SOS pads on chrome

[radioguy7]

Took advantage of the awesome weather we had here in the Northeast this past weekend to finally cleanup my 47 Plymouth. This car was a true "Barn find" and looked it as well. After I got done washing it the water in the bucket was black as night and the car looked so much better with the exception of the hub caps and front bumper that all had some scale rust started on them. Well I remembered reading a post on here about using SOS pads on rust and how well it removed it. So.. I broke out the box of SOS pads and went to town on the fron bumper. I was amazed at how the rust just seemed to disolve before my eyes with very light pressure of the pad. I was actually considering replacing the front bumper or having it replated but no need to now. After rinsing it off it revealed a very nice driver quality chrome finish that is good enough for me as a driver. I also used it on my hubcaps with equal results. With 15 minutes of effort I figure I saved myself about $400 in replating or replacing my hubcaps.

btw, any suggestions on what to use to preserve the original paint on the car?? it's very nice shape having lasted all these years. It has a bunch of bug pits in front that might need to be repainted but over all the car really doesnt need a repaint and I figure is worth more untouched. Right now it looks good at 10 feet, and looks awesome at 20 feet, can't wait to shine her up too.

[greg g]

I would go over it with a good cleaner wax, or a once around with polishing compound then a carnuba based wax. What color is it???

[lorandunn]

I have always prefered brass wool to clean chrome. Steel is hard than chrome and often leaves small scratches. Brass is softer than chrome, so it cleans only the surface but leaves the chrome looking like new.

[oldmopar]

I have always prefered brass wool to clean chrome. Steel is hard than chrome and often leaves small scratches. Brass is softer than chrome, so it cleans only the surface but leaves the chrome looking like new.

In the supermarkets they have a copper pad to scrub pots that works well on bumpers

[Norm's Coupe]

I've been using SOS pads for years on the stainless and chrome parts of cars. What's nice about it, it's not only abrasive but it's full of soap. The soap is what really does the cleaning and also keeps it from scratching. Trick is to keep a soapy pad with lots of water in it, and it'll clean it like Radioguy said.

[radioguy7]

I would go over it with a good cleaner wax, or a once around with polishing compound then a carnuba based wax. What color is it???

The car is black with i'd say about 90% of the finish intact with a few dents and scrapes on the rear fenders and scattered paint chips here an there. I'm thinking of using some of that clear car show detailer that comes in a spray bottle or even some pledge on it so not to have a bunch of white specs where wax will get caught up in any paint chips or scratches.

Unfortunetly the hood has some shallow dents where some kids had banged on the car with a broom handle. I know this, from the guy I bought it from who had personally put them there when he was 8 yrs old! (he's 33 now). I'm thinking of gently trying to spoon out the dents from the other side.

[radioguy7]

I've been using SOS pads for years on the stainless and chrome parts of cars. What's nice about it' date=' it's not only abrasive but it's full of soap. The soap is what really does the cleaning and also keeps it from scratching. Trick is to keep a soapy pad with lots of water in it, and it'll clean it like Radioguy said.[/quote']

Yeah, I found that was the key, keeping it good and soapy. I changed pads out when the soap started to wash out. My hubcaps looked like candidates for rechroming before, now they look awesome. Wish I took some before and after pics.

[Norm's Coupe]

If you want to make the body look new again (except for scratches & dents) on the cheap try the K-Mart brand white paste polishing compound. Keep a bucket of water next to you to constantly rinse the rag you use out close by. Wet the rag, wring it out, then apply a small amount of polish on your rag. Rub that into the paint using small circular motion over one section of the car (like a door or hood). After that has dried rinse the same application rag again and rub that section in again without adding more polish to the rag. Keep repeating that until there is hardly any polish film left on the car at all. You'll see the paint start to shine through the film as you go. After the very light film is dry, then use a clean soft cotton rag to clean off the film. You will probably need to rub a section at least 4 or 5 times to get it rubbed in that good. You should also constantly be rinsing the rag and wringing it out as you rub those sections in. Then move on to another section of the car. When finished the good paint will look like new again, without using any other type of wax. There are pictures of my coupe on my website of before and after I waxed it that way. It does take a while to do that though. Think I spent a couple of hours each day for about a week or so doing mine in small sections like that. That was back in 1995 and it still looks good but could stand a wax job now. But.........can't move my wrist that well anymore to do it like that, so have to find a good buffer to wax it now. I doubt if I can do it that nice with one of those.

[radioguy7]

Thanks for the tip Norm, but I'm going to try the least evasive technique first and just try some kind of clear spray on detailer first. This is not going to be a show car in any way shape or form, but a daily driver that I plan to drive until the tires are shot, then replace them and drive it some more!!

I am going to try your method tho on my 55 caddy,the finish is pretty dull on it and needs some attention. I'll let you know the results.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I like using OOOO steel wool pad....

[eric wissing]

I used to have a box of SOS pads from the 1930s. It was just steel wool with a brown block of soap!!. It is good to live in these modern times. Sometimes "New and Improved" are more than mere sales slogans. Eric

[dezeldoc]

The best thing to do with the paint is find a detail shop and have them detail it. they know how to take care of the paint without damaging it and it will look like it was just painted! that clear spray stuff is best left in the store, anything that is under the spray is there forever! black when done wrong looks worse than if you had left it alone. sos is great stuff!

[RobertKB]

I love SOS pads. Great for whitewalls, stainless, chrome, cleaning used golf balls, glass, etc. Just keep them soapy.

[radioguy7]

The best thing to do with the paint is find a detail shop and have them detail it. they know how to take care of the paint without damaging it and it will look like it was just painted! that clear spray stuff is best left in the store, anything that is under the spray is there forever! black when done wrong looks worse than if you had left it alone. sos is great stuff!

I've been around cars long enough to know how to detail a car and how to take care of paint, less is better in most cases. The spray I was talking about comes in a pump spray bottle, it isnt paint or any kind of aerosol can. It's just a clear detailer that gives you a quick detail of your car prior to a show without the fuss of applying wax. This is my first experience with an original 1947 paint job, i'm more intersted in conservation than anything else. And one trip to the detailer could be disastrous, once damage is done it's done.

[dezeldoc]

might as well just use wd40 then, quick shine and no lasting effects.

[Don Coatney]

might as well just use wd40 then, quick shine and no lasting effects.

Kerosene or diesel fuel will both work for a quick shine. And there are added benefits of rust protection. Hard to get around the smell though:eek:

[Rodney Bullock]

Radioguy, if you really know about detailing and paint you know that putting oil back into old single stage paint is very simple, No one has said anything about hand Glaze. I have cars that have not seen the light of day in years and the second thing I do after washing it is appying a good hand glaze. If the paint is any good at all this will bring it back. You have to know how to appy it though as hand glaze is not wax. It is not cheap good hand glaze cost about 50.00 dollars a bottle. When it comes to cleaning chrome the finer the wool the better, copper pads is a great idea:)

[radioguy7]

might as well just use wd40 then, quick shine and no lasting effects.

I was actually thinking about using pledge furniture polish, don't laugh, used to use it on my M37 power wagon prior to parades. I first saw a guy using it and thought he was nuts, until I tried it, works great! It's true, when paint gets tired you need to put the oils back into it for any kind of lasting shine. Military vehicles tend to sit for a while in between uses and the sun is brutal on the dark green finishes.

I was going to mess with it last night and take some pics, but...spring obviously is here, the whole car was covered with pollen dust and those stupid little buds from the trees. My fault for not covering it back up after.