Any Experience Brightening Up Hubcaps?

[SilverSpear]

Hey guys,

I recently got ahold of 13 used hubcaps in great condition. No pitting/rash/dings at all. Only 3 of them are in almost mint condition, whereas the rest have some fading on them.
Any of you guys experienced in getting the shine back to those caps? Any polish compound/procedure you know?

Thanks

[w113dude]

I use this paste for chrome parts, but it all depends how bad the parts are, does a great job of cleaning and polishing.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3M-Chrome-Metal-Polish-Wheel-Cleaner-Paste-10-oz-Tub-Car-Auto-Detail-39527-/141004618013?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item20d487b91d&vxp=mtr

[mdsalemi]

Spear,

If they are chrome, as w113dude says, metal polish.

The stainless ones are a different matter.  There are reproductions floating around, and these just don't polish up as well as the OEM stainless.  Different grade of stainless.  Protocol is the same--metal polish and buffing.

[wwheeler]

This is a slight deviation from the topic but still applicable. I just noticed that Mercedes brought back the 14" steel chromed
hubcap for those before the stainless cap came to being. You still have to paint them of course. That is one way to have super shiny hubcaps. Not cheap as you would expect.

A115 401 03 24

[SilverSpear]

Shaun, thanks for the link. This compound seems interesting, wouldn't hurt to get and use not only on caps, but for the rest of the car too.

Michael, I think they are stainless. Got all 13 for $50 lol.

Dan

[mdsalemi]

Michael, I think they are stainless. Got all 13 for $50 lol.

Interestingly some of the stainless ones (the repros) were magnetic; the OEM stainless were not (maybe the other way around...)
But easy enough to tell: chrome plated steel would certainly have a small amount of rust on the backside unless they were exceptionally well maintained.

And, in case you didn't know, you got a great deal.   Hope they were not stolen!

[SilverSpear]

Interestingly some of the stainless ones (the repros) were magnetic; the OEM stainless were not (maybe the other way around...)
But easy enough to tell: chrome plated steel would certainly have a small amount of rust on the backside unless they were exceptionally well maintained.

And, in case you didn't know, you got a great deal.   Hope they were not stolen!

My OEM's had rust on the back side and the fronts. The ones I got are in very good condition.

Bought them from a well known (around here) breakage yard, they don't deal with stolen vehicles. They had over 200 hubcaps and spent a good deal of time inspecting each and every one of those until I narrowed them down to 13.

Michael, some sellers do not really know the value of what they have, others who are better exposed to the web, do know. For example I currently have 2 complete P/S boxes and one great core of which I nailed at $120, $50 and $60 respectively... How much are those normally selling in the US?

[mdsalemi]

complete P/S boxes and one great core of which I nailed at $120, $50 and $60 respectively... How much are those normally selling in the US?

A rebuilt OEM p/s pump (rebuilt by C&M Hydraulics, apparently the "leader" in this in the USA) for a 69 280SL is about $200 with core...which means you'll find some prices a bit higher and lower, but that's a good number to use. They carry a $200 core charge so if you don't have a core, it's about $400. A wrecking yard is a good place to go for some used parts, no doubt. But, if you "pick and pull" it is lower cost than having someone do it, clean up the part, identity it, verify working status, and then "market" it on a website!