Auto Detailing and Appearance Share tips and tricks on how to make your Third Gen shine! Get opinions on products or how something tasteful looks on your Chevrolet Camaro or Pontiac Firebird.

HOW TO POLISH TPI

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-27-2010, 07:47 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
CURTISZ28FAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NEW BRUNSWICK,CANADA
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 91 Z-28
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
HOW TO POLISH TPI

LOOKING FOR INFORMATION AND TIPS ON HOW TO GO ABOUT POLISHING THE TPI.THANKS FOR ANY INFO.
Old 06-28-2010, 12:33 AM
  #2  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (58)
 
Drew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Salina, KS
Posts: 20,309
Received 1,052 Likes on 748 Posts
Re: HOW TO POLISH TPI

Sand paper. Start coarse, work your way to finer and finer grits. Once everything is evenly dull, with a bit of luster, and no visible scratches, polish and buff by hand with Mothers Aluminum polish.

It's a lot of work. Most people start and give up. There's a lot of half polished aluminum parts out there.
Old 06-28-2010, 01:15 AM
  #3  
Member
 
chevy boi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: califorina
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1989 i roc-z28
Engine: 350 tpi l98
Transmission: 700r4
Re: HOW TO POLISH TPI

i went from 100 grit sand paper, to 150 grit to 200 to 400 to 500 wet sand then 700 wet sand. then once i got it all smooth i hit it with a white polishing rouge ( spelling) on a buffing wheel hooked up to a bench grinder. after that i finished it off with a hand helded air powered buffers ( the ones that look like porting tools) then cleaned it up with mothers polish.
Old 06-28-2010, 09:10 AM
  #4  
Senior Member

 
blackbmagic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: LI, NY
Posts: 864
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Car: 1985 IROC-Z
Engine: 355
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 10 Bolt Posi
Re: HOW TO POLISH TPI

Thats fine you wont have to start as low as 100 though. Start with 300-400 and go up 100 grit all the way to 800 then start to wet sand at 800wet. go up to 1000wet then go to 1500wet then 2000wet. Once you have it all even at 2000 hit it with polishing compound with a buffer. Wax it and your set.

The trick is to even out every grit sandpaper you use dont use shortcuts make sure every grit is even before you move up.

*My father fabricates high-power telescopes by hand and instead of mirrors he highly polishes metal discs. He has the machinery to polish the discs now but originally this was pretty much the process. Ive done a few with him and it comes out perfect if you take your time.

Last edited by blackbmagic; 06-28-2010 at 09:15 AM.
Old 06-28-2010, 09:50 AM
  #5  
Supreme Member
iTrader: (16)
 
jstoltz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Tiffin OHIO
Posts: 2,006
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Car: 1987 Iroc-z Convertible
Re: HOW TO POLISH TPI

if you already have a buffer just get some greaseless abrasive and it eliminates most of the sanding.
Old 06-29-2010, 01:57 PM
  #6  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
CURTISZ28FAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NEW BRUNSWICK,CANADA
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 91 Z-28
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Re: HOW TO POLISH TPI

THANKS FOR THE INFO. GUYS DEFINITLY HELPED.I HAD NO IDEA OF THE PROCESS.SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD WINTER PROJECT.THANKS
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
86IROC112
Auto Detailing and Appearance
23
09-29-2015 04:07 PM
gixxer92
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
5
09-01-2015 04:32 PM
BlackphantomZ28
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
0
08-22-2015 01:00 PM
kah992
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
2
08-19-2015 02:55 PM
Sanjay
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
1
08-12-2015 03:41 PM



Quick Reply: HOW TO POLISH TPI



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:40 AM.