Anyone know how a person would restore the brushed finish on an early Starfire body trim panel? Can it be done on the car?


Something like this- how do you fix this?

 

I would remove it so you could bend back into shape.

I didn't see the damage at first.

 

@Oldskeeper makes reproduction Starfire trim. He'll have the best insight on whether those dings can be repaired.

The front fender trim never got the bead moulding the 2d type door and quarter panel trim got. Damage like yours is why the bead mouldings were introduced as a running change only a couple months into 1962 production.

 

The long panels that run the length of the car are aluminum, not steel. If they are in really bad shape, you can try and fix them, but will probably not look great because of the way they were finished.

If you want replacement panels, I believe Steve Westlake in Ontario, Canada is still in business and can make a set for you. Not inexpensive, but nothing is anymore. He made a set for my 1963 Starfire and the work was perfect. If interested, here is the contact information:

Steve Westlake
JASWEST
website: www.jaswest.com
phone: 905-775-2641
email: Stevewestlake@jaswest.com

 

Good morning,
I'm still in the game making the embossed panels for these cars.
Repairing a panel back to a quality piece is what I originally tried to do and I found out a lot about the aluminium product.
The lines are embossed (pressed) in and repairing was not possible so another route had to be taken, after stripping the anodizing off the quality of the lines disappeared and the acid wash removed some of the material elements leaving a "snow flake" appearance. Figuring out how to make new was the only way.
On the fender panel with dents at the peak line you'll have to remove the panel from the car and either take the whole fender off or remove inner fender and hope it's not undercoated with undercoating.
The car looks clean and hopefully is clean behind, personally if it were my car I'd live with this until I wanted to replace the whole set. Some guys have painted the panels to hide marks like this but you loose the purpose of the panel as the lines fill up with paint and in most peoples opinion look stupid.
Give me a call
Steve Westlake
JASWEST
905-775-2641
And we can talk
Thanks
Steve