Wet sanding with very high griit ( 900 ) and rinse with water, then use a good metal polish

 

The combination of wet sanding (started at 800 and worked up to 1500) and mothers aluminum polish has worked great. Not exactly perfect finish but about 1000 times better than it was. Thank you all for your very useful suggestions. Tommy

 

Here is what I have learned after a day of working at it. The places where corrosion occurred are where the clear coat no longer exists. After wet sanding out all the white and dark marks, using Mothers aluminum polish from the jar and then the liquid with a drill/buffer, and then wax, I now have some areas that are still clear coated and pristine and some areas that are polished bare metal with wax. On each part it is about 50-50. The differences between the two areas are noticable but it looks 1000 times better than it did. Did not have any luck with acetone to remove the clear coat. What is the aircraft stripper that was referred to?

Would greatly appreciate any thoughts on whether I should just quit now or try to strip all the clear coat and then polish and wax to uniform finish.

Too bad I did not know about this risk long ago, I would have waxed religiously.

Tommy

 

seem like U've learned as much as most now..