Getting ready to buff out the aluminum valve couers on my 78 and was wondering if anybody knew an effective way to remove the protective coating on them

   If its an anodized clear coat, try using "Easy Off" oven cleaner. Read an article in Chevy High Performance once about cleaning up trim pieces....But anodized is anodized...should work....

                                            Reid  '72 T-top

I used the "Easy-Off" method on my steel/painted covers, and it worked great. Sprayed it on and waited maybe 20 min. or so. I'm not sure if it would work as well on the alum. or magnesium covers, tho. I would definitly test a small area on the backside of one first, just in case. I'd hate to see someone damage a set of covers like that. If there was no damage after testing a spot, go for it!! Let us know if it works for ya!

Did a pair of the black painted L82 covers a few months ago. Used regular paint stripper and steel wool and a tooth brush. Took about 1 1/2 hours to do both. Repainted em black and baked em in the oven at 250 degrees for a half hour. Sanded the fins bare again with a sanding block. Turned out beautiful. Siliconed the crossed flags emblem back on. The baking seemed to change the texture of the paint, very smooth.  Mike

Hey Mike, how soon after you sprayed them did they go in the oven?

JR

  I USED OVEN CLEANER ON MY ALUMINUM WHEELS TO REMOVE CLEAR COAT.  WORKED GREAT.  JUAST HOSE THEM OFF GOOD BEFORE BUFFING.  BY THE WAY HARBOR FREIGHT HAS A 3/4 HP BUFFER ON CLEARANCE FOR $55.00 ON THEIR WEB SITE.

[QUOTE=jredding]

Hey Mike, how soon after you sprayed them did they go in the oven?

JR

[/QUOTE]   I just let them dry over night. Maybe 15 hours. Probably as soon as you're able to handle them is long enough, tho.  Mike  mkapp787938474.6433680556

Thanks.

JR

Wondering if this same procedure will remove the protective coating on aluminum slotted rims so the rims can be refinished?