Polished or Brushed Finish?

[FUNFER2]

With a polished finished, how do you keep it clean, and from oxidizing ?
And how often ?

[Ronbo]

Originally Posted by FUNFER2

With a polished finished, how do you keep it clean, and from oxidizing ?
And how often ?

Move to the desert... Me, I live in a swamp. No way I'm gonna try to keep up with a polished finish.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by FUNFER2

With a polished finished, how do you keep it clean, and from oxidizing ?
And how often ?

How often do you wash and polish you car now?

[FUNFER2]

Have some babealousious babe,........ rub her T/A to polish.
(You can supply the rubbing compound)

[FUNFER2]

I was mine if I've been driving at night and splatted with bugs.
Other than that I use my micro-fiber towels with detail wax. I wax with a buffer in spring and again before parking her for winter. There's no need for more wax than that.

Since yours polished, how often and what do you do bud ?
What a beautiful Kirkham you have !

[Jamo]

The brushed finish is the easiest finish to live with: Leave it the f*** alone.

Honestly...a bit of natural grime sort of seals the thing a bit. Fingerprints show up less, bugs wipe off easier, etc. A bit of Windex and maybe one or two soapy washes a year really does it just fine. Obviously, if I could have a babe do it using everything she's got, it would be a daily thing.

I've watched folks with brushed finishes chasing after every little thing and they end up working on it as much as they would with paint. If you enjoy that...then have at it.

[RedBarchetta]

Originally Posted by Jamo

I've watched folks with brushed finishes chasing after every little thing and they end up working on it as much as they would with paint.

I believe it. Just having my brushed finish valve covers, air cleaner and surge tank will keep me busy enough to keep them looking "right." The entire car? Damn, I'd have to be admitted to the local funny farm.

-Dean

[PANAVIA]

Painted. I am different too.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by PANAVIA

Painted. I am different too.

Steve, paint is normal. Bare aluminum is different.

I'm fairly sure this has been discussed on CC before, but according to the "Swift Method":

"Maintaining the Mirror Finish

Swift has found the mirror finish produced by their polishing method holds up very well to the elements. Remember, they are polishing aircraft that are exposed to the same rain and bugs as your car…only they are traveling at over 150 miles an hour.

To periodically clean the mirror finish, Swift recommends washing the polished surface with plain water (no detergents). Rinse the surface with clean water and then mop with a clean cotton cloth soaked in water to remove any surface contaminants. Flush the polished surface with fresh water to wash away any remaining particles. Dry the surface with a synthetic chamois (Swift recommends “Absorber”). You can follow this with a clean polishing cloth to be sure the surface is completely dry.

Swift notes that the high gloss finish does not require as much re-polishing as other methods they have tried. A quick touch up with the Nuvite S is generally all that is necessary to periodically restore the mirror-like finish."

If your bare polished aluminum surface has not been neglected, and has not significantly weathered then:

"The final polishing step uses the Cyclo3 Model 5 polisher, Nuvite S polish and Swift’s 95/5 material,4 similar to a very heavy weight sweatshirt fleece used as a polishing cloth. The Cyclo is an industrial strength polisher with dual counterbalanced heads that move in a random, overlapping pattern. It is also a great polisher for painted surfaces since it will not burn paint finishes or leave swirl marks like high-speed rotary polishers. Swift has experimented with different types of polishing pads, cloths and types of polishers and has found the above combination to work the best."

If you don't have a Cyclo, then polish by hand. Takes a bit longer and isn't as good as a polisher.

Let's not make it out to be brain surgery.

[Jamo]

Let's not make it out to be brain surgery.

Assactly...whether brushed or polished, it's as simple as you allow it to be, or as difficult as you make it.

Brushed is faster though.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Jamo

Let's not make it out to be brain surgery.

Assactly...whether brushed or polished, it's as simple as you allow it to be, or as difficult as you make it.

Brushed is faster though.

For you...yes. For those afflicted with OCD, maybe not so much.

As you know, there are different levels of brushed finish and the "graining" might drive me nuts.

[twobjshelbys]

Painted. Too bad aluminum and the Rocky Mountains hail do not coexist well.

[Jamo]

Rodknock...I meant faster performance-wise.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Jamo

Rodknock...I meant faster performance-wise.

Touché. You drew me into that one. I can feel it.