Polishing W123 alu brightwork? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

joeywarren · #1 04-19-2003, 04:32 PM

Hi all - I have a W123 230E auto 1983. The alu brightwork is fading and has lost any semblance of shine. Is it best to just replace these trim peices or can it be treated?

with thanks in advance!

MTI · #2 04-19-2003, 06:10 PM

Give the pieces a clean with some metal polish wadding. I use Eagle One "Never Dull" on the grill and other plated metal strips.

joeywarren · #3 04-21-2003, 10:22 AM

Is that for the chrome (bumpers etc) or for the strips around the windows .. I understand these are aluminium - do the two type of metal need different treatments?

cheers!

>Joe

MTI · #4 04-21-2003, 03:13 PM

The metal polish wadding will clean and shine any silver or chrome plated surface. It is non abrasive (chemical impregnated cotton ticking) and it shouldn't matter what metal is under the plating.

TX76513 · #5 04-21-2003, 03:36 PM

I have found a simple trick for the aluminum window drip rails. Take a piece of alluminum foil - wet - and slightly wad up. Use left/right strokes to attain shine. Works excellent on chrome as well even removing light rust.

joeywarren · #6 04-21-2003, 07:37 PM

That's great - thanks... I'll give the alu foil a go... when you say "wad-up" - is that .... stuffing it out a out a bit to give yourself a bit of pressure to work with.. as opposed a Cameo song from the 80's ? ;-)

TX76513 · #7 04-22-2003, 07:40 AM

Yes wadding up to give (more than 1 layer). It will form to what piece you are working on. It may be worthy to play the song also while you are doing this!

BIGRED · #8 04-28-2003, 12:43 AM

My 300TD-T had most of its bright work sanded by a power sander before I bought it. I have been pulling all the body bright work to re-finish it. In my case, I have been sanding off what is left of the anodizing using medium grit emery paper, followed by fine grit emery paper, followed by a flexable block sander (wet) and then buffing it with 2 different Tripoli compounds and finally finished off with Mothers aluminum polish. In the end it brighter than chrome and awesome, but it is a lot of work. Today it took me 10 hours to do the rain gutter molding that runs from the base of the front windshield, up to and following the roofline to and then down behind the rear window.

Good luck
Don

joeywarren · #9 04-28-2003, 04:56 AM

Wow that is *some* work for the car.... you must post us pics of the results... I might not be that dedicated, but if the alu wadding idea doesn't come off well enough - I will follow your thorough route. THANKS for the advice and I'll let the thread know of the results!