zZAndrusZz

Here are a couple not so good pictures of my polished calipers and painted mounts, I'll post more when I'm finished with the other side <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

Front:
<img src="http://www.online-ownij.org/front%20caliper.jpg" alt=" - " />

Rear:
<img src="http://www.online-ownij.org/rear%20caliper.jpg" alt=" - " />

I'll post some pics through the wheels when the sun's out and I can take some good ones. You guys think I should have painted the mounts black? It is a black car. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> I love the way it looks now though.

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
Andy

Xsta Z 28

iTrader: (2)

SSweet!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" />

The silver looks good, but black may make the polished caliper stand out more.

Mark IXZD 150

iTrader: (1)

I like it! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

...but I still think caliper decals would look cool on them. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

zZAndrusZz

Yeah, caliper decals would look sweet, especially if I were to paint the mount black and get some black caliper decals. Ahhh, (get's ideas) I might just have to do that!! They look sweet through the stock (i know) wheels too! I'll post some pics when I'm all done with it. I'm gonna have to order me some caliper decals now. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

zZAndrusZz

Oo Oo, another question. Would the caliper decals from afterthoughts cover those "very" hard to polish recessed areas on the outer edges of the calipers? I haven't really looked at them yet. Thanks guys!!

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
Andy

Mark IXZD 150

iTrader: (1)

No they won't cover anything but they're only available in the brushed metallic material. I don't think black would look good anyway.

blkjackss

Nice calipers

Biochem

I attempted to polish one of my rear calipers this weekend... mine doesn't look anywhere near as nice as yours <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> I got to the 320 sandpaper and it was helping but I was getting tired of sanding... The center ppiece was a lot easier to sand then the outter part. I may end up painting them... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

zZAndrusZz

It's a major biatch to make the calipers look the way I did, I believe I worked a total of 3 days, only like 2 hours a day though. I went from 120 grit, to 220 grit, then to 400 wet sand paper. Then after that, polished with tripoli on a buffing wheel. If you were going to paint them, you could probably stop with 220 grit and it would be smooth enough. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> But I gotta tell ya, it's worth it to polish the calipers!! Unless you plan on droppin some $$$ on some wilwood's or baer's later on. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
Andy

Steve1969LS1

iTrader: (1)

Looks very good.. now you just have to get rid of them ugly rotors.. How about a nice pretty set of Eradispeeds.. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

Good job on the calipers.. thats a LOT of work

zZAndrusZz

That's what I was thinking about, got these pretty nice looking calipers and mounts, and the frickin rotors are an eyesore. What kinda price am I looking at on a good set of rotors?? Thanks for the compliments guys!!

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
Andy

qwik3r

Did you do this by hand or using a dremel with the sand paper on it? What was the process?

zZAndrusZz

Used a dremel with a medium drum on it to take off the casting marks and deep pits. Then I moved on to emory cloth, then to 220 grit paper, then to 400grit wet sanding. After that all you do is buff with tripoli, and polish with mothers. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

I feel like I've typed this before, kinda like deja vu. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> Anyway, if you have any other questions you can PM me. Good luck!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

Andy

The Guy in MY 99TA

Could you put a coat of Clear on that? It would probably prolong the shine if you could. I doubt it would stick but it might be worth a shot. Anyone tried to put clear coat on a polished material?

Josh S.

zZAndrusZz

There really is no trouble prolonging the shine, it's aluminum, all you have to do is wipe it down everyonce in awhile. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> I really don't think I clear coat would stick, I mean, it's like glass. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> Might not be bad to clear the mounts if you paint them though.

TomBusby

The caliper brackets are iron and should be clear coated or painted. They will rust. The caliper are aluminum and don't need painting.

I polished the calipers in less than an hour per each wheel, with a file to knock off the casting flash, then a wire brush on a hand drill, then a 3M green (medium) pad on a hand drill, then 150 emery cloth, then 400 synthetic steel wool pads. They are shiny and clean but not like the WOW polished calipers in the pictures above. The extra work really shows but even a little work, like I did, looks much better.

The iron caliper brackets are rock hard iron and will take a huge amount of time to polish, or even too smooth-up. I cleaned, wire brushed, and then painted the caliper brackets with red high temp lacquer so the brakes look fancy, and the color scheme of red brackets shiny calipers is the opposite of the red-caliper Corvette look.

Jake

Smooth! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

zZAndrusZz

I'll take some better pics, cuz I got the iron mounts pretty smooth before I painted them (had to keep em scuffed a bit to hold paint) but they are very smooth, I'll take a close up pic later and post it. It took me about 3 hours per front and about 2 per rear to get them that polished. I've already had people ask me where I bought em. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
Andy

Bambeezer

Looks good Andy! I like the natural look of the bracket rather than a contrasting paint color.

__________________
2002 Pontiac Formula A4
The Fikse-Mobile
12.54@106.91mph on a 1.69 sixty foot
Vigilante 3200 converter, lid, ported MAF and tires. FUll stock exhaust.

http://formula.bambeezer.com

my polished calipers

brandon@bambeezer.com

<small>[ June 15, 2002, 07:54 PM: Message edited by: Brandon B ]</small>

zZAndrusZz

Thanks Brandon, now if I could just get some wheels like your's I would be happy. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> Or some Z06 rims. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> Soon enough I suppose