Cleaning mirror arms

[Supermike]

Hey folks... I have the "Western" or "Camper-style" mirrors on my 67CS. If I can do it for under $20, I would like to remove the old rusty acorn nuts and bolts and replace them with new SS ones (if I can find them). I sure wish Carpenter or someone sold "mirror nut kits".

The problem is the "arms" and brackets have some rust stain on them from where the old nuts have rusted. Also, the driver's side arms have a little paint spray on them from something. The below picture isn't mine, but it will show what I'm talking about:

http://www.fordification.com/forum/download.php?id=3732

My question is, how should I go about removing the paint specks from these arms and getting the rust off, without scratching up or ruining the finish?

Also, if anyone else has done this and knows what size nuts these require, please let me know. Looks like it takes a couple different sizes.

Thanks!

[Big D's 69]

You can use a SOS pad on the chrome and glass for that matter. The SOS pad works wonders for removing rust from chrome. I mean it works on glass not mirrors.

[fordman]

thats what i was going to say steel wool.

[FORDification]

I wouldn't use steel wool or even the SOS pads on the glass though...it WILL scratch it. I have a fairly vivid memory of ticking off a couple fellow classmates when I was in high school and driving my dad's '71 with the SwingLocs. They soaped the windows and mirrors, so naturally my dad made me clean it off. The steel wool worked good on the windshield and side glass, but put very fine scratches all over the mirror glass. Man, was my dad PO'd! He never replaced them though...they stayed scratched up until he finally sold the truck about 4-5 years ago.

[Big D's 69]

SOS pads work a little better and not as harsh with the sopa it has in it.

[Big D's 69]

I wouldn't use steel wool or even the SOS pads on the glass though...it WILL scratch it. I have a fairly vivid memory of ticking off a couple fellow classmates when I was in high school and driving my dad's '71 with the SwingLocs. They soaped the windows and mirrors, so naturally my dad made me clean it off. The steel wool worked good on the windshield and side glass, but put very fine scratches all over the mirror glass. Man, was my dad PO'd! He never replaced them though...they stayed scratched up until he finally sold the truck about 4-5 years ago.

I edited that I meant glass not mirrors.

[Supermike]

Thanks... sounds like I need to pick up some SOS pads. Wait'll I call my wife and tell her I have to stop and pick up some pads on the way home.

I don't actually have any rust on the mirror glass... just some gunk from a fish-eye. There's a little rust on the posts, though. The main problem with my actual mirrors are they are already scratched up. I've got some NOS mirrors ordered that'll take care of that problem. I just want to stop as much rust as I can, and the new acorns should look a LOT better, too.

[Heavenlyfire]

In the past I have used Naval Jelly on my chrome to get the rust off. Works great, just make sure to wear gloves.

[FormerMarine1981]

Not sure if it would work on chrome or not but my sister had a washing machine that was rusting in places and she used a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove the rust. I have used them on the walls of my apartment but not metal. It seems like it would do less damage that SOS pads. Let me know if it works if you try it.

[Supermike]

Interesting thought... I've heard wonders about those things. I may give it a shot...

[68F250]

They're stainless not chrome. The rust is on the surface and bled off from the rusted acorn nuts.

[foghorn]

on the glass use triple ooo it wont scratch the glass used it in the shop for years to remove overspray from windows and chrome. Some of the chrome find a un noticable area to test it on as some would scratch i think it had some kind of coating on it. BTW i started the ss bolts and washers on mine and havent even started the acorn nuts as of yet and have close to $50 just in bolts and washers. The acorn nuts are $2.75 each for the larger ones at lowes at 6-8 each side this comes to $16-$20 per side alone.



Foggy

[ezernut9mm]

i'd use a scotchbrite pad. it's not as coarse as sos. or you can buy a can off "oops" and just use a rag.

[foghorn]

You don't have to take the door apart if it has expand nuts in the door just unbolt it and put the new ones in. If you have to put them in still no big deal. Just use a grade 8 bolt and nut screw the nut on the bolt then the bolt in the expand nut and then insert in hole. Then screw the bolt as far in as you can leaving room to work with then tighten the nut to make the expand nut collapse. If you have a lowes or a homedepot in your area they have them in the fastener section. They have all kinds of auto clips from plastic push in to the j-clips that is used in fenders and header panels. I used to cheat on the t-bolt clips that hold mouldings on and use whats called barrel clips. These just push in to the hole then push the moulding on to them.
This is the expand nuts
http://www.safco.org/products.php?pID=270&catID=1

Here is a page with barrel clips and the cost is for a box of how ever much the quantity says

http://www.safco.org/categories.php?catID=1




Foggy

[TheeMc]

On the arms what works well is "never Dull", you can get it at Wally World for around $4.00 a can.

It is almost like a coarse cotton fabric impregnated with polishing compound. It works wonders on surface rust and stains.
M