I'm no metallurgist, so help me out here guys.
What is the metal trim (brightwork) around the 1st-gen (90-96) Q45 windows made of? I'm especially referring to the piece that runs along the top of the doors, along the window glass.
It's not chromed steel, and it's not aluminum....
It has become dull and hazy. I want to "brighten" it up, but I've tried 000 steel wool, compound, chrome polish, aluminum polish... to no avail.
Identify this metal:
different series of stainless can be magnetic, 300 series vs 400 series etc.
If you don't care, take a piece off and take to an electroplater.They can put it thru a light acid bath to strip. Usually the smaller shops or ones that specialize in auto refinishing
They may even be able to help identify the metal before stirpping.
My guess is it is stainless with a clear coat that yellowed. Would take alot of work using that fine of abrasives to eat thru it.
Stainless is stiff enough to keep shape in small cross sections while still having very nice reflective properties and pretty good dent resistance. Seen some pretty mirror like finish stainless in my days.
Oh I Miss those days, I had direct access to platers, machine shops and the like, but alas it is mearly a memory
Sorry to drag on, it's late.
Good luck on your quest.
If you don't care, take a piece off and take to an electroplater.They can put it thru a light acid bath to strip. Usually the smaller shops or ones that specialize in auto refinishing
They may even be able to help identify the metal before stirpping.
My guess is it is stainless with a clear coat that yellowed. Would take alot of work using that fine of abrasives to eat thru it.
Stainless is stiff enough to keep shape in small cross sections while still having very nice reflective properties and pretty good dent resistance. Seen some pretty mirror like finish stainless in my days.
Oh I Miss those days, I had direct access to platers, machine shops and the like, but alas it is mearly a memory
Sorry to drag on, it's late.
Good luck on your quest.
well if you are sure it isnt ferrous, a SS, or Al based, then my best guess is that it is some kind of pot metal, cheap zinc die cast.
pot metal can be plated or polished and then clear coated...its hard to tell from your description what the surface is actually like.
if this piece is predominantly zinc based, you could test it on a bare part of the metal (no plating or clear coat). use some mild acid, even like ketchup, and if it dulls down to a lead-like look or instantly corrodes..then theres probably some zinc in there.
also look herehttp://mrrecycling.e-siteworks.com/metals/
and at this (from above link)
pot metal can be plated or polished and then clear coated...its hard to tell from your description what the surface is actually like.
if this piece is predominantly zinc based, you could test it on a bare part of the metal (no plating or clear coat). use some mild acid, even like ketchup, and if it dulls down to a lead-like look or instantly corrodes..then theres probably some zinc in there.
also look herehttp://mrrecycling.e-siteworks.com/metals/
and at this (from above link)
Yeah, so I was about to comment that perhaps it is a coated plastic, but wasn't so sure and didn't want to sound like an A$$ for saying Infiniti would use cheap trim pieces....I've seen quite a bit of this material falling/peeling off of lesser automobiles that never see love from their owners. Didn't think Infiniti would use such a product on their flagship land yacht. If you were able to sacrifice a small piece of it, or if you knew of a yard where they had some trashed Q's, you could peel a piece off and examine the back side. It could very well be plastic on the underside.
EDIT: not *plastic* per se, but a "pot-metal" as they've said, that is malleable and can flex, bend, and crack when you do so.
EDIT: not *plastic* per se, but a "pot-metal" as they've said, that is malleable and can flex, bend, and crack when you do so.
How did you determine that it is not aluminum? Going by eswifts chart aluminum is not magnetic. Aluminum is also lightweight and we know Infiniti was trying to make the early cars light for performance. Remember the heavier window glass and insulation in later Gen1 cars because of road noise? I just went out and looked and poked around myself, plastic? I don't think so, tap on it and it sounds like a light metal, I have some fairly deep scratches in one piece and the color is the same at the bottom of the scratch, thereby leading me to believe it is not a coated material. I vote aluminum or some form of stainless that is not magnetic. By the way, how hard are these pieces to get off, I would like to redo mine too.
-
QuickSilver
- Posts: 144
- Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2003 10:25 am
My vote is aluminum.
I've had decent sucess brighting the pieces up by using compound with a electric rotor and pad. Some oxidation has come back after awhile. I hope to soon try a product called "Zoop Seal"(zoopseal.com) that I've seen on a commercial that is suppose to prevent oxidation on metal.
Yes, it would be help to know definately what metal it is.
I've had decent sucess brighting the pieces up by using compound with a electric rotor and pad. Some oxidation has come back after awhile. I hope to soon try a product called "Zoop Seal"(zoopseal.com) that I've seen on a commercial that is suppose to prevent oxidation on metal.
Yes, it would be help to know definately what metal it is.
-
QuickSilver
- Posts: 144
- Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2003 10:25 am
-
Thee 240sx Owner
- Posts: 1192
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2003 9:58 am
- Car: Canadian 89 240 with LSD/stock no ac/ and 4 motor swaps
- Contact: