New old stock (abbreviated NOS) refers to merchandise being offered which was manufactured long ago but that has never been used. Such merchandise may not be produced anymore.
Automobile trim restoration is the process of repairing a trim piece to return it to essentially the same or better condition than it was in when it left the factory at time of manufacture.
It is my opinion that a restored product has a higher level of quality than NOS. That is, provided the core used in the restoration process is in good enough condition.
NOS parts were manufactured as high production items. It is common to find new old stock merchandise with scratches, dents, bends, and other manufacturing "defects".
When performing a restoration, we strive for show quality, that is, removing nicks, dents, bends, no scratches in the metal, a more durable protective layer, better quality paints and precise masking and detailing. It is important to duplicate to the best of our abilities the original look as when it left the factory, only better!.
Repairs on pot metal
Pot metal refers to an inexpensive alloy with a low melting point commonly used in the manufacturing of car parts and accessories.
Pot metal has a tendency to bend, crack, distort and pit over time.
Many of the components of 'pot metal' are susceptible to corrosion (from airborne acids and other contaminants). The internal corrosion of the metal will cause the decorative plating finishes to fail.
The restoration of pot metal components for vintage cars is not easy due to the nature of the alloy. It is labor intensive and could be very expensive.
We usually strip off all the decorative plating and polish the part.
The base metal is then inspected for corrosion. When the corrosion is found, it is removed by drilling it out. The voids are filled with silver solder. The part is then copper plated and placed in an oven at low temperature for a few days. (accelerated failure test).
If the part fails, we repeat the repair sequence again!
If it does not fail, the part goes back to the plating shop for additional layers of electroplate (cooper, nickel, chrome).
Pot metal has a tendency to bend, crack, distort and pit over time.
Many of the components of 'pot metal' are susceptible to corrosion (from airborne acids and other contaminants). The internal corrosion of the metal will cause the decorative plating finishes to fail.
The restoration of pot metal components for vintage cars is not easy due to the nature of the alloy. It is labor intensive and could be very expensive.
We usually strip off all the decorative plating and polish the part.
The base metal is then inspected for corrosion. When the corrosion is found, it is removed by drilling it out. The voids are filled with silver solder. The part is then copper plated and placed in an oven at low temperature for a few days. (accelerated failure test).
If the part fails, we repeat the repair sequence again!
If it does not fail, the part goes back to the plating shop for additional layers of electroplate (cooper, nickel, chrome).
Stainless Steel Restoration
There are many similarities between the restoration of stainless steel and aluminum.
Sometimes, the stainless steel has been painted or chrome plated (also known as Flash Chrome). It is important to remove those coatings before starting the actual restoration.
The metal is then hammered from the back (to remove nicks, dents, bends, etc), and filed to smooth out the straightening marks.
It is not uncommon to manufacture custom tools for specific jobs.
The next step would be the hand polishing of the metal. It is a very delicate operation, not only because the polishing lathe is a very powerful machine, where the operator needs total concentration to avoid possible accidents, but overheating on stainless steel is detrimental, as the metal losses it's flatness. Once a part has been overheated, it is nearly impossible to bring it back to it's original shape and form.
The last step is the passivation of stainless steel in a citric or nitric acid solution.
Passivation will prolong the life of your stainless steel components by creating a thin oxide layer at the surface of the metal. thus, the stainless steel will hold the specular finish for longer periods of time without further repolishing.
Sometimes, the stainless steel has been painted or chrome plated (also known as Flash Chrome). It is important to remove those coatings before starting the actual restoration.
The metal is then hammered from the back (to remove nicks, dents, bends, etc), and filed to smooth out the straightening marks.
It is not uncommon to manufacture custom tools for specific jobs.
The next step would be the hand polishing of the metal. It is a very delicate operation, not only because the polishing lathe is a very powerful machine, where the operator needs total concentration to avoid possible accidents, but overheating on stainless steel is detrimental, as the metal losses it's flatness. Once a part has been overheated, it is nearly impossible to bring it back to it's original shape and form.
The last step is the passivation of stainless steel in a citric or nitric acid solution.
Passivation will prolong the life of your stainless steel components by creating a thin oxide layer at the surface of the metal. thus, the stainless steel will hold the specular finish for longer periods of time without further repolishing.
Aluminum Restoration
The basic procedure to restore aluminum trim is;
There are several methods of removing the anodic film protecting the base metal. We prefer to do it chemically using a solution of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH).
Sodium hydroxide is a harsh chemical, the handling of the chemical and the stripping should be done by a professional.
Aluminum straightening is a delicate operation where the soft metal is being hammered from the back and then filed to get rid of all the imperfections.
Special tools are manufactured from time to time for specific needs.
In most cases, when the aluminum part is not ripped or broken , it can be restored to show quality standards.
Aluminum can be welded and anodized, however, welded aluminum tends to anodize in a different color than the rest of the part (due to temperature and alloy composition).
We weld aluminum as a last resource. We prefer to work with parts where welding is not required. (sometimes it is not possible).
If the area to be welded is not shown (it gets covered with paint, or it is not shown when mounted), then welding on aluminum is not an issue.
Polishing involves a powerful lathe, special wheels, and belts. In order to polish aluminum, the anodizing layer has to be removed (stripped off) first.
It is important to use the right belts, wheels, buffing and coloring compounds and protective equipment.
The polishing lathe spins at very high RPM. accidents could happen is the parts are not hold properly and the operator is distracted.
Bright dipping is also known as chemical polishing. The aluminum parts are dipped in a hot phosphoric acid solution for a few minutes. It is a critical step in the process as the bath has to be properly balanced, otherwise you are bound for disaster.
Many restorers do not have any knowledge of bright dipping and will try to sell you the idea of polishing only without any more processing. BIG MISTAKE!!!
All the OEM parts were anodized to protect them against corrosion and bright dipped to enhance appearance.
Once a part has properly been bright dipped it will present a specular (shiny) appearance and ready to accept the protective anodizing layer.
Anodizing is performed in a sulphuric acid solution. It is an electrolytic process that uses DC current as the driving force. A chemical reaction takes place where the surface exposed to the acid solution transforms from aluminum to aluminum oxide, which is extremely hard and at the same time protects the base metal against corrosion and scratching.
The aluminum oxide film is porous by nature, it is analogous to a metallic sponge, therefore, it is possible to use dyes to color aluminum.
It is not unusual for an aluminum anodized part to last years in service prior to the film being destroyed by the elements.
- Strip off paints
- Strip off anodizing layer
- Straightening (remove dents, nicks, bends and reshape part to original shape)
- Hand polishing to a mirror finish
- Bright dip
- Anodizing
There are several methods of removing the anodic film protecting the base metal. We prefer to do it chemically using a solution of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH).
Sodium hydroxide is a harsh chemical, the handling of the chemical and the stripping should be done by a professional.
Aluminum straightening is a delicate operation where the soft metal is being hammered from the back and then filed to get rid of all the imperfections.
Special tools are manufactured from time to time for specific needs.
In most cases, when the aluminum part is not ripped or broken , it can be restored to show quality standards.
Aluminum can be welded and anodized, however, welded aluminum tends to anodize in a different color than the rest of the part (due to temperature and alloy composition).
We weld aluminum as a last resource. We prefer to work with parts where welding is not required. (sometimes it is not possible).
If the area to be welded is not shown (it gets covered with paint, or it is not shown when mounted), then welding on aluminum is not an issue.
Polishing involves a powerful lathe, special wheels, and belts. In order to polish aluminum, the anodizing layer has to be removed (stripped off) first.
It is important to use the right belts, wheels, buffing and coloring compounds and protective equipment.
The polishing lathe spins at very high RPM. accidents could happen is the parts are not hold properly and the operator is distracted.
Bright dipping is also known as chemical polishing. The aluminum parts are dipped in a hot phosphoric acid solution for a few minutes. It is a critical step in the process as the bath has to be properly balanced, otherwise you are bound for disaster.
Many restorers do not have any knowledge of bright dipping and will try to sell you the idea of polishing only without any more processing. BIG MISTAKE!!!
All the OEM parts were anodized to protect them against corrosion and bright dipped to enhance appearance.
Once a part has properly been bright dipped it will present a specular (shiny) appearance and ready to accept the protective anodizing layer.
Anodizing is performed in a sulphuric acid solution. It is an electrolytic process that uses DC current as the driving force. A chemical reaction takes place where the surface exposed to the acid solution transforms from aluminum to aluminum oxide, which is extremely hard and at the same time protects the base metal against corrosion and scratching.
The aluminum oxide film is porous by nature, it is analogous to a metallic sponge, therefore, it is possible to use dyes to color aluminum.
It is not unusual for an aluminum anodized part to last years in service prior to the film being destroyed by the elements.
What we do ?
We restore your aluminum , stainless steel and plastic trim to show quality and concours standards.
Chrome plating on plastics, pot metal, steel, brass.
Once the trim is restored, we apply the correct paints, textures and decals to duplicate the OE (original manufacture) finishes.
Often, we achieve levels of quality above and beyond OE.
We work in all sorts of car trim and models;
Mopar's, Porsche's, Ford, General Motors, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Austin's, American Motors, etc.
Typical components to be restored are ;
Grilles, headlight bezels, tail light bezels, rear finish panels, hood lip moldings, side trim moldings, hubcaps, open wheel moldings, handles, knobs, interior moldings, dashboard trim, consoles, etc.
For more information about our process please visit our website.
Who are we ?
The company was created in 1990.
Back then, our corporate name was ANO-BRITE, INC.
In January of 2008, I took the determination of separating the aluminum anodizing business from the trim restoration business.
We operate under our new name KING OF TRIM, LLC
We also moved our offices to a new location (same block, few buildings down).
Our new address and phone is :
6909 Farmdale Avenue
Unit A
North Hollywood, CA 91605
phone : (818) 326-6924
web : www.kingoftrim.com , email : kingoftrim@gmail.com
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