Like most parts I have located they really are in an awful state. The chrome tops were really badly scratched from being attached to a removed bumper and probably thrown around a garage concrete floor for many years. I took them apart and sanded out the scratches. One mounting stud had been screwed so hard into the chrome top from underneath it had made a raised lump in the top surface. I removed the stud and gently beat this down before sanding and fine wet and drying the surface ready for replating. Hopefully it wont show when plated. I dropped the two tops off at the platers and began work on the other parts this evening.
So starting with the hardest most corroded things first I used a little trick that I can share with you. A product called “Wonder Wheels” normally used to clean alloy wheels. It contains a mild phosphoric acid that eats away oxidation from metal (corrosion). I discovered a really neat trick with this product a few years ago.
While trying to fix a wiring fault on a 50 year old car I discovered that every time I cut back the power cable and stripped off the insulation, all I found was black/green corroded copper strands that would make a poor crimp joint or prove impossible to solder. I’m sure a few of you have come across this too. So I had an idea to pour a little Wonder Wheels into a Cola bottle screw lid a dip the wire end in it for 5 minutes. It was AMAZING the wire came up like new copper and I was able to solder a new fitting on with ease. Ever since then I use the stuff to clean up corroded or oxidised electrical car components including bulb holders that are notorious for furring up and stopping the Bulb from illuminating.
A 5 minute soak un an upturned rattle can lid and the intricate Bulb holders are free from corrosion.
For fun I even dipped the old corroded bulbs in too!
