You guys that have restored your small caps ...

[CG]

I have a set of the stainless caps Id like to try my hand at polishing and painting (1/2 tons). You guys that restore these have any tips for us novices?

Ive seen a few sets that have been done that are probably better than they were new.

[Elliot949]

The best advise I can give you is patience... light taps with a small hammer and "punches"... take is slow...

[CG]

I'm lucky with the set I have, there are no dents and dings. Just old looking with faded paint and really dull finish.

I think if I had to remove dents they would end up looking like Flintstone caps lol

[special-K]

Not sure if there are maskers made like there are for the 8-luggers, but that would be the ticket. I've masked (tedious) them off and sprayed with low gloss black engine enamel. But lines weren't crisp. I forget which tape I used but that may have been the problem. Or I was too cheap to use a fresh blade

[Elliot949]

ok... Strip the paint carefully... a good paint stripper works great... make sure you use it in a well ventilated area as well as safety glasses and gloves... once you get the paint off then use a good self etching primer that you can get at any O'Reilly auto parts (bullydog is a good one, it is a aerosol can)… I am assuming they are 67-68 caps so they are color 615 white or Argent wheel silver depending on the actual year... 67 is white, 68 is silver... The 67 is white with Chevy engine orange stripe and the 68 is Argent silver with Black...

[Elliot949]

For masking go to a art store and get frisket paper and a compass to make your circles the size you need...

[NewBayColony]

Originally Posted by special-K

Not sure if there are maskers made like there are for the 8-luggers, but that would be the ticket. I've masked (tedious) them off and sprayed with low gloss black engine enamel. But lines weren't crisp. I forget which tape I used but that may have been the problem. Or I was too cheap to use a fresh blade

SpecialK, where do you get the maskers for the 8 luggers?

[CG]

Mine are the 73 caps with the yellow bow tie. I had forgotten all about the frisket paper, excellent advice there. Going to repaint the black and change the bow tie to blue.

How bout the polishing of the stainless? I have a large two arbor grinder, should I get polishing pads? If so, recommendations please.

[Elliot949]

yes... go to a good supplier like Grainger get the correct pads and rouge for stainless and polish away... it is messy so be prepared...

[sick472]

Depending on the actual condition of the SS shine and how bright you want the caps to turn out, you may need to do some scratch removal. Start with 600 wet/or/dry sand paper and work the scratch out. If your patience lacks or the scratch is deep, you can switch to a more coarse paper like 400. Use water too. Once the scratch disappears the area will look like poo, but then step you paper grit to the next finer count. So, if you used the 400, move to 600 next, then 1000, then 2000, rub each step until the dull finish changes to a lesser consistent dull , then repeat using the next finer paper. At this point you should be able to polish with a cloth (or wheel) and the proper rouge. Then hit it with mothers wheel polish. If you missed a spot it will show up as you get it more shiny. Then just step back a paper grit and do it again. I have worked the SS window trim on another project and it is painfully delightful. I would truly have to ask myself... How important is a mirror finsih compared to hand brushed/matte? There is ALOT of work differnce betweeen the two.

It's ALOT of rubbing and some deep scratches may actuall leave a depression. If that is a consern, you have to decide which is worse...a depression or wrinkle that shows up in the newly polished shine or a scratch.

As far as the paint, you can tape out past the area to be colored, lightly spray paint, remove tape and use a very fine steel wool to remove the tape/paint line and repolish. This technique can work very well IF your part has sharper divisions between the paint and no-paint areas and you have patience of steel. I have done this on the upper side trim pieces on my 72 and will do it on the tailgate applique that came from the repop maunufacturer with lousey cheap tape stripes.