Pipedreams

I have had a number of emails requesting the trick to getting my Route 66 tips looking like this:



You will need the following:

Electric Drill (no cordless)

220 or 320 grit flap sander (sears double check the grit)
Flap sander

Compound Set (sears)
Compound set

Simichrome (www.eastwood.com)
Simichrome

3.5” Mushroom buff (www.eastwood.com)
Mushroom Buff

Step 1:

First off, the trick is to remove all imperfection prior to buffing, if you leave them, they will still be there after you polish. I used a 220 grit flap (320 would be better) sander attached to the electric drill and using light pressure sanded the inside of the tips until all ridges and imperfections were gone. If you used 220 you can go over it with a plain sheet of 320 and then 600 in your hand. The finer the sand paper the less black compound you will need. You can skip this step if you have almost perfect tips or if you are not comfortable sanding them. You need to keep the flap sander moving and only use light pressure. You can also damage the surface so be careful.

Step 2:

Install the sears 4” buff (the buff ***** will not work, you need a stiff buff wheel that will allow you to really put pressure) in your drill and work some black compound into the buff (you might want to stack all three wheels on a bolt like I did) . I had some older buffs from sears (don’t think they make them any longer) and installed them on a 3/8” carriage bolt with washers and a nut. The buff should be a tight fit but using high rpms work the buffs in and out of the tip with allot of pressure. Apply more black and keep at it until you see the surface begin to shine and all marks from the sanding are gone. Don’t skimp on this step it’s much better to do this too much than too little or the next steps will not result in the desired shine.

Once this is done, clean the wheel by raking a flat blade screwdriver across as the buff when its moving to remove any left over compound. Before going to the next compounds wipe out any reside from the tips. Repeat with the white compound and then repeat with the red.



Step 3:

Install the mushroom buff and apply the Simichrome (a small amount about the size of an eraser) to the tips and buff to the desired shine. As the polish works in for a while back out the reinsert lightly to really get the shine up.




Keeping them like this:

I keep a cotton diaper in the storage compartment and also in the garage. After a ride I wipe out the tips when hot and they look new again.

LTC Z06

Nice, I'm going to place this in the FAQ sticky.

V Vette

Ed, you did it again, THANKS-- YOU DA MAN............V

MichaelB

Well done Ed!!

jim213

They really look great. Excellent step by step instructions.

Walt White Coupe

Doesn't anyone think this is a little sick?

vetteman22

I had some stainless buffing compound and did that to mine last weekend..they came out great! I also have some heavy cutting compound for removing blems fast but didnt need it...

HOFFIE

They sure are shiney,but you still cant them.

C8-Vette

Ed,
They are SPECTACULAR!! (No plastic?)
I found some info on Rouge Compounds- It recommends from Course to fine -for Stainless Steel-black-brown-white-green?-blue. Strangely no Red. I have blue if you ever need some-never saw Green.
I also ordered 2 flapper sanders -320 and 400 from WOODCRAFT.com
$17 each -expensive but impossible to buy locally.
Thanks for the info.
Al

Boozman

Looks great thanks for the info

Pipedreams

Thanks

ZZR1200

If they had so many imperfections, you had to use sandpaper and polishing compound to get them shiny - I would have returned them. My Corsas only require a quick hit of Z-6?

bobby o

Had to put on my sunglasses to see the pic

Pipedreams

Got a close up of yours? When I say imperfections, I don't mean things that would warrant return. Just like the paint finish on the C6 it's good but not perfect. If you wet sanded the C6 and buffed it out it would look much better. The same is true with any tips unless they are chrome plated. If you want a shine like mine you need to take an extra step.

PS: No Z6 or any other wax / enhancer detailer, it will turn yellow over time

jschindler

I have to tell you that yours do look awesome. I have tried to polish mine using the coumpond and buffer - I was not happy with the results. I'm really nervous about using the sanding wheel, but I might give in and try it.

Thanks for posting your system.

everett36

Thanks for posting! Looks nice

2005ArcticWhite

Nice!!!!