Trim Modification

The Chevy Nova had a lot of anodized aluminum trim on them. After time this trim can begin to oxidize and discolor, this is tough to try and polish. So I decided to do something different. I tried to paint the trim but was unhappy with the end results. I took a spare piece of trim to play with and got a result I really liked so here goes.

Step 1 :

You need to strip the old anodizing from the trim. There are a few ways to accomplish this but I found it easy to just run the piece over a brass wire wheel. This will leave you with a dull grey surface perfect to start from.

Step 2 :

With a bucket of soapy water we want to clean the trim to remove any large contaminates. Once clean we will begin sanding. I have found that this works best with what are called ABRALON ABRASIVE PADS. These work well because they are have a fabric face and foam core that lets water flow well, plus they are easy to use on contours and are not overly aggressive. They can be found at most wood working stores.

You will want a few different grits. I started with 350 then moved up as follows 500-800-1000-2000. After working the entire piece with each grit wash the piece off and make sure the finish is even. By the time you get to 2000 you should have a nice brushed looking surface. Cleaned and dry again and check for any heavy sanding marks left over and hit them again with the 2000 if you want to clean them up more but some give the piece that hand done character i think. You can even go as high as 4000 for a super buffed look.

Step 3 :

Once you have the finish your looking for its time to clean and protect the piece. Now you could just use a good beeswax but i feel a clear coat is best. You will want to wear some nitril gloves to keep the oils from your hands off the piece. Next make sure to use some wax/grease remover on the piece and dry it with lint free towels. Then begin to spray the piece, I used Duplicolor High Performance Clear Wheel Paint. Its designed to protect your wheels so why not aluminum trim, use two light coats about 30min apart and let it dry for 24 hours.

Step 4 :

Once dry take it out in the sun and look for any defects, if you did the correct prep work you should have no issues, but if you find a bad spot you can alwasy sand and respray or strip it with acetone. Then reinstall on your car and enjoy. This will give you a nice unique look for your car.

Window trim is just the start. The Side trim, eyebrows, emblems, grill ect… are all in line to get this same treatment done. The trim around the windows will have to be done on the car but thats not a big deal.

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