Polishing Bare metal Caterham

[Captain Spoons]

Can’t avoid it any longer and need to give the Caterham a proper clean and polish....

Got a rotary pad but what would be best as a cutting compound?
Not in bad condition but a bit rough and pitted on the lower sections, so does need to be flattened off?

Any advice? Thanks

[saladdays]

Does this help?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgvkyGffkSY

[bazjude2998]

A bit pitted lower sections, you have to be cruel to be kind,If it’s badly pitted or deep scratches they have too be sanded out,hard to say without seeing but probably start with 180 or 240 wet & dry going down to 600-800 -1200 and finally a abrasive alloy polish.Hard work but the results will be rewarding

[domster]

I did the ali bonnet on my first ali/grp 7 many years ago, by hand with some Autosol, and whilst it looked amazing for a short while, it quickly lost its lustre and took fricking ages to do. Next 7 I purchased was painted. There is a moral to the story in there somewhere. The problem is that polished ali is almost impossible to preserve in finish terms, with clearcoat peeling off or the bare ali going dull when oxidised a few weeks later etc. I suppose a panelwipe and some sealants will help preserve it, but it's delaying the inevitable. Paint is my hard worn recommendation