I have been on a never-ending quest for OEM trim pieces for my 70 project. I had pretty much everything I wanted except the factory drip rail mouldings. This weekend I came across a craigslist add for 71 Chevelle Drip rail mouldings for $10. I called the guy as quick as I could and found that he only had the drivers side because he mangled the passenger side trying to get it off of the car.

Anyway to make a long story short, I bought the Drip rail moulding (the long drivers side, both echelons, and both vertial pieces,) front windshield moulding, rear window moulding, fender trim (small 4 inch piece that goes on the top of the fender) all 4 wheel well mouldings, rocker mouldings, and all 4 taillights. I couldn't pass up the price. and some of it was in better shape than the stuff I already had.

Anyway I know that the front, rear windows and the drip rail are all stainless, but what about the wheel opening mouldings? and what about the rocker mouldings? The wheel opening mouldings have a few dings in them, but overall are in pretty good shape. Are these stainless? aluminum? if they are aluminum are they coated with something? What's the best way to go about cleaning them up? Also the rocker mouldings are in pretty good shape, but one of them had a small bend in it, I tried to straighten it, and now the metal is pretty dull where I straightened it. Suggestions?

Thanks
Steve

The aluminum moldings are coated, bright coating is the term. you can straighten them and polish them, but the coating needs to come off, I sanded mine off. I think easy off oven cleaner will take it off if needed.

Which pieces are aluminum and which are stainless?

Any of it thats non magnetic is aluminum, yes most stainless is magnetic or any of it that "stars" when you try and straighten it.

I never tried this as an alternative to the Easy Off. I've always had to polish stainless.
a gentleman told me you have to use the stronger of the Easy Offs. Apparently there are 2 kinds and I can't remember the label color difference. Here's the link:http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/665.cfm

I was always told anything with lye in it will take the anodizing off. Maybe thats the difference....

Ok So the wheel well openings are aluminum, I'll have to give the De-anodizing a try and polish. What about the rocker mouldings? are they stainless? or aluminum?