On to your third question yes I have painted over cured POR-15 and the Tie Coat primer is much easier than trying to scuff the POR-15. After their primer you can use the filler of your choice and the primer and BC/CC of your choice to finish the job.

HK

thanks Halloweenking

Happy to help

HK