The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop radiator brass top cleaning

I am in the middle of restoring my 52 pickup. The top of the harrison radiator seems to be brass. Whats the best way to clean off the old paint and shine up the old brass? once clean how do i keep it clean and shiny?
Paul

I stripped the paint off of my '54 radiator with lacquer thinner, a tooth brush, and a bunch of paper towels. I didn't try to strip every last bit of black paint off. The brass is not polished show-quality brass. It has pits and stretch marks that easily fill with paint when painted, but that will look rough if top coated with a clear coating. I painted it with self etching primer and buffed with a ScotchBrite pad when dry. Then I painted with rattle can Rustoleum #7798830 Protective Enamel Semi Gloss Black. Rustoleum #209584 Automotive Aerosol Semi-Gloss Black has the same sheen.

I didn't strip or paint the fins on the radiator.

Even if you can polish the radiator to a mirror finish, I don't know of a product that will keep it "bright-white-brass" color. Most products will allow air and moisture to eventually penetrate to the brass, corrode it and change the color.

Radiator in my 1954 3104:
> Fully stripped
> Top (1)
> Top (2)
> Radiator "paint booth"
> Newly painted radiator - rear view
> Newly painted radiator - front view

all the old Harrisons were brass tanked - clean it off with any solvent or paint stripper then use some Brasso on it - they look fine oxidized naturally .... if you want it to stay shiny use some super fine steel wool or a scotch-brite pad [no polish] and then spray it with clear coat, which won't dissipate the heat nearly as well as flat black

Bill

Not mine


...click....

Wow

Dads50 you just gave me a great idea. You guys thanks for bringing up this topic

I like the shiny polished look. looks like the way to go.
Thanks, Paul

I use this when polishing and found it to work really well. No abrasives. There are two grades and you'll want both. A little goes a long way.
http://www.wenol-polish.com/

Personally I would not put a coating on it other than wax.

For anything to polish metal it has to be abrasive. Unless it is etching it, and that would be acid doing the same as an abrasive.

One of the best metal polishes I've ever found is Flitz. Use it all the time on the Harley and anything else that needs to shine like new. Seen it in use at the airshows on a lot of fine aircraft, and those folks are plenty anal about putting anything on the aircraft.
Tramp

im a fanatic when come to polishing brass. i have numerous brass appliances on the ashton that i always hand polish and im always looking for a better mouse trap. i use to use brasso but the product has changed from a lidquid to a paste and i despise it. i found this http://www.purplepolish.org/about.html at the ATHS truck show in springfield, mass. last summer and thought id give it a try. i also found this http://www.speedymetalpolish.com/ at the same time and got both products. my brass hasnt looked so good since i ran everything through my hi speed bench buffer. i also like flitz and wenol products. for me the purple polish is the ticket anyone here that have seen my brass work can attest to the shine it leaves