Gave it a try an WOW!!

[CaliLivn]

I did a search on here to see what tips you guys had for cleaning up chrome bumpers on my 72. Found some great stuff on here. I did HALF the bumper an took pics. I first scrubbed it with CLR an a stiff nylon brush then rinsed it an wiped it down. Then I wadded up a nice size piece of tin foil an poured some Coca Cola on it an scrubbed away keeping the foil wet with soda. All I gotta say is WOW. It came out great. Thank you again to everyone on this site!

[terry b]

Man that turned ot great.

[CaliLivn]

A closer pic to show how bad it was an how good it came out.

[Mister-B]

Nice work. Makes you second guess drinking coke ever again, if it can do that, huh?

Now, use some Zymol or Maguires cleaner wax on that paint

[sublime1996525]

Wow that worked great.

[lil hoodlum]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

Nice work. Makes you second guess drinking coke ever again, if it can do that, huh?

Now, use some Zymol or Maguires cleaner wax on that paint

You bring up a good point about coke. After drinking some coke my teeth allways feel a little "roughed" up.


Good job on cleaning up the bumper Calilvn!


Keith

[heyjoe]

I'm seeing, and I can barely believe it! Wow!

[Tinkermc]

for those of you who do not knowCoke is a great cleaner and will get the acid from the tops of a battery very quickly.

[special-K]

You should put a repackaged kit together with a catchy (yet tacky) name and have one of those infomercial people hawk them on TV!

[dan42]

Coke has a pH of around 2- it's pretty nasty stuff.

[rx78nt1alex]

Phosphoric acid, the stuff they put in coke, has to have a hazmat code when transported, so yes, I believe it. Also, as an aside, during my daytime job, I saw 16 pallets at 1250 pounds each of caffeine get dumped into a hopper to make Pepsi.

[67-72freak]

Ive never seen a Coke delivery truck around my area (CA) displaying a hazmat sign. It might be because the phosphoric percentage in the drink might be too low, I believe we are exagerating a little about what coke (the drink) will do to you.

[rx78nt1alex]

Oh, I'm sorry, I am referring to straight phosphoric acid, not the soda you see delivered on trucks. But seriously, that is really impressive to see.

[Lattimer]

pH of most soda is around 2.......people forget that the pH of the acid (hydrochloric) in your stomach is 1.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 67-72freak

...I believe we are exagerating a little about what coke (the drink) will do to you.

The only thing I read is one member saying after he drinks it his teeth feel a little roughed up. I remember feeling that when I drank Coke/soda. I know it's a fact that you can drop a tooth in Coke and it will dissolve it.

Heck,milk and orange juice tankers display corrosive placards.

[67-72freak]

Originally Posted by Lattimer

pH of most soda is around 2.......people forget that the pH of the acid (hydrochloric) in your stomach is 1.

It actually varies from 1 to 5 depending on the meal it will digest. I just had a bag of Hot cheetos and a tall bud light, so I estimate my stomach ph acid level to be around 2.5 at the moment

[5150.4.67]

Phosphoric acid (the rust converter in your Coke) is merely a cheaper alternative of citric acid to acidify colas. And as stated above, another one of it's uses is a dental etchant.
Now please excuse me, I can feel some heart burn coming on..

[Stocker]

Your results are simply amazing, and I hesitate to suggest trying something slightly different -- but I will anyway.

When I was dealing with minor rust on chrome wheels, I tried wadded up aluminum foil, but without Coke or CLR precleaning as I had not heard of that. Results were fair at best. Then I used 0000 steel wool with much better success.

As good as yours turned out with CLR followed by foil & Coke, I wonder if it would be at least as good, maybe better, maybe a bit easier if you do everything just like you did but substitute 0000 steel wool for the foil.

[CaliLivn]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

Nice work. Makes you second guess drinking coke ever again, if it can do that, huh?

Now, use some Zymol or Maguires cleaner wax on that paint

Thanks... As for the paint I'm gonna give it a CLR bath in a few weeks. Thats CLR diluted 50/50 with water an scrub the surface rust areas with a scratch free SOS pad then buff out all the paint a lil bit. I'm gonna go with the Patina look while I work on getting it mechanically good. My trucks really straight an has the original paint.

[CaliLivn]

Originally Posted by special-K

You should put a repackaged kit together with a catchy (yet tacky) name and have one of those infomercial people hawk them on TV!

Lol Or I can just offer this service on Craigslist. Have them drop off there vehicle or any chrome item they want cleaned up then have them come pick it up in a few hours. Side job equals more $$$$ for my 72....

[CaliLivn]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Your results are simply amazing, and I hesitate to suggest trying something slightly different -- but I will anyway.

When I was dealing with minor rust on chrome wheels, I tried wadded up aluminum foil, but without Coke or CLR precleaning as I had not heard of that. Results were fair at best. Then I used 0000 steel wool with much better success.

As good as yours turned out with CLR followed by foil & Coke, I wonder if it would be at least as good, maybe better, maybe a bit easier if you do everything just like you did but substitute 0000 steel wool for the foil.

I may try that tomorrow. I read it works great to. I got a couple small spots I gotta touch up an finish. I bought 0000 steel wool at Home Depot when I picked up the CLR, heavy duty latex gloves an Coca Cola.

[Steve Hafner]

. . . .

That really turned out good.

Maybe someone else will try it and post their results here.

. . . .

[GuyO]

I used just CLR on the Burban.

[special-K]

It seems whenever I mention using SOS or steel wool on chrome people tell me that will ruin the chrome. I think that's the biggest myth out there. I've been doing it for years on vehicles I've had for many years and only saw benefits. They underestimate the hardness of chrome vs steel wool and with a fluid (of soapy solution) it is "lubed" to minimize abrasion.

I was on my Harley (mucho chromo) at a light years ago when a truck driver next to me gave compliments. He told me about using aluminum foil for rust if I git it on my chrome. That was the first I heard of that and it makes perfect sense...way softer metal against much harder.

[brad_man_72]

I just cleaned up a 40 year old moto guzzi that had been sitting 18 years, all of the chrome was rusty, I was amazed how nicely it cleaned up with steel wool and mothers.

Some will notice at least one 67-72 chevy truck in both the before and after pics.
It was sitting next to a pretty nice 280z in the barn, the z being my next project after I get the guzzi done for the guy.