Finish on trimwork?

[fred cook]

What is the finish on the metal trim work that fits at the lower edge of the door windows and the fixed rear windows on an SC coupe? Are the pieces anodized stainless steel or maybe aluminum? They feel too heavy for aluminum, but, who knows? The purpose of the question is that a previous owner had the car painted and in the process got most of the black buffed off those parts on each side. I want to completely remove the finish, polish/buff the parts and maybe seal them with clear. If that won't work, then I suppose that I could have them chrome plated.

Thanks in advance,

[fred cook]

After working on one piece last night for a couple of hours, it appears that the finish is anodizing and the metal underneath is stainless steel. Removing the anodizing is slow going, but once off the piece polishes up quite nicely. I guess that I will be spending a few nights out in the shop removing the finish! The good news is that there are only 4 pieces to do.

[fred cook]

A before and after picture of a piece of window/door trim:



The one in the back is as it came off the car, the one in the front has been stripped and polished. Please pardon the fingerprints!

[Fishcop]

Fred, looking good.

But the metal underneath the anodize is aluminum not stainless (It's a process specifically related to aluminum). I did this with my trim a few years ago after a PO painted it all black and scratched the anodize in the process. The only hassle is that you have to keep the polish up every 3 months or so.

[fred cook]

I thought that it could be aluminum, but the pieces feel too heavy, thus my assumption of stainless steel. The pieces that go under the rear quarter windows are much lighter, but again really don't feel much like aluminum. I might try sealing the polished parts with either a clear spray paint or maybe even a clear powder coat paint. The powder coat is very tough and should hold up for quite a while! The door pieces are no problem to remove as they just pop off, but the rear window pieces require removing the windows first!

[Fishcop]

I'd be interested to hear how you go with the clear powder coat...