Conclusion
Trim restoration is part art and part metalwork. On the surface, almost anyone can buff out a piece of stainless steel and make it look a bit better, but not many people can do expert metal repair on delicate metals. According to Steve DuSold of DuSold Designs, "The most common forms of trim damage come from improper removal of the trim pieces themselves. Unless a hobbyist has experience in trim removal, seek out a restoration specialist to remove and install your trim pieces."
"All too often I have seen owners attempt to remove and restore trim pieces themselves," Fell says, "only to cause additional problems. Suppliers of restoration equipment and buffing products make it out to be simply a matter of running a piece of trim through a buffer until it's shiny. True, the piece may become shinier, but the hobbyist or shop must have the knowledge of how to work metal to do a proper job. A shiny trim piece with 10 dings is not going to impress a show judge.
"Working the metal requires the correct tools and knowledge of how to shrink and expand metal in order to work out the dents. The work takes patience and the experience to know how to restore the piece to the original condition. Stainless steel and anodized aluminum have different metal thicknesses and need different polishing techniques to restore the pieces properly. With over 10 years experience restoring trim, there isn't a day that goes by where we don't learn something new and ultimately develop and apply new techniques to produce a better quality product. There isn't a better feeling in the world than to see the trim that we labored over on a freshly restored car."
Aptly nicknamed "Shiny Bill" by enthusiasts across the country, the loss of one print-press operator was a shining moment for the restoration community. For those looking to restore their original trim as an alternative to reproduction parts or home service, this work will meet the most demanding quality criteria of owners and show-car judges alike.
Next, all imperfections in...
Next, all imperfections in the metal are circled with a marker. In this case, a crease is identified on the face of the molding.
Several additional dings and...
Several additional dings and dents are identified and circled. These are all normal, as is the "milky" sheen of this piece of anodized aluminum. According to Bill Fell, "In most cases the price per foot is used to price trim. For trim pieces that have extensive damage or in situations where metalwork was previously botched, the price goes to $40 an hour." Regarding this aluminum trim, the piece is original, and other than the crease that was present when purchased by the current owner, it's restorable.
The aluminum door-top piece...
The aluminum door-top piece is mounted in a fixture on the workbench, and using a palm sander with 220-grit sandpaper, a light amount of the aluminum anodization is removed in preparation for metalwork. Consider this the equivalent of spraying a guidecoat of primer on a body panel. High spots are shinier and low spots are duller compared to the undamaged metal. The metalwork removes the high and low spots before the polishing stage. Specialty Adalox sandpaper from Norton or Hermes is used because it generates very little heat. Extra care has to be taken so that the thin metal isn't warped due to overheating.
First, the crease in the upper...
First, the crease in the upper door piece is removed. Trim-restoration tools aren't readily available, and are, in fact, so highly specialized that almost all of MPR's tools are hand-made. Aluminum-bar stock is shaped into trim-specific "body dollies." The bar stock on the left and right are for flat areas, while the punches on top are to push metal into shape.
Aluminum-bar stock is placed...
Aluminum-bar stock is placed on top of the fixture and under the trim. The small dolly is put on the back of the trim piece directly behind the crease. While Amy holds the trim piece, Bill gently taps the dolly with a ball-peen hammer. After a few taps, the trim piece is turned over and inspected.
Once the metal around the...
Once the metal around the crease is flattened, a punch is used to tap directly behind the remaining depression to slowly push the affected area out. The process is repeated several times with an inspection between each tap.