Sidepipe Cover Restoration

[4WDVETTE]

I want to improve the looks of my sidepipe covers that I got in 1978 to replace covers that were severly damaged - I think there was some off roading involved. My current covers have a lot of pitting on the polished stripes and directly behind the front tires. I was going to use some fine grit sandpaper and then some aluminum polishing compound to bring the shine back. Overall they are in good shape, except for the fiberglas insullators. In a few spots, the pipes must have been too close to the insullation and burned through. Are replacements for the insullation available anywhere? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Steve

 

[Kid_Again]

I use 0000 brass wool soaked in WD40 as a way to polish the side pipe covers. The brass wool is so soft that it will not cut the surface. You can get the brass wool from furniture refinishing suppliers.

 

[BarryK]

Steve
you can buy all new shields with the insulators already included, they are only $650 each so $1200 for the pair! :eek

actually, paragon does list the fiberglass insulators seperately. Looks like they come as two pieces, a front section and a center section.
in the Paragon catalog I have it's llisted on page 61.

item# 6301 - Side exhaust shield fiberglass insulator, center..........$120

item# 6302 - Side exhaust shield fiberglass insulator, front............$60

hope this helps


EDIT:
LICS also has them listed also for $115 and $63
item #'s 33-52A and 33-52C

 

[allcoupedup]

The sidepipe covers are anodized (clear) aluminum. If the anodized surface has been scratched or is dull, you might be able to polish it per the suggestions above. However, if you get thourh the anodizing for deep scratches and such, it is unlikely that you will be able to get the covers looking new or "normal" again.


Brian

 

[Kid_Again]

allcoupedup is absolutley correct...ask me how i know that steel wool is too aggressive for the anodized surfaces :eyerole

 

[4WDVETTE]

Kid - I assume you tried the steel wool and the result was not satisfactory.

Barry - thanks for the info on the insullation. I really don't want to shell out 1200 for new covers if I can salvage mine. I think I paid 160 for the pair new from GM back then.

I appreciate everybody's input. Anyone else want to chime in.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Tripleblack51]

Kid - I assume you tried the steel wool and the result was not satisfactory.

Barry - thanks for the info on the insullation. I really don't want to shell out 1200 for new covers if I can salvage mine. I think I paid 160 for the pair new from GM back then.

I appreciate everybody's input. Anyone else want to chime in.

Thanks,

Steve

Hi Steve,

I had to replace the insulation for one of my sidepipes a couple of years ago.

I used Paragon and a two part epoxy that I bought at a marine supply store.
Very simple to do. Just make sure you get the inside of the shield as clean as possible.

Paragon is great to do business with.

Good luck!!

Pedro

 

[Kid_Again]

Kid - I assume you tried the steel wool and the result was not satisfactory.

Barry - thanks for the info on the insullation. I really don't want to shell out 1200 for new covers if I can salvage mine. I think I paid 160 for the pair new from GM back then.

I appreciate everybody's input. Anyone else want to chime in.

Thanks,

Steve

yup, that's correct...here's what i did with my covers and i'm pretty satisfied...removed the insulation first, washed the covers with simple green, dried them and then hosed them down with degreaser and brass wool...then i buffed with brass wool and WD-40...looks pretty good to me and I don't drive around with the clear covers, i just retouch the covers every year.....

...one of the covers on the '66 has the insulation epoxied DIRECTLY to the cover with some sort of black glue (it looked like an epoxy) and some of the glue had pushed through the slats and oozed down the side :eyerole ....so, i used a new razor blade to scrape off the glue and used a dremel tool to recess the glue in the slats- you have to be right on top of the cover to notice

 

[Seaside63]

If the aluminum is all pocked up from rocks and stones, then you can sand it with progressively finer sand papers and then polish it with a wheel and some compound.

If you stay off the frosted inner lines you can get it looking pretty good. You may want to tape over them for protection.

True that once you sand through the anodizing it will just be bare aluminum but it should improve the covers a lot.

A good bit of elbow grease can save $1200 and return a very nice result.

If you really want to get into it, you can polish the whole thing then spray paint the frosted lines and then spray clear over the covers.

 

[66NICK98]

Ecklers also sells the fiberglass insulators, that's where I got mine.
My car was missing the insulators on one side so I had to purchase just one set
It cost 149.00 if I remember correctly. I did have to wait a while since it
was backordered.
This summer I took off both covers, removed the fiberglass and wire-wheeled
the inside of the covers, getting rid of all the glue.
I polished the sidepipes and put the covers back on without the insulators and
I kinda like the way they look without the fiberglass inserts.
Most likely I eventually will glue the fibergalss in place...another day.