Polished and Painted my strut bar - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

vroomapunk · 07-13-2015, 03:03 PM

I painted the ends black, and polished the aluminum middle section. Think it came out good! Some pics are before polishing.

Edit:

This is the polish I use, works for any metal finish, use it on my exhaust tips often. Use old (soft) white t-shirts.

Wipe in circles, do not go side to side, although this polish is very forgiving, so no big deal if you have to do it near the ends. Takes some elbow grease.

http://www.detailedimage.com/Optimum...-P291/8-oz-S1/

And the black paint is just 4-5 coats of the black BBQ pit paint (I had some lying around). I wanted it flat black, and the BBQ paint is supposed to resilient. Cleaned the ends with brake cleaner first, masked off, and did a bunch of coats. That paint dries amazingly fast, so I just gave it 10-15 mins in between coats, using a crappy folding chair to support the middle so I could get around all the ends.

And for those worried about the bolts messing up the new paint, the good thing about the bolt is that the washer is captive, but not made into the bolt, so when you tighten, it doesn't turn on the metal and rip the new paint off.

JMT · 07-13-2015, 04:43 PM

How did you polish it? Products?
Looks great, I painted the ends the color of my car and would also like to polish the center section.

csmith4153 · 07-13-2015, 05:42 PM

nice

Hurst · 07-13-2015, 06:27 PM

Nice... I want to know as well....

HAMBO · 07-13-2015, 07:01 PM

Looks very nice!

760bowtie · 07-13-2015, 09:27 PM

Damn you went at it with the polish better than me. I think I used 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper to wet sand it. Then hit it with mother's mag and aluminum polish. Used rustoleum automotive enamel to spray the ends

Graphicsgod · 07-13-2015, 09:40 PM

Nice job guys!

I thought about polishing the middle, but couldn't get a good enough shine, so I just painted it. I think it came out good, even though I couldn't find a red that matches "Red Hot"

..

Just finished it today! Took me about two weeks and a lot of engine enamel paint. About five coats for each color.. For some odd reason I can't get the one bolt on the driver's side to go all the way down

. Always seems to happen to me

! There is always that one damn bolt that doesn't want to go back into place...

Sapper12b · 07-13-2015, 11:51 PM

I tried to do the same and my polish doesn't even look half as good !

TommyTheCat · 07-14-2015, 01:38 AM

that shine is amazing

1QwkSS · 07-14-2015, 06:50 AM

Looks great!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

vroomapunk · 07-14-2015, 09:15 AM

Thanks everyone!! I should've used some 1500/2000 grit sandpaper first, would have saved me some time.

All I used is Optimum Metal Polish. I got it from Detailed Image. Its a pretty fine polish, I use it on exhaust tips monthly. Works on chrome wheels, etc too.

Apparently aluminum polishes off black, didn't realize that, so it left a lot behind and was hard to see through.

The best applicators I use, are actually just soft old white t-shirts. One to polish, and one to clean it off (in this case I needed three).

Link in the original post.

I will probably polish my throttle body next, as I need something else polished in the engine bay so the bar doesn't look out of place.

vroomapunk · 07-14-2015, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 760bowtie

Damn you went at it with the polish better than me. I think I used 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper to wet sand it. Then hit it with mother's mag and aluminum polish. Used rustoleum automotive enamel to spray the ends

Yours looks great, I had a lot of patience with it, just watched tv and did in on the tile floor in my living room haha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graphicsgod

Nice job guys!

I thought about polishing the middle, but couldn't get a good enough shine, so I just painted it. I think it came out good, even though I couldn't find a red that matches "Red Hot"

..

Just finished it today! Took me about two weeks and a lot of engine enamel paint. About five coats for each color.. For some odd reason I can't get the one bolt on the driver's side to go all the way down

. Always seems to happen to me

! There is always that one damn bolt that doesn't want to go back into place...

Looks awesome man, Im still considering paint one day. The threads get paint on them from the factory, might be your issue. If the car was ever in a wreck, could be a little off.

1QwkSS · 07-14-2015, 06:21 PM

not gonna lie...seeing this thread made me do the same to mine today...i don't have a buffing pad on a bench grinder however so i used my DA polisher...did okay after 1500 & 2000 grit but once i get a buffing pad on my grinder it's on like donkey kong!!

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Bowtie-Bri · 07-14-2015, 07:27 PM

OP, I like what you did with yours using the flat black. Looks really nice!
I smoothed out the cast textured finish on the ends and painted them gloss black. I wet sanded the center section with 320 and 600 paper and followed it up with mothers aluminum polish to a chrome like finish. It takes alittle elbow grease but it's a cheap and affordable mod.

07-13-2015, 03:03 PM	#1
vroomapunk [COTW 5/12/14] Drives: 2012 CRT NF Cammed 2SS/RS For Sale Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: NOLA Posts: 6,115 View My Garage	Polished and Painted my strut bar I painted the ends black, and polished the aluminum middle section. Think it came out good! Some pics are before polishing. Edit: This is the polish I use, works for any metal finish, use it on my exhaust tips often. Use old (soft) white t-shirts. Wipe in circles, do not go side to side, although this polish is very forgiving, so no big deal if you have to do it near the ends. Takes some elbow grease. http://www.detailedimage.com/Optimum...-P291/8-oz-S1/ And the black paint is just 4-5 coats of the black BBQ pit paint (I had some lying around). I wanted it flat black, and the BBQ paint is supposed to resilient. Cleaned the ends with brake cleaner first, masked off, and did a bunch of coats. That paint dries amazingly fast, so I just gave it 10-15 mins in between coats, using a crappy folding chair to support the middle so I could get around all the ends. And for those worried about the bolts messing up the new paint, the good thing about the bolt is that the washer is captive, but not made into the bolt, so when you tighten, it doesn't turn on the metal and rip the new paint off. Attached Images __________________ Last edited by vroomapunk; 07-14-2015 at 09:25 AM.

07-13-2015, 05:42 PM	#3
csmith4153 Drives: 2011 1SS Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 421 View My Garage	nice __________________ 2011 Camaro SS 1999 Camaro SS 1969 Camaro http://www.fquick.com/csmith4153 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKH...lQFJSUtgrNEY7w

07-13-2015, 06:27 PM	#4
Hurst Camaros Of Northwest Ohio Drives: 2013 SIM 2SS/RS, LS3 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Perrysburg, Ohio Posts: 989 View My Garage	Nice... I want to know as well.... __________________

07-13-2015, 07:01 PM	#5
HAMBO Drives: Supercharged 2013 AGM 2SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 786	Looks very nice! __________________ 2013 AGM 2SS/RS SLP TVS2300, Edge CAI, 3" Magnaflow catback, BC Racing BR series coilovers, HRE FF15's (20x10 square) with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S's, GM STB, BMR front and rear sway bars and toe links, Prothane subframe bushings and front control arm inserts, JDP rear upper control arm bushings, Elite Engineering catch can. Tuned by Cunningham Motorsports. 1967 Bolero Red 396 SS/RS Convertible

07-13-2015, 09:27 PM	#6
760bowtie Drives: 2014 1SS/RS, 2018 Silverado CC Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 1,487	Damn you went at it with the polish better than me. I think I used 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper to wet sand it. Then hit it with mother's mag and aluminum polish. Used rustoleum automotive enamel to spray the ends Attached Images __________________ AGP 57/57 turbos and Dual Pump System, NA Cam, McLeod RXT clutch, MGW shifter, ZL1 Rear End, BMR Trailing Arms/Toe Rods, Pegasus Solid Cradle Bushings 10.7 @140mph M6

07-13-2015, 04:43 PM	#2
JMT Drives: 2013 1LT Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Panama City Beach, FL Posts: 703 View My Garage	How did you polish it? Products? Looks great, I painted the ends the color of my car and would also like to polish the center section.

07-13-2015, 09:40 PM	#7
Graphicsgod Drives: 2015 Manual Hot Red 2LS Camaro Join Date: May 2015 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 269	Nice job guys! I thought about polishing the middle, but couldn't get a good enough shine, so I just painted it. I think it came out good, even though I couldn't find a red that matches "Red Hot" .. Just finished it today! Took me about two weeks and a lot of engine enamel paint. About five coats for each color.. For some odd reason I can't get the one bolt on the driver's side to go all the way down . Always seems to happen to me ! There is always that one damn bolt that doesn't want to go back into place... __________________

07-13-2015, 11:51 PM	#8
Sapper12b HTCC Member Drives: 2013 Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 1,868 View My Garage	I tried to do the same and my polish doesn't even look half as good ! __________________

07-14-2015, 01:38 AM	#9
TommyTheCat SHKE BKE Drives: 2013 Camaro Join Date: May 2014 Location: SoCal Posts: 3,108	that shine is amazing

07-14-2015, 06:50 AM	#10
1QwkSS Drives: 2012 Camaro 1SS M6 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Spring Hill, FL Posts: 184	Looks great!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07-14-2015, 09:15 AM	#11
vroomapunk [COTW 5/12/14] Drives: 2012 CRT NF Cammed 2SS/RS For Sale Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: NOLA Posts: 6,115 View My Garage	Thanks everyone!! I should've used some 1500/2000 grit sandpaper first, would have saved me some time. All I used is Optimum Metal Polish. I got it from Detailed Image. Its a pretty fine polish, I use it on exhaust tips monthly. Works on chrome wheels, etc too. Apparently aluminum polishes off black, didn't realize that, so it left a lot behind and was hard to see through. The best applicators I use, are actually just soft old white t-shirts. One to polish, and one to clean it off (in this case I needed three). Link in the original post. I will probably polish my throttle body next, as I need something else polished in the engine bay so the bar doesn't look out of place. __________________

07-14-2015, 06:21 PM	#13
1QwkSS Drives: 2012 Camaro 1SS M6 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Spring Hill, FL Posts: 184	not gonna lie...seeing this thread made me do the same to mine today...i don't have a buffing pad on a bench grinder however so i used my DA polisher...did okay after 1500 & 2000 grit but once i get a buffing pad on my grinder it's on like donkey kong!!

07-14-2015, 07:27 PM	#14
Bowtie-Bri Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS RS Convt. Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: West MI (Home of the Tulips) Posts: 961 View My Garage	OP, I like what you did with yours using the flat black. Looks really nice! I smoothed out the cast textured finish on the ends and painted them gloss black. I wet sanded the center section with 320 and 600 paper and followed it up with mothers aluminum polish to a chrome like finish. It takes alittle elbow grease but it's a cheap and affordable mod. __________________ 2013 Nickey Stage II Camaro SS Convertible #10.Black w/ Red leather interior. No Weeds Elec. Diverters, CNC ported heads, custom grind cam, upgraded fuel injectors, ZL-1 fuel pump, V-Max ported TB, Red Magnuson Super Charger with rear cog drive, upgraded rear axles good for 1400Hp, 3:45 gears, Tremec 6 spd., Pedders adj. coil overs, Phadt ZL-spec swaybars, 800Hp at the crank, 670RWHP, 613ft.lbs. torq. @ 11lbs. boost. SOLD!!!