Reproducing T34 Aluminum Door Sill Trim Strips
Library - Technical :: Body

Step one:

Pick up a copy of Hemmings Motor News and look for workshops who advertise in custom body modifications. Call them up and ask if they have a metal brake capable of bending 16 gauge aluminum in lengths greater than 39 inches. Send them one of your original trim.

Step 2: Polish the trim to a mirror like finish. This is the most time consuming process. The metal brake at the shop can put deep gouges in the metal and they all must be smoothed out.

Step 3:

Etch lines into trim and create the appropriate counter-sink. I used a large sharpened nail and a large metal straight edge to create the lines. Lightly polish to remove the burrs from this process.

Step 4:
Making sure the trim still has a mirror like finish, have them clear anodized. This aluminum plating process hardens the surface just like the originals. The surface, instead of being like a mirror, will now be a duller flat gray.

Step 5 (the last step):
Clear coat the trim! My plater recommended doing this as he said the originals looked like they had it done on. This will provided additional protection. Eastwood.com has a couple of clear coating finishes you can apply yourself. I would recommend finding one that leaves as little gloss as possible.