A couple of specific tasks...
 

...which I haven't seen covered in this forum, so I would be very grateful if anyone could assist. Having viewed a couple of cars, there are several minor blemishes which no doubt apply to any car past its 20th birthday; none of them is significant but sorting them out would make a car look even tidier. In no particular order:

1. Faded black plastic trim (eg wing mirrors or along the roof) - any tips on how to restore a uniform finish, given than the extent of fading varies massively?
2. Pitting to the chrome on the door handles - how to repair, or just how to stop it getting worse
3. Chips to the chrome window surrounds revealing black plastic underneath (rear window in particular). I could just dab some gloss silver paint, which would look better than the exposed black, but is there a better way to do it?

Any help much appreciated! Thanks in advance

Hi,

The faded trim is an issue for pretty much anything of a similar age to our lovelies.

This gets good reviews so maybe worth a go:

https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/polytrol/

I know some folks who use black shoe polish which works too :}.

Good Luck

Thanks Andy,

That does look ideal for the job, much appreciated!

Hi Charlie.
To fix number 2 Pitting to the chrome on the door handles, is change them over for known good ones not all of them pit, drop Any (trikey ) a PM he maybe able to help you with some good ones at a decent rate.

https://i.imgur.com/YVdSW7Jl.jpg1

https://i.imgur.com/YVdSW7Jl.jpg2

https://i.imgur.com/hUib3Lbl.jpg3

I changed mine out for black ones, which was a lot of work, but to just change chrome for chrome is fairly easy.
https://i.imgur.com/EOsRQhNl.jpg4

https://i.imgur.com/EJu3csAl.jpg5

https://i.imgur.com/D65FvE4l.jpg6

https://i.imgur.com/D65FvE4l.jpg7

https://i.imgur.com/D65FvE4l.jpg8

https://i.imgur.com/Qn8pUaNl.jpg9

Thank you, that is no doubt the best way to fix the problem. I'll drop Trikey a line!

i dont think they are actually made from chrome. its more a word to describe the finish. they are some type of polished stainless type alloy, but i dont know exactly what . probably why these trim parts on rimmers are described as "bright " finish. ... :shrug:

Interesting, thank you

Hi Stefan.
I was informed at the powder coaters that they were chrome, when i decided to have black handles on my tourer, and they could not do them, therefore i decided to spray them.

What they look like after being rub down.
https://i.imgur.com/maASmzql.jpg1

https://i.imgur.com/0MzS4CRl.jpg2

https://i.imgur.com/W17kHJll.jpg3

I too have a doubt they are chrome ?

is it that you dont want the bright finish ? or just wanted a spruce up ? i have in the past used a very fine wire wool to good effect on polishing up on these handles. one more pointer towards a stainless alloy material. chrome normally tends to "peel" in places of which i have not seen, at least on mine. alloys tend to nodule and blister on the surface , of which i have seen on mine. the other trims on waistline and bumpers and rear boot surrounds all are the same material. maybe the coaters tested them for chromium present, and decided against. im not sure but i will try again to look for the written evidence, which i read and have a feeling its in the descriptions in rave preamble descriptions somewhere ,but i will need to spend some time searching , whenever !! ... ;)

For faded plastic try Aerospace 303 or Sonax Xtreme Plastic Restorer Gel.


Both have been mentioned on threads here by members.

The door handles maybe like the Mazak used on Morris Minors and the like which pits in much the same way! Decent replacements is the only way to go I would have thought.

The handles are made of either a polished die cast zinc (aka Zamak or Mazak) or brass alloy which is chrome plated (never stripped one down to find out) but pitting is a common issue depending on the quality (ie initial cost/quality of manufacture) of the base materials - it's a form of electrolytic corrosion. The internal chemical corrosion within the alloy 'erupts' and breaks the thin chrome coating hence the pitting, once the coating integrity is broken moisture gets in and it slowly spreads/deteriorates. Easiest fix is to try and get hold of a more 'perfect' set or refurbish as suggested by spraying, re-chroming is possible but expensive and it's probably going to do the same again in maybe 5-10 years time if your lucky. I think they are still available new but quite expensive.
The stainless steel rear window trim has a black rubber/plastic trim bonded onto each edge and it's that trim that is breaking down/gone brittle. Members have disguised this effect by clever masking and careful spaying with black rubberised or vinyl products (you'll find a thread somewhere on here). I managed to obtain a good used replacement off a member on here or you can still obtain new from Rimmers if you have +£130 spare...