Red SLR Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 I have now got a 4-2-1 stainless exhaust for my 7, the problem is it needs a good polishing. I spent about 2 hours on it tonight but I am still not happy with the effect, is there any way of speeding up the process? A drill has come to mind but I cant find anywhere that sells the polishing bits. I am using Autosol at the moment, is there anything better? Thanks Simon. X777CAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 The best way is to take it off the car and use a bench grinder with polishing mops and two or even 3 grades of polish - machine mart sell kits for this. It's hard work - i got two of my old pitted primaries and half of the collector to shine and then gave up.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Brother Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 Simon, Take a look here Steve www.Se7en-Up.co.uk id=green> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julians Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 Dont bother, it'll look just as knackered after about 200 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 Get it coated black or let it go brown gracefully - life is definitely too short. Alternatively I think you can buy some stick on stuff from Halfords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony isherwood Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 A couple of cheapo polishing pads from Halfrauds using T cut to get the worst off, then ditto using autosolve. Lasts until you start the engine ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Piper Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 Andy teeth.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjwb Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 Julians, Couldn't disagree more! Once clean and polished it is very easy to manitain; just keep polishing. By far the worst aspect is the constant grit blasting of the tailpipe by the front wheels! Actually, it only gets better with polishing. I start off with 600 wet and dry and finish with 1200 - plenty of soapy water. Dry off and then Solvol. Steve B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serimmer Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 Had mine professionally polished by a metal polishing firm in Darwin (Lancs). They also polish the tail pipes for the new jag and have done AC cobras and alike. Very good job. Took a few days and cost around £100 for just the main section, I think. Haven't got the number to hand but they were in the yellow pages. After 2K miles still looks a little brown but still good, with 'very occasional' autosol polishing. If you're interested I can try and find the tel. no. Scott X5 SER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 wipe on wipe off..... you must be a Karate Kid fan wink.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 Karate Kid was wax on, wax off...........teeth.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 Had mine done by an 'good' friend. Very generous of him too. It was literally mirror and looked pretty good during the running in period (550miles or so). 1 x rolling road sectrion later with the headers glowing cherry red after sustained 6000 RPM mapping + the power runs up to 8,000 saw them go a bronze colour. Rather fetching. Now look pretty much as they do on most cars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Nick Chan Posted April 24, 2002 Area Representative Share Posted April 24, 2002 Had my 4 into 1 system polished by Classic Carriage Co when I built the car 5 years ago. Not sure about the cost now but it was £45 + VAT then and signing a cheque was a lot easier than getting the polishing rags out.... Nick Edited by - Nick Chan on 24 Apr 2002 19:54:11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k.russell Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 i polished my jpe system at work using mops and cutting wax, not a very fun job, suggest you take to a pro polisher as suggested above, after polishing when you wash car try alloy wheel cleaner,mousse, but wash off after short while as it is an acid solution. my exhaust is still as polished as 5000 miles ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red SLR Posted April 25, 2002 Author Share Posted April 25, 2002 Scott, I live about 10mins from Darwin, I think I know the place you mean. Is it near the town center? I think I will have a go myself first. I spent a couple of hours the other night with Autosol and it improved the finnish a lot so a couple of hours with mops should see it sorted. Where are you in Lancs? X777CAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serimmer Posted April 25, 2002 Share Posted April 25, 2002 Simon, I'm in Hale Barns, Cheshire so not quite Lancs but on the border. The place was indeed close to the town centre. As you approach the town from the bolton direction, it was right at 'The Park' pub or inn and then down the hill. Very easy to find hence I did not keep the dirctions or number etc. and paid cash! X5 SER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinwhitcher Posted April 25, 2002 Share Posted April 25, 2002 EASY EASY EASY, go to a local car body shop/or supplier ask for scotch pads (they are a fine abrasive pad that they use for car repairs, around £10 for 10) use scotch pad and autosolve/peek metal polish-not too much hard work, then autosolve/peek on it's own. BINGO SHINEY EXHAUST!!! Martin MW 51 CAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickB7 Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 I use a place in coventry - they do a lot of OE automotive stuff and price is good - name is underhills S31VEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red SLR Posted April 26, 2002 Author Share Posted April 26, 2002 I work near to the airport (near as in I am looking out of my window at a plane on the runway..) so not too far from you... I will e-mail you. X777CAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allegro Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 Right I've found it. My exhaust was a bit messy. I had an R500 silencer welded on and then I rounded the edges down. System looked good but very patchy with muck and various tarnish shades and colours. Went and saw a fabricator fellow friend of mine who took a pink pot of goo out of a cabinet and painted my system. 5 minutes later he washed it off. Hey presto no more tarnish. It's acid based and must only be used on stainless steel. It's very nasty stuff and if it touches your paint work, say bye bye to it. It also messes with your bone structure if taken internally. One 10 minute polish with duraglit and you have a bran new stainless system. It has now been run very hot and has a bronze sheene fading to silver stainless. Very nice If anyone is interested I'll get the name of the stuff and post it. Andy Mac teeth.gif Team Langoustine. Hard Core Prawn. See you at LeHoux teeth.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red SLR Posted April 26, 2002 Author Share Posted April 26, 2002 Would be interested for the future. I have now got some scotch pads, and a buffer, so hopefully I will have it nice and shiny by the weekend. Thanks for all the info. Simon. X777CAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Nick Chan Posted April 26, 2002 Area Representative Share Posted April 26, 2002 Allegro, I would be interested in the name of the stuff, not sure about the bone structure bit or the paintwork but it sounds ideal! Cheers Nick smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allegro Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 It's called POLINOX-P RAPID Hydroflouric + nitric acid. NICE Commonly known in the welding trade as PICKLING PASTE and can be got from any weld shop. I cannot endorse this enough. It has stripped all marks off my exhaust from where the primaries come thru the body to the front of the silencer. I also did the exit pipe. Then give it a good wash down. Make sure you clean it all off. Rub with duraglit silver. Then another wash down. 20 minutes work. It takes longer to dry the exhaust after washes than it took to clean. And I mean spotless. Make sure you put a barrier between the system and you car body, cause it will lift the paint on your car before it lands on it. Please be careful with it. Breath it in and you'll wake up looking like the elephant man. Andy Mac teeth.gif Team Langoustine. Hard Core Prawn. See you at LeHoux teeth.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allegro Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 Right slight change. Do not use Duraglit after acid. Use Auto Glym metal polish. 10 minutes work and I can see my face in it. Reflection not too pretty but the exhaust is, can't stop goin to the garage. Andy Mac teeth.gif Team Langoustine. Hard Core Prawn. See you at LeHoux teeth.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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