The Miracle of Coca Cola
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Post by: dgently » Wed Jul 03, 2013 9:36 pm
My front bumper and wheel trims are badly rusted. There's so many important things to spend money on that I know I'll won't get to the cosmetics anytime soon.
Found out about kitchen foil + coke as a way to quickly and gently gently remove surface rust from chrome. Technique is simple (google "foil cola chrome" for videos etc). Crumple up a little foil, dip it in cola and gently rub the rusted area. Easy, amazingly quick. A miracle.
THe science it a bit vague - it seems the phosphoric acid in the cola softens the rust, while alu + heat (from rubbing) breaks down the rust by stealing oxygen molecules. The alu is softer than chrome and so won't scratch. Where your chrome is gone, it doesn't put it back
Of course, your chrome will rust up again promptly unless you protect with laquer or wax or something. But it is incredibly satisfying to get rid of it, if only for a while!
My back bumper is so bad I've taken it off and it's hanging in my attic. I can't take on the cost and hassle of shipping it to the UK to be rechromed - but now I'm going to strip it (by soaking overnight in coke) and maybe get one of those new-fangled chrome paint jobs done locally. Coke must be the cheapest acid on the market!
Found out about kitchen foil + coke as a way to quickly and gently gently remove surface rust from chrome. Technique is simple (google "foil cola chrome" for videos etc). Crumple up a little foil, dip it in cola and gently rub the rusted area. Easy, amazingly quick. A miracle.
THe science it a bit vague - it seems the phosphoric acid in the cola softens the rust, while alu + heat (from rubbing) breaks down the rust by stealing oxygen molecules. The alu is softer than chrome and so won't scratch. Where your chrome is gone, it doesn't put it back
Of course, your chrome will rust up again promptly unless you protect with laquer or wax or something. But it is incredibly satisfying to get rid of it, if only for a while!
My back bumper is so bad I've taken it off and it's hanging in my attic. I can't take on the cost and hassle of shipping it to the UK to be rechromed - but now I'm going to strip it (by soaking overnight in coke) and maybe get one of those new-fangled chrome paint jobs done locally. Coke must be the cheapest acid on the market!
68 +2 Carnival Red
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Post by: theelanman » Thu Jul 04, 2013 5:47 am
and the after pic.........
???
???
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theelanman - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Post by: dgently » Thu Jul 04, 2013 6:44 am
Bumper pic Left side before, right side after.
See wheel trims below. Well rough, v badly putted. The improvement is cosmetic only, but I can't imagine any product doing better! It took less than 2 minutes to do this wheel.
See wheel trims below. Well rough, v badly putted. The improvement is cosmetic only, but I can't imagine any product doing better! It took less than 2 minutes to do this wheel.
68 +2 Carnival Red
- dgently
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Post by: theelanman » Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:17 am
dgently wrote:Bumper pic Left side before, right side after.
ah sorry ....gottcha.....
I just thought it was a rusty patch on your bumper
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theelanman - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Post by: stevebroad » Thu Jul 04, 2013 9:10 pm
Phosphoric acid is the main ingredient in rust removers 
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Post by: robertverhey » Fri Jul 05, 2013 1:12 am
Certainly fills all our waterways and roadsides with plastic......
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Post by: Bud English » Fri Jul 05, 2013 9:44 pm
robertverhey wrote:Certainly fills all our waterways and roadsides with plastic......
Nah, it's idiots that do that, not coke.
Bud
1970 +2S Fed 0053N
"Winnemucca - says it all really!!"
1970 +2S Fed 0053N
"Winnemucca - says it all really!!"
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