Any difference between....

[Matt Wild]

The alloy used in the 1976 14X5.5 Fuchs and the alloy used in the ring type centre cap?

I have just spent the afternoon polishing a wheel and cap using the same methodology and grades of wet and dry, finishing off with Mother's.

The wheel is bright and shiny and almost a white colour, the centre cap is greyer and nowhere near as shiny. Still looks seriously Bling though.

Before anyone asks, yes I have got all the anodising off before starting the wet and dry process.

Any advice or similar experiences? Matt

[ttweed]

Matt-

I don't know what is happening in your case, but I can tell you that I have had several sets of wheels and caps polished professionally, and they have always turned out with the same, bright finish--almost looking like chrome (until the inevitable oxidation sets in).

When I have had wheels re-anodized after polishing, though, the anodizer will not accept the caps if they still have the steel bits on the back (steel cannot go into the anodizing tanks), so you have to dull the bright polish on the caps to match the anodized finish of the wheels. Diane Reed, Al's wife, told me she uses Easy-Off oven cleaner to etch them until they match the anodized finish of the rims. Your problem sounds like the opposite, so all I can suggest is that you didn't remove all the anodizing from the caps. Maybe another round of polishing, using a rougher grit on the caps to start?

TT

[Matt Wild]

Well, I am pretty sure it is all off as the whole cap responds to mothers and turns black when polished.

I started with 180 grit, then 400, 600, 1500 and 2000 wet and dry before polishing.

I'll keep going if no-one has an answer.

Matt