How do I polish the chrome trim on my 300tdt?

It's in good shape, but looks very..... cloudy.



Thanks
Chris

Most of it isn't chrome. Stuff like the grill is chrome, just replace that with a new one its pretty cheap. Bumpers are chrome as well, either replace to re chrome if you want them looking good.


Pretty much all the other trim is anodized aluminum. You can't really buff it on a wheel. You can make it look decent for a bit by using a clay bar, then a polish and then put a few coats of wax on it.

The only way to really make the trim look good is to replace it with new trim unfortunitly.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I recommend you use mothers chrome polish on the grill, and bumpers to give them a mirror like finish. But unfortunatly the trim around your windows, and windshield is shot unless you can find some way to grind off the clear coat and the oxidization without destroying the aluminum trim.

This isn't entirely true. I've had good luck as described on this thread:

"Chrome" Brightwork - Theories/Results

I'm pretty sure now, though, that original, new brightwork is coated with clear anodization; stone chips, etc scratch it and this is where the "blotches" start. After doing what I did, I'm careful to wax polished brightwork, because bare aluminum can actually oxidize in minutes. I think the wax can keep oxidation off indefinitely as long as it's there.

__________________
86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm

2 words......"GREEN MAGIC"

Do a search here for "green magic" and you will see lots of info on it.

__________________
Frank
84 500SEL EURO 101K ( JUST LIKE MY 1ST WIFE. GLAD TO GET RID OF HER! )
85 300D 310K (sold)
90 350SDL 184K sold
83 300D 118K (sold)
88 300E 153k (sold)
93 400E 105K (sold)

Is all of the above true for water spots, too? I have a fair bit of water spotting on my aluminum trim. How's that Green magic work on that? BTW what is a clay bar, Hatteras?

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

If the anodizing is fadded I don't care what you put on it it can not be brought back. The anodizing needs to be stripped to remove the fadding.

A clay bar is a lump of clay that you rub on your paint to remove dirt. I use Clay Magic, it is an essential step for the perfect paint finish.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Green Magic...holy Crap!!!!!!!!

__________________
Frank
84 500SEL EURO 101K ( JUST LIKE MY 1ST WIFE. GLAD TO GET RID OF HER! )
85 300D 310K (sold)
90 350SDL 184K sold
83 300D 118K (sold)
88 300E 153k (sold)
93 400E 105K (sold)

Check post 11 and 13. The haze is still their I get similer results with a clay bar and a couple of coats fo wax.

Good yes, shiney as new, ehh not quite.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

This is certainly true, and no ordinary chemical that you could actually use while the trim/etc is on the car will remove it, period.

I recently got a windshield replaced on my SL, and I had earlier purchased the trim around it because it was shabby, and the glass installer put this in also. I asked him to be careful removing the old trim, and he was, although he could not preserve the "corners" (they got bent somewhat). Through various means (drano, fair, the cheapest drain cleaner at wal-mart, pretty good, aluminum jelly,completely worthless for this purpose), and lots of emery cloth and 320 grit sandpaper I removed the anodization and 20 years of stone chips. Then, I buffed then on a wheel and they actually look "too good" - they are more reflective than my new parts. It's like they were made of mercury or something.

Unless you have lots of time or are really broke, I don't recommend doing this. I did this partly as an experiment and partly to increase my spares inventory (the parts aren't getting any cheaper, and someday, they won't be available new at any price).

The trim is oxidizing while I am writing this, and admittedly, without that thin layer of anodization (very hard), they will probably scratch and dent much more easily (the good news being, that the scratches and dents can be removed more easily too). The right way to proceed would be to have the parts anodized, but I've read on another web site about this product (actually, a licencee of Boeing), Boeshield T-9, that will take care of the oxidation problem. I'm going to buy a can for all the engine parts I polished also. This is available on Amazon. On a "high-wear" part of my car like above the door, this would not be a viable option, but on the windshield trim, maybe.

According to the place I found this, a retired mechanical engineer claimed that the first wet weather will strip enough ordinary wax right off to make waxing aluminum ineffective (particularly on a plane going 550 MPH, heh heh).

__________________
86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm