aluminum

[geraldchainsaw]

hi all,  is there a polish or  whatever to get rid of some oxidation on aluminum?  not looking for a mirror finish,  thanks,     jerry

[59meteor]

I always like the "NevRDull wadding in a blue can to work pretty good on aluminum and chrome.

[abe_lugo]

I use turtle wax chrome cleaner with brass wool. Works on aluminum too.

[thomasso]

If you want a mirror finish you'll probably have to remove and use a buffing wheel and compounds. Harbor freight has light duty inexpensive ones that will do. Eastwood has quality buffing discs and compounds. You didn't say what you want to polish.

[RICH MUISE]

If you want a mirror finish you'll probably have to remove and use a buffing wheel and compounds. Harbor freight has light duty inexpensive ones that will do. Eastwood has quality buffing discs and compounds. You didn't say what you want to polish.

X2..........it doesn't have to be a '57 Ford part, Gerald.
Anything on our '57s I believe will be anodized, so not sure what happens on those parts. From what I remember back in my machine shop days, anodizing is a coating that penetrates the surface as much as it builds up. I've never had a part stripped of anodizing, not sure if it can be done.

[59meteor]

X2..........it doesn't have to be a '57 Ford part, Gerald.
Anything on our '57s I believe will be anodized, so not sure what happens on those parts. From what I remember back in my machine shop days, anodizing is a coating that penetrates the surface as much as it builds up. I've never had a part stripped of anodizing, not sure if it can be done.

I have had anodizing removed years ago, my 78 Fairmont drag car, has factory aluminum bumpers, that from the factory had a semi shiny finish, that got cloudy over time. I tried to polish the bumpers, but it never got any better, so I took them to a bumper plating shop, and they informed me that they were anodized, but that they could chemically remove the anodizing, which they did. The bumpers actually looked terrible when I picked them up, they were very dull, streaky, with a blackish film, but I took them to a polishing shop than made them shine almost like chrome plating. Without the anodized coating, they would show water spots and get dull after a while, but repolishing them brought back the shiny finish. However, the bumpers are obviously much thicker than side trim or emblems, so I don`t know how well such delicate items would stand up to the stripping process, or being polished. When I had a guy straighten and polish the side trim on my 59, he taped the longer pieces to strips of wood, to prevent the delicate pieces from possibly getting kinked or otherwise damaged while being polished.

[Tom S]

1959 Meteor, too bad that you didn't find this Everbrite stuff.
https://www.everbritecoatings.com/aluminum
14 or 15 years ago I ordered what they call a 'Trial Kit'.
https://shop.everbritecoatings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=45&products_id=4
Back then it was $16.95, now it's $34.95.
The anodized aluminum grille on this white(yuk) '71 window van had some cloudy sections & not much shine overall.
I figured I'd try a trail run. Of course I didn't follow all of
the directions. I just sprayed some 409 on the parts, scrubbed them good, rinsed with water and dried.
I did not used a drop of their Concentrated Cleaner. I did not use their applicator as I thought it would use more of the 4 oz's than I wanted. Just folded over a 1/2 paper towel down to about a 2" square. Put that over the top of the can & gave it a couple up-down shakes. When you wipe it on you see results right away.
It worked great, took out all of the cloudy looking stuff & has stayed that way after all this time.
Did most but not all of that big grille & those side wing things.
The parts I didn't do were already good.
I don't know of any anodized aluminum exterior trim on our'57s but it is common on newer cars.
If I ever wanted more of this stuff I think I'd just get the $25.95 4 ounce can. 
https://shop.everbritecoatings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=23
The can looks different from my old one but I assume it's the same stuff.
Polishing non-anodized aluminum? There are tons of products for that. Whatever you do never use any kind of steel wool on polished surface, including chrome. Never seen brass wool but I doubt I'd use that either.
I've done a lot of metal polishing & posted info about it here:
https://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=9536.msg96149#msg96149

[RICH MUISE]

"I don't know of any anodized aluminum exterior trim on our'57s but it is common on newer cars." Tom, the only thing I know of that's on all '57s is the door sill plate. Other than that, the models that have the gold anodized  panels inside the stainless side trim.

[Tom S]

Yeah, I forgot about those gold anodized trim panels. Looks like there is a use for it on some of our '57s! This Everbrite stuff would work well to rejuvenate those & wouldn't hurt the stainless that surrounds 'em.

[geraldchainsaw]

ok,   I guess I could have said,    I picked up a set of aluminum thunderbird valve covers that fit a 312  that needs some TLC,   I don't plan on working to hard to make them look good,   what I've ended up doing is,   polished the center ribs & thunderbird   emblem,  and painted the sides with eng  paint simi gloss,  like they say,  its mine an do what makes me happy,   an I think they'll look good.    as far as polishng,  the white stick and buffing wheels from eastwood work great,       thanks for all the info  every one gave.      jerry

[geraldchainsaw]

ok,  some one said something about the aluminum valve covers will need a longer mountng studs,  right, the origianals arn't as high as the aluminum,   an have to be  1/2" longer,  does any one make them? thanks,    jerry

[Tom S]

ok,  some one said something about the aluminum valve covers will need a longer mountng studs,  right, the origianals arn't as high as the aluminum,   an have to be  1/2" longer,  does any one make them? thanks,    jerry

I replaced some stock 292 valve covers with the early T-Bird  aluminum valve covers years ago & they bolted right on. Try it. If it doesn't work there is a very simple solution that requires no 'special' parts. 

[KULTULZ]

ok,  some one said something about the aluminum valve covers will need a longer mountng studs,  right, the origianals arn't as high as the aluminum,   an have to be  1/2" longer,  does any one make them? thanks,    jerry

- STUD LENGTH -

STEEL ROCKER COVERS - STD PN - 354527-S - 5/16"-18 & 5/16"-24 X 3-3/4"L

ALUM ROCKER COVERS - STD PN - 354576-S - 5/16"-18 & 5/16"-24 X 4-1/8"L

Any BIRD PARTS VENDOR will have them.

[geraldchainsaw]

thanks for the info  guys,   

[Tom S]

I don't get it. The aluminum valve covers that bolted right on to my '56 Ranch Wagon's 292 were originals right off of a '57 T-Bird.
I don't recall those rocker cover studs being longer than normal when the 292's stock steel valve covers were in place. If they were longer it would have been obvious to me since I was quite familiar with Y-blocks back then. Are the aftermarket aluminum T-Bird valve covers taller than the originals?
Gerald, I hope that before you change those rocker cover studs you will first try mounting one of those aluminum covers & report back.