| Author | Message | ||
| Rusty Thompson (Rusty)
Rating: N/A |
My 4104 has some corrosion in some of the body panels. Some are so bad that they need replaced but others only have a couple spots. What I was wondering is if their is a way to fix it and still be able to buff the panels out to crome. My other question is how to prevent it in the future. | ||
| Marc Bourget Rating: N/A |
Buffing an anodized aluminum out to "chrome" will look awfully pretty for a short while, then just awful unless you have nothing better to do with your time and $ than to continuously polish. Best (practical)way to prevent corrosion in the future is probably to paint. | ||
| Rusty Thompson (Rusty)
Rating: N/A |
I realy would like a crome finish on my bus, but I would like it to last longer than a "short time" what about if I buffed it out then used a cleat coat over the hole thing to protect it from the elements would that work... has anyone tryed it. let me know I think a big silver bus would be fairly nice. thanks for any help | ||
| Marc Bourget Rating: N/A |
Want shiny skins? then replace with SS from IBP, Talk to Rich or visit Arcadia and see a 45' Stretched Seniccruizer in SS! This issue has been up on the BB's before. IIRC, I don't think the clear coat lasts long enough. It yellows and takes away much of the "shine" you value. Go with Stainless Steel if this is the only bus in the world for you and it has to be "chrome" | ||
| Jon W. Rating: N/A |
Rusty, Unless you want a full time job, or unless you have a lot of folks to help you don't consider trying to polish your aluminum. In case you want to see what you will be getting into, come down to my house and just try to keep my aluminum wheels looking like new. It is really nice to see the results, but what a pain in the butt. | ||
| Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A |
Rusty, factory anodization is hard to beat. We spent a few hours cleaning the '06 last weekend with soap and water. Now, all the 45 year-old alum. looks awesome. Can't say the same thing for the ten year-old paint above the belt and on the roof. That looks horrible.  Anod. alum. ain't chrome, but it looks like a shiny airplane. The matte finish can hide imperfections, too. I wouldn't even trade my anod. alum. for SS at this point. I've got other things to work on instead of keeping body panels mirror shiny. I'd replace the offending panels and keep the factory anodization ON. I think you'll reget it for a long time if you don't. Just my $0.02, Brian Brown PD4106-1175 Our Bus Site | ||
| Craig Craddock (Gs4)
Rating: N/A |
Rusty I agree with you about the highly polished look. However the advise you have recieved above is right on. I have my 4104's front bumper, bumperettes, mirrors, and polished AL rims. I power buff these about 4 times yearly and you can really see a difference after each buffing. In one word "WOW". I would not want to have to buff the entire bus it would be a real killer. I have several antique cars and I have been chroming or cermachroming most of all of the polished Al as I am tired of polishing it all. The cermachrome is not as smooth as a chromed surface. I have some that is 4 years old and all I do so wipe it with a damp cloth. This I think is a baked on power coat like material. I am sure not practical for your bus sides but I am going to apply it to my few polished parts. I have had several brass era cars that were clear coated and it would dull it immediately some. After a few years would have to strip off and rebuff, recoat. I took one to my ocean front house and the salt air got through the pouriousity of the clear coat and ruined it in a week and it was in the garage. I have a polished Al fan shroud on one car and it is now a yellow color that you would not even guess it is polished Al but think it is a anodized something. My .0005 cents worth Craig C 4104-765 | ||
| Craig Craddock (Gs4)
Rating: N/A |
Word should be added at end of above post. "anodized gold something" | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
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I had a brass Eagle polished and baked clear cote applied for the front of DML. The clear coat lasted about three years before it started going bad. It was still better than the monthly polishing of the brass. Richard | ||
| Craig Craddock (Gs4)
Rating: N/A |
Maybe I did not make myself totally clear. The anodized gold look on the polished Al is 23 years old and it is peeling in the seams and around the edges. It has had that color for many years so long I have forgotten. Most of my coated polished brass parts would last many years they were stored inside in a climate controlled situation. I have had many last over 10 years. 3 to 7 years is more the norm from my experiences and of others that I know. Yes, I would coat it before polishing it all of the time. I still do not think polishing all of the buses Al is something you will be happy with in the long run. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A |
I do not think it is possible to polish off the anodized aluminum coating over the entire surface of the bus. It would be impossible to polish around all the rivets and get a nice chrome shine like you are wanting. It would then be at least a monthly job to keep it polished to shine like chrome. Somewhere I saw an Eagle where the siding had been replaced with polished SS and in my opinion, it looked cheap. Something like chrome wheel covers instead of polished Alcoa’s. I have also seen a few excellent paint jobs, where all the siding was painted and it looked great. That is what I eventually did on my 4104 when I had it. Richard | ||
| Craig Craddock (Gs4)
Rating: N/A |
Richard has an excellent point. My bus is 100% painted. Someone before me did it. I have thought about painting the lower body area a nice base coat - clear coat of a silver with a lot of metallic in it as a great compromise. I think would shine more then the anodized Al. It would not be anything like the chrome look you want but it would be very nice. I saw a bus that the owner would spray can paint the same area once yearly and it looked great. It was aa Aaluminium color and always looked clean and uniform in color. |