7 wonders of the world Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 need your veiws or experiences here on body finish......... Should I go ally body with carbon wings an be forever polishing or paint it and run the risk of chips??? I've seen good and bad examples of both, I know you can get clear protective strips for he paint work (??) which wards off most wayward stones just like to get a feel for preventative measures and hours with a polishing cloth for he ally version. What do you guys use to keep them pristine ? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Procter Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Should I go ally body Not unless you've got a very strong elbow. Not that I'd know, I do nothing with mine and it looks pretty rough (nice little oxymoron for the grammar fans on this forum) - I'd certainly be looking to buy a painted one next time around. In fact I'm considering having this one sprayed this winter. Lots of posts in the archives about this BTW - consensus seems to be that you can't use ali finish in the wet/winter without a lot of aggro. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Nick Chan Posted August 17, 2005 Area Representative Share Posted August 17, 2005 Had both and I would certainly go with the painted car. Just personal preference because there are some products on the market that make bare ali cars much more usable than before but with the painted cars it only takes a few moments to wash and chamois it to a decent shine all the time and the stone chipping is not really that much more of a problem than with a bare ali car as the rear wings take most of the brunt anyway! Nick Now the Orange HPC - A 2.0 VX - 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Nut Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Get the low down on polishing from Lotus Boy He even polishes the dampers inside the springs 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonL Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Doesn't everybody 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul jacobs Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Have you thought about doing a bit of each. There is no doubt that polished alloy does look stunning when brought up to a mirror shine, and it's true that if you use the right polish [i use Alu Belgom] it will maintain that shine for 3-4 months easily, with just a chamois down when it is washed. The biggest problem, I have found is getting a good finish on the bonnet and around the louvres. So, I have painted the bonnet and scuttle to match the nosecone, leaving only the flat sides and back panel to polish, which is quick and easy [especially with my electrical polisher ]. If you get fed up with polishing, or you find it getting tatty with little dings and dents etc, after a couple of years, you can always have it painted after and make the car look like new again. Paul J. Hard work never killed anyone ........ but why take the chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7 wonders of the world Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 some excellent comments, I checked out alu belgom on the web, wax additive lasts for weeks..............Hmm could be an ally / carbon I think !! I suppose it's no worse than having to polish the non painted bits on a painted car really, Re bonnet lovers - do these respond well to a light electric buff with a soft mop....? Thanks again guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul jacobs Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 As for the bonnet "lovers", I have to confess to being a bit of a closet bonnet lover myself, but for goodness sake don't tell my wife, who thinks that the affair that the Seven and I have is entirely platonic 😬 With regard to the slots that let the hot air out of the engine compartment, they do not respond to the polishing mop well, it's a hand job [if you see what I mean 😳] and can take hours [oh hell this just gets worse, sorry, Friday afternoon and all that.....] Painting the bonnet and scuttle is easy, cheap and different and saves a stack of work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrone Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Paint, polishing is time consuming and time is much better spent driving the car. My car was bare ali and it isn't any more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7 wonders of the world Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 Paul, I'm going to see if the site administrator can activate a compulsary spell & grammar check on all my threads prior to posting !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul jacobs Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Oh, it was a typo, was it? And there me gone public with my little...ahem... fetish too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonkey eyed barmaid Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 Ive been polishing mine today.... every time i do this, it surprises me how much work it is. what a pain in the 🙆🏻 paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Walker Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 One of my big regrets was not painting my car. Its highly polished ali and black fibre wings and nose several people have asked me if its a Robin Hood which does not fill me with much pride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davef Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Granteuk, how long does it take, and is that by hand or with a polisher? I have an unpainted car and have yet to try polishing it..... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 I'm very confused. Is this "polishing" thing some type of upgrade I haven't heard of? When the car is "polished" how much quicker is it? Can someone send me step-by-step instructions on how to "polish" Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Each time you polish you remove some metal from the body, therefore making your car lighter and faster. Therefore all bare ali cars are faster and handle better than painted cars. It's a well known fact. A full polish usually takes me about two hours if I get a move on. For that reason, it gets about one full polish a year and the rest of the year it gradually reverts to dullness. Over the years (mine is now 18!) corrosion and pitting set in so that the ali is permanently marked all over, like bad acne. I don't mind this too much and think of it as patina. Overall, it still comes up in a fantastic shine when polished. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve C Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 With bare ally at least the car is not confused with being a W******ld , or a Morgan... and most have no idea what a Robin Hood is anyway!! I've got starred fibreglass and pitted ally both shining and clean ... it looks great, like a car that's lived: dents from Le mans, gravel from Croix etc. Playing the Lo-tech Hi-spec Weber music! 'Go on do that thing when your carbs catch fire' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul White Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 I wrapped my exhaust heat shield in clear vinyl and have never had to polish it; the same could be done with the rest of the Ali. Multi-coloured Beaulieu 1.8, see wraps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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