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Krmnnghia
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2005
Posts: 797
Location: Michigan, Land of salty roads!
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 Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 6:18 am Post subject: Cleaning and restoring radio face plates and knobs |
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Does anyone have any tips on cleaning up radio faces? I picked up a Wolfsburg Blaupunkt radio for $20 at the swap meet and the face is pretty rough.
Not my pic but close in condition:
I plan to restore it cosmetically only for my 62. Anyone know the best way to get these faceplates looking like new with years of grime and gunk on them?
Would also like to get the knobs and buttons looking better as they are weathered and cracked.
Appreciate the help. Thanks |
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RareAir
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 14577
Location: 18 miles North of the border
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 8:42 am Post subject: |
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Face the Chrome surround on the bezel, I like using 0000 Steel Wool.
For the Ivory knobs & buttons, I let those pieces sit in a diluted solution of water & bleach (about 3oz of each) for about 2-4 minutes. Remove the parts & scrub with a tooth brush under running water. |
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Krmnnghia
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2005
Posts: 797
Location: Michigan, Land of salty roads!
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:28 am Post subject: |
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| RareAir wrote: |
Face the Chrome surround on the bezel, I like using 0000 Steel Wool.
For the Ivory knobs & buttons, I let those pieces sit in a diluted solution of water & bleach (about 3oz of each) for about 2-4 minutes. Remove the parts & scrub with a tooth brush under running water. |
Excellent thank you! |
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stale air
Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2007
Posts: 5154
Location: Senoia Ga, formally NorCal
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:59 am Post subject: |
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| RareAir wrote: |
Face the Chrome surround on the bezel, I like using 0000 Steel Wool.
For the Ivory knobs & buttons, I let those pieces sit in a diluted solution of water & bleach (about 3oz of each) for about 2-4 minutes. Remove the parts & scrub with a tooth brush under running water. |
Exactly what I do as well. I also polish the knobs using standard car polish after clean up. Makes em bling. 
Unfortunately, I don't have any before pics, (it was pretty crusty) but here is an after of one I cleaned up a while back for my buddies vert.
_________________
WANTED: Henry Veale Santa Rosa plate frames
WANTED: Brittsan Motors Fresno plate frames
WANTED: Any Georgia plate frames
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hitest
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008
Posts: 10296
Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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| Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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My best friend with those things is a tube of flitz or simichrome and a few of those super cheap, (50 cents on sale) brass detail brushes from Harbor Freight. The brass won't scratch the chrome. Use the flitz on the clear display face too.
The buttons are the only tough part if they are really cracked- but try this, Polident denture cleaning tablets! It of course cleans in the cracks surprisingly well. Don't rub polish or anything deep into those cracks until you've tried an effervescent type cleaner on them first.
_________________
| EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
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far rider 
Samba Member
Joined: August 30, 2005
Posts: 773
Location: Rutland, VT
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| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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| hitest wrote: |
My best friend with those things is a tube of flitz or simichrome and a few of those super cheap, (50 cents on sale) brass detail brushes from Harbor Freight. The brass won't scratch the chrome. Use the flitz on the clear display face too.
The buttons are the only tough part if they are really cracked- but try this, Polident denture cleaning tablets! It of course cleans in the cracks surprisingly well. Don't rub polish or anything deep into those cracks until you've tried an effervescent type cleaner on them first. |
Thanks for the tips. What is flitz?
_________________
67 zenith blue sunroof
Contentment; when what you have is what you want. |
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RareAir
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 14577
Location: 18 miles North of the border
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far rider
Samba Member
Joined: August 30, 2005
Posts: 773
Location: Rutland, VT
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2015 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks RareAir! Something else to try.
_________________
67 zenith blue sunroof
Contentment; when what you have is what you want. |
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iowegian
Samba Curmudgeon
Joined: February 16, 2005
Posts: 9829
Location: Somewhere between Dubuque and Keokuk
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2015 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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Flitz is the answer to all of the World's ills.
It is a vintage German product, so you know it has to be good.
Expensive, but a tube lasts a long, long time.
(also available from eBay vendors) |
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hitest
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008
Posts: 10296
Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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I just replaced a tube that I recall getting free from the Flltz rep when I checked out his car for sale. The year: 1999.
I just obtained my second tube at about 3PM on a Sunday last Spring because I had a bunch of things to polish during a long car ride straight home from Pomona! 
Thanks for posting the picture Rareair! I clearly hadn't revisited the thread quick enough.
_________________
| EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
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