Making an old radiator grill look good

[qmdv]

I have an original 32 radiator grill. It looks like it has some sort of plating. Is it nickel or chrome or ?. It is very tarnished but no rust. Finns are all very straight. What Is the best way get it shined up or at least close.

Thinking of Never Dull or the like

[Ian1932]

Originally Posted by qmdv

I have an original 32 radiator grill. It looks like it has some sort of plating. Is it nickel or chrome or ?. It is very tarnished but no rust. Finns are all very straight. What Is the best way get it shined up or at least close.

Thinking of Never Dull or the like

Can you post some pics?

[Newc]

Hi; plating shops can 'strip' old plating off. Newc

[qmdv]

Will not look forward to taking that grill apart, getting it stripped then putting it all back together. And the lack of plating plants is another problem

[tomcarman]

I've done this a number of times and it works. Try soaking it overnight in Coca-Cola, the original coke. Find a shallow containor it will fit in and go get about $20 worth of 2 liter bottles and fill it up, let it set overnight and rinse with water. Then polish as desired. I don't think Nev-r-dull works well on anything but bare metal but a good auto or chrome polish coupled with good old fashioned elbow grease should produce deisred results.

[tomcarman]

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Forgot to mention if it doesn't work as desired you're only out the cost of the Coke, but it certainly worked well for me, particularly on a set of tarnished and crusty hubcaps from a '49 Nash. I was amazed.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by tomcarman

Forgot to mention if it doesn't work as desired you're only out the cost of the Coke, but it certainly worked well for me, particularly on a set of tarnished and crusty hubcaps from a '49 Nash. I was amazed.

You could always "recycle" it with your Jack

GB

[tomcarman]

Originally Posted by Graeme / New Zealand

You could always "recycle" it with your Jack

GB

Not sure what you mean by "recycle" it with your jack. Please elaborate.

[deuce lover]

If its the perimeter - should be stainless and just some fine steel wool will wake it up.

[RalphG]

Steel wool works wonders. I used it on every piece of stainless and chrome on my Mercury.

[34PKUP]

Originally Posted by Graeme / New Zealand

You could always "recycle" it with your Jack

GB

Some kind of secret code??

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by tomcarman

Not sure what you mean by "recycle" it with your jack. Please elaborate.

Jack Daniels & coke is what he is referring to.

[AnthonyG]

I’m sure it was just sarcastic humor from Tom

[51504bat]

After soaking it in Coke rub with aluminum foil. Works wonders.

[Andy]

The grill was not originally plated. They were painted. Do you have an original grill? Most aftermarket ones were plated. I might just run some fine sandpaper over the bars and paint them.
Original bars are easy enough to remove. Gently pry them up from the cross support bars and bend them sideways and get an end out and then the other.

[Alaska Jim]

If you use steel wool, make sure to use "0000" grade, anything else may leave very fine scratches.

[qmdv]

It is an original grill. I did not know it was stainless. I have a container to soak it in. I think I will find some very fine steal wool and try that before I buy 8 gallons of Coke. I cannot afford that much Jack. How about 1000 grit wet dry

[Andy]

The only stainless is the outer band. I would not sand it. Just some polishing should bring it back. I was talking about the bars when I mentioned sanding.

[qmdv]

Originally Posted by Andy

The only stainless is the outer band. I would not sand it. Just some polishing should bring it back. I was talking about the bars when I mentioned sanding.

So the the vertical bars are plated?? What with?

[tomcarman]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

Jack Daniels & coke is what he is referring to.

I'm interested to hear your results as we have(2) 32 fords, a 5 window and a 3 window. I totally didn't get the "recycle" the coke with your Jack post. My brain went immediatley to an automobile jack and "recycle" and it didn't make sense. JD and Coke is not part of my physce as I learned the hard way many years ago it has the boomerang effect.