Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

[Nappers]

Gang,

I have my boys' '67 Dodge D100 (past thought it was a '66), it has what I believe (99.9%) aluminum side trim. The center of the trim is painted and fading, peeling. I would like to strip the paint and polish it out with a dialed in process with either Hot Rims Aluminum Polish, NXT All Metal Polysh or some other product (M105 ).

Having never stripped paint off of aluminum, are there any concerns?

I planned on using Airplane stripper (planes are aluminum eh?) and then maybe hit them with a fine grit paper (2000 or higher) to clean the scratches out then buff out. The side trim is hard to find if at all at the retail level and junk yard trim is often beat up and don't want to mess it up.

Just want to be sure. I've been documenting the "getting her rolling" a little so I plan on doing a write up with pictures in the future. Weather pending.

Thanks

Aaron


edit: this is the truck with trim attached. I thought of buying a buffer for my 6" grinder and get an assortment of buffing polishes and try that for giggles.

[roushstage2]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

I'd strip the paint as planned and then depending how shiny you want it, you can pick up different levels of jeweler's rouge and have at it. It will take longer with the rouge, but should be just about perfect when done.

[Nappers]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

Cool, thanks Tyler. Just wanted to make sure before I start applying stripper.

I may just hit it with my rotary with old wool pad and 205. I'll keep everyone posted in a different thread.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

I've worked on a lot of aluminum trim like on your Dodge truck and don't remember paint stripper ever really doing any damage to the aluminum. Even if it dulls it a little, it doesn't really matter because when you polish it out you're restore the brilliance in the process.

A wool pad on a rotary buffer with a quality metal polish ore even M105 should get it looking like chrome in no time. Try to finish off with a real metal polish if you use something like M105 for the initial cut as a true metal polish will tend to maximize the clarity and brilliance.

Can't wait to see here when she's all done. Do you have some different wheels for it or just as good the old Dog Bowel Hubcaps?

[Nappers]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

.....Do you have some different wheels for it or just as good the old Dog Bowel Hubcaps?

No hubcaps, just the white wheels. We are looking at what would look good. The wife thinks that the solid aluminum wheels would look good. I say Centerline Champ 500 wheels would look good.

[TXShine]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

Gang,

I have my boys' '67 Dodge D100 (past thought it was a '66), it has what I believe (99.9%) aluminum side trim. The center of the trim is painted and fading, peeling. I would like to strip the paint and polish it out with a dialed in process with either Hot Rims Aluminum Polish, NXT All Metal Polysh or some other product (M105 ).

Having never stripped paint off of aluminum, are there any concerns?

I planned on using Airplane stripper (planes are aluminum eh?) and then maybe hit them with a fine grit paper (2000 or higher) to clean the scratches out then buff out. The side trim is hard to find if at all at the retail level and junk yard trim is often beat up and don't want to mess it up.

Just want to be sure. I've been documenting the "getting her rolling" a little so I plan on doing a write up with pictures in the future. Weather pending.

Thanks

Aaron

Hey Aaron,

Just wondering if you'll even need to hit it with the paper.
I guess you won't know until you get started. Sounds like a fun project for you and your son. Good luck. Looking forward to some pics.

[Nappers]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

Hey Aaron,

Just wondering if you'll even need to hit it with the paper.
I guess you won't know until you get started. Sounds like a fun project for you and your son. Good luck. Looking forward to some pics.

There are some deep scratches in some of the trim, but nothing too drastic. Some of it is dinged up but don't have enough tools or know how to bang them out. Read a great article in Classic Trucks on how to do it but don't have the body tools to do so. At any rate, I'll strip it, then hit it with my buffer with 105 (meant that earlier), then finish up with either NXT or Hot Rims, depending what I dial in in my test spot .

I'll post my finishing in another thread, weather pending.

[Nappers]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

Well, went to my local Ace Hardware and they have been helpful for the last 25 years or so since I've been here anyways. I talked to their paint guy and told him what was up. He suggested lacquer thinner to remove the thin layer of paint and not hurt the aluminum as he didn't see the piece of trim I was talking about. So....of I went with my gallon:






You can see a half and half of the stripping process. I thought this would take forever, my wife got me a few baking tins some time ago and a scrub brush for engines, so I used that. then wiped, once the thinner got on and dissolved the paint, it was smooth sailing.



The trim piece stripped (you can see a smidge of black which I saw later)



It needs some help with some polish.



I used a junky wool pad and M105, I put product on trim, smeared it around the wool pad and turned her on and got it up to speed. Just have to hang on to it. Oh...I had the rotary in a vise and used it as a buffer. This piece of trim is one of the better looking pieces, others need help and sanding but that is the future.



I think this is after NXT All Metal Polysh, I did 3 passes with a terry applicator. I tried Meguiar's Hot Rims Mag / Aluminum polish but had no luck and it ended up worse than when I started. I seem to have trouble with that stuff, no worry, that's what a test spot is for and dialing up a process . I showed my boy and his eyes got huge. He originally wanted to repaint the center black and I showed the picture Mike posted earlier. He liked it. I showed him what I did so he can do the labor The piece looks better in person. It's a messy job though, all the applicators, wool pad turned black. It was no B25 though, that was a job.

[yalerd]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....


Awesome save. Great job

[Megafast13]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

Looks amazing

Nice Truck

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

Looking good!

[miahjohn]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

wow thats amazing it came out so good. looks brand new!

[Tuck91]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

looks great, fantastic work Nappers!

glad it worked out for you

[roushstage2]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

Pretty fancy work there Aaron! Nice job!

[Ryan L.]

Re: Metal Trim, stripping paint.....

Wow that looks great!! So much better to restore it by yourself than go buy new stuff.

Keep us updated.

Ryan