[65Mark]

We got tired of trying to find real nice belt line moldings so we just ordered the kit from Caswell. As long as we are setting up for anodizing we are going to do the grills too. I think I'll polish and anodize my vinyl top molding too.

Has anyone done their own anodizing, or bought the Caswell kit?

[Tim john]

McNichols out of Detroit, Michiagn does all my anodizing and they do a fantastic job. Very pleased with thier quality,pricing and turn around time. If you need their contact information let me know and I will provide or you can pull thier contact detail off the world wide web.

Tim john---

[gto_ron]

Hi Mark

I've been waiting for someone to post concerning the Caswell kits. I keep planning to buy one to anodize my carbs but I'm hoping to hear how good(or bad) they are. Caswell has come out with an olive/gold that's supposed to be a good match for Rochester carb bodies. I may go ahead and buy a kit.

regards

[65Mark]

Tim
Finding someone local was next to impossible, and what we did find was $1,000 just for the belt line moldings. That pushed us into getting the kit. It will be here next week.

Ron

You don't anodize carbs, that a different process. I'll post how this turns out though. If it all works well I may clean up that stash of extra old moldings that I've had for 40 years.

[footjoy]

Mark,

Did you get the kit? how did it turn out?

Greg

[65Mark]

Yes we got the deluxe kit with a rectifier, but we also had to order more chemicals. The kit is for a 4 gallon batch and we had tanks made that hold 20 gallons. It is fairly easy to do the anodizing once you have the system figured out. The hard part is the polishing of the parts. We also had to purchase more in-tank heaters because the ones they supply weren't enough to heat the bigger tanks. We had a local jobber vacuum form tanks that are five feet long and one foot deep so we could do the long moldings, it takes seven tanks. We made the mold and they used them to make the tanks.This company makes parts for Kenworth. All in all I think we spent more setting up the system than it would have cost to have one set done, but now we can do more without and additional setup costs. Some of the chemicals we were able to get local, such as the sodium hydroxide for the stripper. We got that from my auto machinist buddy. He uses it in his hot tank and buys large quantities. We didn't get any dye because we had no need for it, but might get some later to "play" with other stuff. We do have 2 extra tanks.

[64woodwheel]

http://www.pysales.com/iw_products.m...56?company=py1

[footjoy]

If they repop 64 vinyl top moldings I will be set. I just gave mine to a guy to polish 250.00.

[440sixpack]

I ha Shine On Me Restorations do my beltline trim and my vinyl top trim, $750 for all. it was well worth it, I'm ok on stainless but poorly prepared aluminum isn't going to be fixed with anodizing.

What part of you grill would you anodize? they're pot metal.

[65Mark]

The grills on a 64 are stamped aluminum. So are the headlight bezels. The grills are real labor intensive to polish. With anodized aluminum you need to strip the anodizing off before you can polish and they have to be degreased and cleaned before anodizing.

[440sixpack]

I see , I was thinking '65.

How are you stripping the anodizing or is that part of your kit? I've tried the Draino thing with no luck.

[65Mark]

that is part of the kit, but there was only enough for a 4 gallon batch. That is what the sodium hydroxide is for. Sodium hydroxide is lye. Drano is a dilute lye I believe. You have to have a proper ratio of lye and distilled water to work and if you get to much lye it will eat the aluminum away. It works better if the water is heated too.