the chrome strip above the door , on the body of the car , ( drip rail ) has a couple scratches and a couple dents. can this be fixed ? I haven't seen any info on these. thanks , timsz

Pretty sure it's not chrome, just polished stainless steel.

You may just be able to polish some stuff out

It is stainless steel. If the scratches aren't too deep you might be able to polish them out. They are just pushed on a metal strip on the roof. If you CAREFULLY start at one end you can lift the strip off. I have a drill press and I used a buffing wheel on it and polished my trim pieces with that. Using stick compound I bought at Sears.

Gary

If they ARE too deep for compound, you can start by wet sanding with 1000 grit or so. Then work your way up to the buffing rouge.

thanks for the info. timsz

You mentioned dents as well as scratches in your drip rail. Drip rails are on eBay and Craigs list all the time and might be easier to just replace yours. If not, I had a professional metal polishing shop take the dents out of mine and polish them. They look like new. Many polishing/chrome shops have a person who can straighten stainless steel parts.

Bob M

Bob M makes a good point. You will have to make a determination based on cost and ease of repair. Sometimes, it is best to just replace and other times you can amaze yourself with the great results achieved. I have dabbled in trim straightening and also have been given a few tips from the pros. Each piece has to be carefully studied before attempting to repair. It may sound funny but depending on the complexity of the damage, an order has to be mapped out in the straightening process. A few simple dings in a drip rail should not present too much of a problem, but there are a few things to watch out for.

Whenever possible remove a ding with applied pressure from the backside while supporting the surrounding area securely. You dont want to create collateral damage adjacent to your repair. Most stainless trim is very thin and can be stretched out of shape if unecessarily hammered on or not supported properly. The tools used are important too. A variety of hardwood or fiber sticks shaped appropriately for the task at hand are best. Take your time and apply pressure in increments, ensuring you don't bend it farther then needed, stretching the metal. Sometimes, the use of a hammer and striking tool will be needed, if there is a rather sharp crease or it requires more pressure to be applied. Each situation is different and the piece will need to be assessed and the proper tooling fabricated as needed.

As you remove the ding or dent it is easy to gauge if it is staightened sufficiently by running a small piece of fine sandpaper on a block over it, showing high and low spots. Remember how thin the stainless is and note how much material can be removed when you start blocking over the repaired area. As with paint repair, you want to start sanding with graduated grits over a larger area to prevent any waves or dips showing in the finish work. There are some great products available for the final polishing. Do a search on the methods used. If using a buffing wheel, extreme caution has to be used to prevent "snagging" of your part. I've launched a few pieces and ruined a few in my haste over the years.

You have nothing to lose, by attempting to remove the dings yourself. Good luck!