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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
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| | | | Joined: Jan 2014 Posts: 3,690 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2014 Posts: 3,690 | Manifolds, transmission cases, etc…..
Any tips on what concoctions, methods work to get it brightened up? Better off to just paint it with a quality aluminum paint? I don’t own any sort of blasting equipment to go that route.
“Aluminum brightener” is a pretty common recommendation. Seems to be just some sort of acid treatment. Wondering if there’s a household equivalent. I also wonder if will just oxidize and look the same after a few months.
1951 3100
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 6,916 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 6,916 | Wire wheel / wire brush. Then clear coat it if you want it to stay that way.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,846 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,846 | Once the surface oxidation is removed with a wire cup brush on a drill motor or an air die grinder, Use "Mother's" aluminum polish with a wool buffing pad- - - - -the same stuff the show and shine guys use on polished aluminum wheels. Then clearcoat to prevent further oxidation.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2016 Posts: 1,994 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2016 Posts: 1,994 | 20 years ago I used "Eagle One mag and wheel cleaner" on my Vette factory wheels. They were dark and kinda' rough from oxidation. The wheel cleaner was aggressive enough to get back to bright aluminum without causing damage, I then used a "Mothers power Ball" with Mothers polish to bring some luster back. I didn't clear coat them, the Vette has a home in the garage so it doesn't get bad weather, the wheels have held up remarkedly well. I just wash the wheels with normal car wash detergent along with the rest of the car.
Last edited by 78buckshot; 03/11/2025 9:14 AM.
1957 Chevrolet 5700 LCF 283 SM420 2 speed rear, 1955 IH 300U T/A, 1978 Corvette 350 auto, 1978 Yamaha DT175, 1999 Harley Davidson Softail Fat Boy
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2021 Posts: 214 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2021 Posts: 214 | I hear Blue Magic works wonders, and it has a protectant in it. I’d only use it on bare metal. I had a crazy brother that used it on his black car once. Super shiny for a brief time, then went cloudy. I guess it eventually reacted with the paint. I just use Mothers and the ball on aluminum. Rough surface I’ve used 600-800 grit wet up to 2000, then polish.
Chip
'Rusto-Mod'
'51 Chevy 3600 5 window | C4 Corvette front/rear suspension & drivetrain | everything else looks old and stock
'92 GMC Sonoma GT #15 of 806
'91 GMC Sonoma GT Extended cab 1 of 1
Trucks, Trucks.....and more Trucks | | | | | Joined: Dec 2017 Posts: 1,652 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2017 Posts: 1,652 | I still use the aluminum wheel cleaner for getting cast aluminum bright. There are too kinds, one for clear coated wheels and one for plain cast wheels. I have only ever used the stuff for plain wheels. I do not know how well the other stuff would work on plain cast pieces.
Mike
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