brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

For those who obsess about exactly how their 356 left the factory!
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Martin Benade
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brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#1 Post by Martin Benade »

I have been wondering if there is an accepted way to get B drums, engine cases, and trans cases looking original again. I definitely do not like the way glass-beading makes them look. Being in Ohio, my parts have some corrosion on them too, fortunately not much. I have thought maybe shot-peening with the correct material and pressure would be good, but I have no way to experiment. Any suggestions?
Cleveland Ohio
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Steve Harrison
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#2 Post by Steve Harrison »

For brake drums, I took Lowell Sivey's advice. (Fellow Buckey neighbor to you over in Fredericktown.)
Take the studs out, and chuck the drum up in a drill press. Use sandpaper in ever decreasing grits to get down to the shine. Then polish.
To chuck mine up I used a piece of all thread with big washers and double nuts on both ends. Worked great once you get it centered. You have to use a file first to dress out any big dings.

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Martin Benade
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#3 Post by Martin Benade »

That only works on Pre-A and A drums, and gets them prettier than original. The B drums have sideways cooling fins, and sort of a sand-cast texture, although it is probably a permanent mold or something.
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Mike Wilson
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#4 Post by Mike Wilson »

Has anyone tried blasting with walnut shell or plastic beads? I did mine with a brass wire brush. The fins were a royal pain!

Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

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Steve Harrison
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#5 Post by Steve Harrison »

I didn't know when the fins started with the B's. Looks like you're left with some sort of blasting regimine.

As for case finish, I have seen where Joe Ruiz posts that he has his cases done to mimic factory finish. You might try and contact him and see what process he uses. Worth a try.

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Vic Skirmants
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#6 Post by Vic Skirmants »

Ruiz does the magnesium early cases.

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Dennis ODonnell
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#7 Post by Dennis ODonnell »

Another blasting media is baking soda which removes paint and varnish build-up but supposedly doesn't peen or polish the metal.

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Jim Nelson
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#8 Post by Jim Nelson »

I taped off the backside and wheel bearing portion of the drum and used aluminum oxide. That removes the machined portion of the drum, though, so after you need to polish that part up. Here is the before and immediately after (before polishing the lip). It goes pretty easily, though a thorough cleaning of the taped area after all that's done is still the safe way to go.
IMG_3083.JPG

Michael Foster
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#9 Post by Michael Foster »

Brake drums and engine cases can be refinished to look new. Send Brake Drums and rear grills to Larry Thomas. He tumbles the brake drums and grills to make them look new with correct surface look. The grills he coats in a ceramic material. Not sure if he coats drums or not. He is in the Santa Ana, CA area. 714-258-0342 Used by many of professional restoration shops. Not cheap but worth it!

Engine cases can be tumbled in media to achieve a like new finish. Caveate is that they must be completely professionally cleaned with removal and replacement of all case oil line plugs to insure removal of all media or you risk destroying a new engine.
Leave it to pro's contact George at Ollie's engineering, Lake Havasu city.

Don't contact me for numbers or further info, work those fat little fingers and google it!

Michael Foster
MICHAEL FOSTER

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Matt Kreeve
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#10 Post by Matt Kreeve »

thanks for this informative thread .... I see Jim Nelson took the advice in ^above^ post and the results are stellar.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=41099&p=268318&hili ... ms#p268921

Image

once the drum is polished is it coated at all to preserve it or will that interfere with cooling and hence it's just left bare?
Currently working on two nut+bolt resto's in Cape Town
'56 A RHD 5606 Silver Met) over Green - delivered Nairobi (Cooper Motor Corp)
'64 C RHD 6406 (Irisgrun) w Fawn (rehbraun) - delivered Johannesburg (Lindsay Saker)

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Alan Winer
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#11 Post by Alan Winer »

I bead blasted my A drums and then rubbed down the bead-blast finish with very fine scotch brite pads. I thought they came out looking like the original finish. It will be some more work with the B drums.
Alan

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Phil Planck
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Re: brake drum, engine case surface finish/cleaning

#12 Post by Phil Planck »

Is there a clear coat of some sort that can be sprayed on the finned drums to protect them after all the cleaning/restoration?
Phil Planck

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