Polish Air Conditiner lines

[86swb]

Has anyone ever polish their air lines and get them to look like chrome? I want mine to really shine and not be dull as they are now. I also have this message in the detailing section but thought I would put in both. This is on my '86.

[westofb]

if you are talking about aluminum lines, sure they will polish. wet sand them with progressively finer paper to save yourself some elbow grease. I would start with 600-800, and end with 2000-3000. by the way you will have to keep polishing them every now and then to keep them looking good.

[3r!c84]

i tryed a power ball mini on a drill and some polish and turn out good

[N2TRUX]

I have done it on several sets. I used steel wool and metal polish to get started. It does require maintenance though.

[86swb]

Thanks, I really do not mind the maintenance. It is worth it to look good. When you say steel wool are you talking about 0000? What type of metal polish? Aluminum polish?

[motornut]

i used sos pads on my door sills look 100% better,old and gray to shiny but not quite chrome

[staggerd86c-10]

mothers and some strong arms it looks great, hit the canister of the a/c while you at it makes a really big differnce

[86swb]

I have the arm and was also planning on doing the canister. I just do not like the dull look it now has. Need some shine.

[JohnC]

I know what you mean. I'm planning on doing the same to mine.

[piecesparts]

Yep, I have polished the A/C lines on my 84. I did the filter/receiver canister and the lines up to the rubber connections. I started with wet-N-dry sand paper and WD-40 and then finished with a small 3" "Razor-buff" on a die grinder with a polishing compound. The lines are all polished where there is aluminum, all the way up to the compressor. Once polished, I use Mothers "Aluminum Polish" to clean them up and the Mother's "Billet Polish" to give them a mirror finish. Then I seal them with a metal sealer to keep them clean. I drive the truck to the places that I go.

[JohnC]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

Yep, I have polished the A/C lines on my 84. I did the filter/receiver and the lines up to the rubber connections. I started with wet-N-dry sand paper and WD-40 and then finished with a small 3" "Razor-buff" on a die grinder. The lines are all polished where there is aluminum, all the way up to the compressor.

Do you have any pics of the results?

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by JohnC

Do you have any pics of the results?

Not here at work, let me go home and I will see what I can create.

[JohnC]

Cool!

[86swb]

I to would love to see some pictures.

[piecesparts]

See if this works

[86swb]

Man, that is looking good. Would love for mine to look that good. Did you have the aluminum winshield washer and over flow containers made your self? Kool. Also where did you get the chrome brake fluid holder? You really have it looking great. Thanks for the pictures.

[86swb]

By the way, I have the same air filter but mine does not shine like that. What did you do? Sorry about all the questions.

[AceX]

I used a set of buffing wheels and different compounds to shine 'em up. Turned out great until the shop doing the R134a conversion told me that they had given me the wrong evap canister. I was so pissed I didn't even want to polish another one out.

I use a product called Simichrome on the polished bits now when I do clean them which isn't very often. They shine up pretty good after that.

[86swb]

You think they saw how good the canister you did looked and wanted it back?

[JohnC]

Looks great Frank. That is a aweseme looking engine compartment.

[87 STEPPER]

Heres a pic of mine i just used some mothers Aluminum polish and a rag wraped once around the pipe and then pulled it back n forth.


Those lines are allready smooth enough that you really dont need to sand them but you can if ya want i agree it takes a bit more effort to do it without sanding them but it's offset by the fact you are doing everything twice if you do sand them the choice is yours.

Another thing a few guys mention using steel wool or Brillo or SOS pads thats a huge NoNo! never use steel wool on Aluminum ever! the steel wool will force microscopic fragments into the aluminum and will cause dissimilar metal corrosion after a long time only use Aluminum wool on Aluminum.

[JohnC]

Nice job Bruce!

[piecesparts]

The aluminum tanks were a purchase from "Stylin Concepts". They are actually the same tanks that the 88-98 trucks use, but placed in a different area. The brake fluid holder is a little thing that I do with stainless steel and a small home-made bending brake. I bend a sleeve to go around the factory plastic brake reservoir and then it is fitted together at the back, where no one can see it. The piece is the same size as the reservoir and is held in place with urethane windshield sealer. I made the same thing for the daily driver 91 Silverado. The air filter is a K&N 4" filter with a chrome bottom plate and then I used their polished K&N Extreme top plate.

Right now, I have the factory cadmium plated brake booster on the truck, but there is a new chrome one on the workbench that I need to get on before the Hot Rod Power Tour. I plan on driving the "Long Haul" with it this year. I have done three others with it before. This truck (All black-no flames then) was pictured in the Sport Truck magazine in 1996 as one of a group coming off of the interstate in Michigan.

The windshield wiper motor has a trim plate made from stainless sheetmetal mounted over it and the side panels have stainless sheetmetal along them to cover the open holes in the inner fenders. The electric bulkhead connection has an aluminum cover over it to provide for smoothing that wiring mess.

The truck has a "Be Cool" radiator and electric fans, to allow me room to use billet aluminum pulleys on the front of the engine.

[86swb]

Piecesparts, thanks for the information. You did a great job.

[86swb]

Originally Posted by 87 STEPPER

Heres a pic of mine i just used some mothers Aluminum polish and a rag wraped once around the pipe and then pulled it back n forth.
Attachment 548873

Those lines are allready smooth enough that you really dont need to sand them but you can if ya want i agree it takes a bit more effort to do it without sanding them but it's offset by the fact you are doing everything twice if you do sand them the choice is yours.

Another thing a few guys mention using steel wool or Brillo or SOS pads thats a huge NoNo! never use steel wool on Aluminum ever! the steel wool will force microscopic fragments into the aluminum and will cause dissimilar metal corrosion after a long time only use Aluminum wool on Aluminum.

Just beautiful.