That is a strip of Stainless Steel. Generally what polishes chrome also works on stainless. I haven't experimented too much with it on stainless yet but I have found what I feel is the best chrome polish by far for my wheels which also says it is good for stainless.

I recommend Deep Chrome from a company called Deep Products in Glastonbury CT. I am extremely impressed with this stuff. They are at introducing deepFinish :: the ultimate appearance products

Note Mercedes uses anodized aluminum and Stainless on the 107. I'm not sure if there is any real chrome on this car. Perhaps the mirrors and side moldings are chrome ???

Also note anodized aluminum (all the stuff around the windshield) does not get polished with chrome or aluminum polish. I haven't found a good anodize polish yet. I did find reports that suggest stripping the anodize and just polishing the Al or re anodize.

If anyone finds a good anodize cleaner or polish please share.

 

Also note anodized aluminum (all the stuff around the windshield) does not get polished with chrome or aluminum polish. I haven't found a good anodize polish yet.

If anyone finds a good anodize cleaner or polish please share.

I use "Nevrdull" (not a mis-spelling) from Eagle One. Works great for those parts. Just tear off a wad (it comes in a cotton-like roll), rub rub rub, then buff with a clean rag. It's amazing.

Comes in an silver and red can.

 

Stainless steel ? I guess that makes sense, because the finish does look different than the window trim. Never even thought about that possibility.I'm fortunate in that all the trim on the car looks like new, so all I'll need is ongoing maintenance to keep it looking new. If you're saying that most of the trim is annodized aluminum, I'll look forward to other replies that might recommend the product to keep it shining.

 

Your bumpers are also stainless. Don't hold you breath on the anodized aluminum polish.

 

Just did some Googling, and I see a couple references that Flitz metal polish can be used on anodized aluminum. Don't know if you have tried that....

 

It is stainless, and the original finish as far as I can tell was slightly brushed and not polished to a high lustre like the original bumper covers were when these cars were new. The genuine MB replacements I bought and installed on my cars (they are a @#$@#$ to install) were brushed a little more coarsely with the brushstrokes generally going back to front.

If you want a high polish (this is VERY messy, BTW and you will have to basically cover the entire interior and exterior of the car), put "green" stainless polish on a drill/ buffing wheel and go to work (with a mask!!!!).

If you have a few scratches and want a finish like the replacement MB parts have, you can use a nylon fiber abrasive wheel. If there are scratches, you can use 800 grit wetordri to knock them out before doing this.

 

The voice of knowledge, strife2.

 

Actually, I wrote this up in our MBCA chapter newsletter this month, and to the best of my knowledge this is accurate (I welcome any corrections):

107 "Brightwork"

Parts that are "brightwork" (anodized aluminum):
• Window trim
• Headlight eyebrows
• The bright part of the door moulding
• The rocker moulding
• The trim above the door, and the window post
brightwork (drip moulding, rubber channels)
• All hardtop and softtop trim
• All boot cover trim (except the chrome hole for
the top pin)
• The inside door armrest trim
• The LATER grille star (the front trim star and ring only),
otherwise known as the "rock magnet"


Parts that are chrome-plated:


• The very small part of the door in front of the
mirrors
• The hardtop/soft top front pins and rear pin “caps”
• The door handles (entirely) on earlier models
except for the cylinder caps/doors
• The hard/soft top post pin hole surround at the
rear
• The license plate light assembly (actually, three
separate pieces)
• The trunk handle
• The trunk lock
• The mirror backs
• The older Becker radio front plate
• The chrome trim along the wood in the interior
• The chrome trim at the shifter (450/380)
• The shifter rod
• The inside door armrest trim (dull)
• The glove compartment lock
• The boot lid release handles
• The headlight rings on US cars
• Pre-560SL nameplates
• The EARLY grille star (all metal, NLA)
• The grille "bars" on the side of the star
• Fog light lens hold-down/surrounds
• The trunk star (pre-560)
• Euro bumpers
• The chrome pieces along the inside of the door (visible only when door is open)

Parts that are vacuum-plated plastic:

• The inside mirror "triangles"
• The seat mechanism trim
• the taillight reflectors (BE CAREFUL - Clean
only with a stream of water. Touching/rubbing
will DESTROY the reflective layer)
• The third brake light reflector (86/87)(BE
CAREFUL - Clean only with a stream of water.
Touching/rubbing will DESTROY the
reflective layer)
• The trunk star (560)
• 560 nameplates

Parts that are vacuum-plated metal:

• The headlight reflectors (euro only)(BE
CAREFUL - Clean only with a stream of water.
Touching/rubbing will DESTROY the
reflective layer)
• The fog light reflectors (as above)

Parts that are stainless:

• The windshield wiper arms and blades
(original, low-reflectivity,brushed finish)
• The cowl top (where the two top pins go above
the windshield), semi-polished/brushed original
finish
• The F/R bumper covers, US, may be nickel
plated, highly polished finish - Beware: New
OEM replacements may NOT be polished to
high polish!
• The windshield washer nozzles
• The cylinder caps/doors on the locks

 

Is it possible to make just this one post a sticky. Well done again Strife

 

Strife2 : Wow, that was a thorough answer ! I learned something today- actually a bunch of things !
Basicly, I now realize that the cowl top is stainless, and should not be be the same bright finish that is on the windshield trim or bumpers. Based on your description of the " brushed finish " , mine is probably looking exactly as it should, so I won't worry about trying to get it looking like the brightwork. Just a little cleaner to get any dirt off, and I'm good to go !
Thanks for the input- you've saved me lots of time and effort !

 

Great sticky. Thanks!

 

Google up "Rolite" It's a favorite with the plane & Airstream crowd. I use it when buffing out aluminum/stainless steel as the final step. Take a part you have buffed out with Semichrome or the like and buff out half of it with Rolite. Now compare the two sides.....Rolite removes the micro-hazing/super fine scratches left behind by the others.

 

If your stainless is showing rust, the stainless coating has worn off at that location. Cleaning will reveal a nick or a dent of some kind. Apply a protectant to seal that point up again. Cracks in the stainless spokes where they cross one another on my bike resulted in one blowing, cheap soft steel beneath rusted.