MGB & GT Forum

My chrome bits have seen better days, but they are relatively straight and I'm not planning on replacing them right now. They do have a little bit of rust pitting on some. What's the best way to clean and polish chrome? I need to know the right products to use, and the right steps to take...

Thanks in advance?

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I'm not entirely sure what step two of this plan is...
Andrew Schmunk
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Since you asked...
1979 MGB Roadster CB Conversion in progress (Ms.Fitz)
3.1L GM V6 (carburated)
T5 5-speed
Fiero Seats
Fiero tilt steering column
Fiero heater fan
RX-7 electric door mirrors
1964 steel dash

Turtle wax chrome cleaner.
Apply liberally gently rubbing in and Dont wipe off for 24 hrs..
Practical classics did a test yrs ago and found Turtle wax best.
For winter storage on clean chrome use car wax and dont wipe off.

One of the guys in our local Triumph club used to make his living as a chrome plater (primarily industrial applications). He does some replating of old Brit car chrome pieces "on the side", for re-sale. One of the things that make him absolutely crazy is when people take an abrasive, like steel wool (no matter how fine) to chrome in order to remove rust. He says that's the absolute worst thing you can do to chrome.
A lot of what he brings to Import Carlisle to sell each year is stuff that he picked up the previous year, and simply polished to a like-new condition. Basically, he just uses the buffing wheel at work, with some good polishing paste.
The watch word here is "patience", along with a lot of elbow grease and the strict avoidance of abrasives. OK, I know what some of you are going to say: chrome polish contains abrasives. True enough, but the abrasive particles in chrome polish extremely fine, so as not to damage the plating.
So, go get some of the paste-type chrome polish (Simichrome or whatever it was called back in the day) and some good, soft cloth and get busy. Don't expect instant grafification here, 'cause it ain't gonna happen

The little wire brush on a Dremel tool works great on small items like vent window handles, etc. The brush is too soft to scrach chrome but you better do a test area first as all wire brushes are not created equal.

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Gary

Murphy's law

Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe, and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it, and he'll have to touch it to be sure.

I use AutoSol for stuff in bad shape. I haven't used every chrome polish out there, but this is the best I've ever seen.

After it's clean I use Mother's Chrome polish to keep it buffed up and shiny and I'll usually wax it with whatever I'm waxing the paint with. (I guess those high tech polishes aren't actually wax anymore)

Chrome is porous. You have to keep it sealed with something after it's clean.

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1970 MGB Black Label OD, APT VP12, Fidanza Flywheel, Flowspeed Head, Hilton AUD405 HS4 SU's, Schlemmerized Distributor, Pertronix Ignition, Saturn Alternator, 15" Dayton Wire Wheels, Falken ZE 912's, Falcon Big Bore
1972 MGB GT Blue Label OD, APT VP14, Fidanza Flywheel, Flowspeed Head, HIF SU's, Schlemmerized Distributor, Points Ignition, Saturn Alternator, 15" GC360 Wheels, Falken ZE-950s, Peco Exhaust, Frontline Costello front valance

Rubbing aluminum foil, shiny side down, over pitted chrome will cause the foil to get caught in the pits and temporarily "fill" them in. Its not perfect and it doesn't last but it is a good stop gap for shows etc.

x 2 on the tin foil trick, it can hide a multitude of sins if your not ready or lack the funds to raplace the chrome outright (but remember it hasnt fixed the problem its just masking its apperance) excelent trick tho!

I'm grabbing the Reynolds Wrap ASAP. Thanks. great tip.

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MGB OWNER IN LIMBO!!!!!

I wonder how many rolls I'll need to do the whole GT? It's got to be cheaper than painting it! Get your sunglasses ready. Chrome GT on the way.

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1970 MGB Black Label OD, APT VP12, Fidanza Flywheel, Flowspeed Head, Hilton AUD405 HS4 SU's, Schlemmerized Distributor, Pertronix Ignition, Saturn Alternator, 15" Dayton Wire Wheels, Falken ZE 912's, Falcon Big Bore
1972 MGB GT Blue Label OD, APT VP14, Fidanza Flywheel, Flowspeed Head, HIF SU's, Schlemmerized Distributor, Points Ignition, Saturn Alternator, 15" GC360 Wheels, Falken ZE-950s, Peco Exhaust, Frontline Costello front valance

Oregon Bob.....Thanks for asking this question. Another MG enthusiast I bought some carbs from Saturday gave me an old MGB ashtray. We were swapping stories and I told him that I remember being a little kid and opening and closing the ashtray over and over again in my parent 69 B. I was 5 at the time. I was telling him what a distinctive sound it made. At the end of bartering he gave me an extra one he had on the shelf. It made that sound perfectly !

I used the tin foil trick, however, I soaked it in Coca Cola first then rub the shining side down and rinsed it. It looks brand new. Now, I have to paint the black part!

Thanks again!

I've used a product called Wenol over the years with good success

Bob, Patrick is onto something with the Coca Cola thing. I saw it on "Mythbusters", and I tend to believe those nuts!

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Wayne Sanders
Rose Lodge, OR
(TD 4288)

"I don't care to belong to any club that accepts people like me"-joined Willamette Valley Club in 2011

79/65 MGB - Carmine- V-6 - T-5

This car is now very nearly completely done. Sure to find something else, but not now.........And 12 years later, I'm starting to fix things that were new when we built the car. It's pretty well de-bugged!

Turtle Wax Chrome Polish. I used some this Summer and was very pleased with the results on my 43 year old chrome parts. RAY

Found this article. It looks fairly comprehensive and sound like good science.

http://www.robertscycle.com/chrome-clean.html

Aluminum foil and water. No paste other than the oxide paste that fees when chroma and foil meet.

Any comments after reading?

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Mench tracht un MG Gott lacht!
(We plan and the MG God laughs!)

Thanks for that Mark, sounds convincing, gonna try it tomorrow

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~ Marco and Viajero ~