Official Caliper Finishing pic thread... Polished mine whatcha think? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

INeedNewTires · 12-19-2007, 06:15 PM

Okay so I got flamed for doing what I've been taught to do which is search and if i have further questions to ask. I received a bunch of neg rep's for "bumping an old ass thread" so here is my own new thread for you haters. Others post pics and share ideas/thoughts on caliper finishing

Started with painted calipers, hated it, looked crappy, chipping, etc. So i went at them with a brass wire wheel like i saw in another "old ass" thread.

Wasnt satisfied... the wire wheel really chewed up the aluminum (rear) calipers, so i decided to sandblast them. Found out what i thought were aluminum front calipers, turned out to be iron front, aluminum rear. I guess had i taken a closer look i'd have been able to figure that out.... anyway this is what they looked like

So then i took the brass wheel to the fronts which polished them up nicely.

Didnt want to touch the rears with the wire wheel again so i went ahead and tried to polish them on the cotton buffing wheel. Didnt do shit. So i took an aluminum die-grinder disk and went to town, smoothing out the 'sandyness' and making them nice and smooth. Finished them up with the cotton buffer and white compound. They turned out AWESOME.

And polished vs sandblasted on aluminum

So just finished installing em, they look sweet with the zinc plated rotors. ive got a bit of touchup to do with the Nissan letters. Other than that, just used some high temp (500 deg) clear coat for the fronts so they wont rust, rears should be fine. Finished product:

So use this thread to post other peoples pics and methods on painting, polishing, sandblasting, powdercoating, etc. And let me know what you guys think!

arkive43 · 12-19-2007, 06:25 PM

looks great man!!

240sxScores · 12-19-2007, 06:36 PM

Looks pretty good man. Great job.

S13FREEAAK · 12-19-2007, 06:55 PM

Those look good. I like them alot more than your average painted black or red ones.

I may have to polish my calipers for the bimmer after seeing this.

wonkuuzenki · 12-19-2007, 07:03 PM

Very nice.
I wonder if anyone has painted caliper whilst also adding ridiculous amounts of flake/sparkle??

I'm betting it would look awesome if you kept them clean.

SW20Racer · 12-19-2007, 07:05 PM

you can powdercoat w/sparkle. consider that route.

projectRDM · 12-19-2007, 07:07 PM

Question, why didn't you completely remove all the paint from the lettering? The 'I' on the rear caliper for example. Leaving it only partially done looks like shit.

wonkuuzenki · 12-19-2007, 07:08 PM

Right. that's what i was thinking..

didderson · 12-19-2007, 07:09 PM

They look great. So baller with the rest of your silvery colored rims and rotors!

INeedNewTires · 12-19-2007, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by projectRDM

Question, why didn't you completely remove all the paint from the lettering? The 'I' on the rear caliper for example. Leaving it only partially done looks like shit.

i realize it needs a bit of touchup, (you obviously didnt read my comments in-between the pics) However, i removed all of the paint, polished them, then painted the letters back on. But when i was installing them i fucked the 'I' up a lil bit, i'll just go over it with my paint pen later, no biggie. i'm planning on doing the fronts too

P_856 · 12-19-2007, 07:59 PM

looks nice so how long did it take you

sbanzer123 · 12-19-2007, 08:04 PM

id clear the rears to so the polish wont get dull.

posdriftin · 12-19-2007, 08:26 PM

looks nice ... i think im gonna borrow your idea for my fronts....

INeedNewTires · 12-20-2007, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbanzer123

id clear the rears to so the polish wont get dull.

yea i was wondering about that, didnt want the clear to make them look yellow but the aluminum will surely tarnish eventually right? anyone have any experience with this? about how long would it take?

thanks for the props guys lets get some rep points get me outta the hole!

WERDdabuilder · 12-20-2007, 02:14 AM

im about to do mine black with glitter =D.

should make em more of a smooth bling.

SW20Racer · 12-20-2007, 02:17 AM

a diy powdercoat set up is cheapy cheap and it pays for itself after 3 or so friends want their shit done too. and it comes in handy for other stuff too. just a thought...example, i have an uncle who sandblasts for a living(automotive, tombstones, ANYTHING) and he picked up some basic powder coating supplies for his automotive endeavors. word got out and in 3 months he was powder coating crazy shit for the military. just think about that applying to you, but on a smaller scale.

INeedNewTires · 12-20-2007, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_856

looks nice so how long did it take you

sandblasting about an hour including prep, wire wheel polishing was like 10 min, super easy on the iron calipers. The die grinding on the aluminum was real quick on the sandblasted one, but on the one i chewed up with the wire wheel it took a while. then polishing them is easy, they turn all black though so gotta spray em down with brake cleaner, then painting the letters and clear is more wait time than "do" time. Id say all in all about 3 to 3.5 hrs all said and done

status:one · 12-20-2007, 04:26 AM

I bet that was a bitch... they turned out nice though, great job!. Now just fix the nissan logo... I think the "I" went for a walk.

RedStage · 12-20-2007, 05:55 AM

nice job

so tempted...but I'd hate to have to pull the calipers when there is no reason to at this time. Will keep this subscribed to for the possibility of some day trying this myself.

Oh...can you take some pics with the whole car in there so we can see the over-all effect? thxs

The Chad · 12-20-2007, 06:23 AM

Very nice job! I contemplated pollishing mine as well but got only as far as grinding of the excess lettering and smoothing out the chipped fins on the calipers. Then i painted them high temp "canary" (i'm obnoxioxious like that

) yellow and pollished the Nissan lettering (mirror finish) after baking them in my oven for a few hours to set-up the paint. I highly recomend pollishing the "NISSAN" on all painted calipers, really looks a lot better than the ridged factory style, and a nice "cop out" for those who don't have the patience to polish the entire calliper.
--I'm at work right now but i'll post up some pics when i get home of mine.

DOOK · 12-20-2007, 08:25 AM

I can't wait until Rican_Nick gets his brembos and rear Z32s done... shaved and polished.... they are gonna be yummy

status:one · 12-20-2007, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOOK

I can't wait until Rican_Nick gets his brembos and rear Z32s done... shaved and polished.... they are gonna be yummy

My brother polished his brembos on his G35c. They look awesome.

rican_nick · 12-20-2007, 09:30 AM

whoa whoa whoa.. damn DOOK.. to much intel..

hahahahahahaha

cats out the bag.. here is a pic of stock/shaved/sanded rear z32 caliper.

since this pic was taken they are now all taken apart and the front halfs are in the first stage of final polish. The rears i am finishing up the 800grit sanding > 1000> steel wool.. then polish.

azndummie · 12-20-2007, 09:35 AM

looking \good man

***dorkidori_s13*** · 12-20-2007, 09:46 AM

those are hot...good work on em

nice change to the whole "painted" look

nani · 12-20-2007, 10:24 AM

are you guys gonna spray some clear coat or some kind of protective coat on the caliper?

rican_nick · 12-20-2007, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nani

are you guys gonna spray some clear coat or some kind of protective coat on the caliper?

not sure bout the OP. But mine will be powder coated clear.. cuz fuck if i am going to be polishing these again.. haha

eds13 · 12-20-2007, 03:55 PM

now one of the times i wish i had alumium z brakes....

Subzeroqc · 12-20-2007, 04:02 PM

Wow those look amazing, might be enough to motivate my lazy ass to take mine powder coated ones apart and try this. I might give it a try on old S14 calipers I have laying around first.

Thanks for the write up!

garagelu · 12-20-2007, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subzeroqc

Wow those look amazing, might be enough to motivate my lazy ass to take mine powder coated ones apart and try this. I might give it a try on old S14 calipers I have laying around first.

Thanks for the write up!

S14 calipers are iron, not aluminum so it not possible to polish it.

12-19-2007, 06:15 PM	#1
INeedNewTires Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,527 Trader Rating: (4) Rides Gallery: INeedNewTires Feedback Score: 4 reviews	Official Caliper Finishing pic thread... Polished mine whatcha think? Okay so I got flamed for doing what I've been taught to do which is search and if i have further questions to ask. I received a bunch of neg rep's for "bumping an old ass thread" so here is my own new thread for you haters. Others post pics and share ideas/thoughts on caliper finishing Started with painted calipers, hated it, looked crappy, chipping, etc. So i went at them with a brass wire wheel like i saw in another "old ass" thread. Wasnt satisfied... the wire wheel really chewed up the aluminum (rear) calipers, so i decided to sandblast them. Found out what i thought were aluminum front calipers, turned out to be iron front, aluminum rear. I guess had i taken a closer look i'd have been able to figure that out.... anyway this is what they looked like So then i took the brass wheel to the fronts which polished them up nicely. Didnt want to touch the rears with the wire wheel again so i went ahead and tried to polish them on the cotton buffing wheel. Didnt do shit. So i took an aluminum die-grinder disk and went to town, smoothing out the 'sandyness' and making them nice and smooth. Finished them up with the cotton buffer and white compound. They turned out AWESOME. And polished vs sandblasted on aluminum So just finished installing em, they look sweet with the zinc plated rotors. ive got a bit of touchup to do with the Nissan letters. Other than that, just used some high temp (500 deg) clear coat for the fronts so they wont rust, rears should be fine. Finished product: So use this thread to post other peoples pics and methods on painting, polishing, sandblasting, powdercoating, etc. And let me know what you guys think! __________________

12-19-2007, 07:03 PM	#5
wonkuuzenki Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: rio rancho, NM Posts: 312 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Very nice. I wonder if anyone has painted caliper whilst also adding ridiculous amounts of flake/sparkle?? I'm betting it would look awesome if you kept them clean. __________________ *Function. Form.* Step Up Drift Club/Upper Limit!

12-19-2007, 07:07 PM	#7
projectRDM Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Atlanta Age: 50 Posts: 13,812 Trader Rating: (12) Feedback Score: 12 reviews	Question, why didn't you completely remove all the paint from the lettering? The 'I' on the rear caliper for example. Leaving it only partially done looks like shit. __________________ FORMERLY R240NA Learn what's really going on and protect your assets now before they're gone forever: www.paypalsucks.com

12-19-2007, 07:08 PM	#8
wonkuuzenki Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: rio rancho, NM Posts: 312 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Right. that's what i was thinking.. __________________ *Function. Form.* Step Up Drift Club/Upper Limit!

12-20-2007, 04:26 AM	#18
status:one Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Age: 38 Posts: 1,258 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: status:one Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I bet that was a bitch... they turned out nice though, great job!. Now just fix the nissan logo... I think the "I" went for a walk. __________________

12-19-2007, 06:25 PM	#2
arkive43 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: houston Age: 40 Posts: 795 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	looks great man!!

12-19-2007, 06:36 PM	#3
240sxScores Zilvia Junkie Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pocono's PA Age: 37 Posts: 304 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	Looks pretty good man. Great job.

12-19-2007, 06:55 PM	#4
S13FREEAAK Drifterella Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,435 Trader Rating: (14) Rides Gallery: S13FREEAAK Feedback Score: 14 reviews	Those look good. I like them alot more than your average painted black or red ones. I may have to polish my calipers for the bimmer after seeing this.

12-19-2007, 07:05 PM	#6
SW20Racer Nissanaholic! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Beaumont Age: 39 Posts: 1,633 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	you can powdercoat w/sparkle. consider that route.

12-19-2007, 07:09 PM	#9
didderson Zilvia Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Phila/Lancaster, PA Age: 38 Posts: 291 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	They look great. So baller with the rest of your silvery colored rims and rotors!

12-19-2007, 07:59 PM	#11
P_856 Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Jersey Posts: 1,424 Trader Rating: (7) Feedback Score: 7 reviews	looks nice so how long did it take you

12-19-2007, 08:04 PM	#12
sbanzer123 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Buffalo, NY Age: 35 Posts: 534 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	id clear the rears to so the polish wont get dull.

12-19-2007, 08:26 PM	#13
posdriftin Zilvia Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: so cal...north ..sd... Posts: 832 Trader Rating: (7) Feedback Score: 7 reviews	looks nice ... i think im gonna borrow your idea for my fronts....

12-20-2007, 02:17 AM	#16
SW20Racer Nissanaholic! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Beaumont Age: 39 Posts: 1,633 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	a diy powdercoat set up is cheapy cheap and it pays for itself after 3 or so friends want their shit done too. and it comes in handy for other stuff too. just a thought...example, i have an uncle who sandblasts for a living(automotive, tombstones, ANYTHING) and he picked up some basic powder coating supplies for his automotive endeavors. word got out and in 3 months he was powder coating crazy shit for the military. just think about that applying to you, but on a smaller scale.

12-20-2007, 05:55 AM	#19
RedStage Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Florida (formerly Yokohama, Japan) Posts: 531 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	nice job so tempted...but I'd hate to have to pull the calipers when there is no reason to at this time. Will keep this subscribed to for the possibility of some day trying this myself. Oh...can you take some pics with the whole car in there so we can see the over-all effect? thxs __________________ Marc - Yokohama, Japan

12-20-2007, 06:23 AM	#20
The Chad Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Richmond, VA Age: 43 Posts: 943 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Very nice job! I contemplated pollishing mine as well but got only as far as grinding of the excess lettering and smoothing out the chipped fins on the calipers. Then i painted them high temp "canary" (i'm obnoxioxious like that ) yellow and pollished the Nissan lettering (mirror finish) after baking them in my oven for a few hours to set-up the paint. I highly recomend pollishing the "NISSAN" on all painted calipers, really looks a lot better than the ridged factory style, and a nice "cop out" for those who don't have the patience to polish the entire calliper. --I'm at work right now but i'll post up some pics when i get home of mine.

12-20-2007, 08:25 AM	#21
DOOK Post Whore! Join Date: May 2007 Location: Land of Milk and Cookies Age: 41 Posts: 7,552 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	I can't wait until Rican_Nick gets his brembos and rear Z32s done... shaved and polished.... they are gonna be yummy __________________ <------ Grumpy Old Asshole MY REVIEW THREAD: Ltdnismoracer4=DOOK http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.p...ltdnismoracer4

12-20-2007, 09:30 AM	#23
rican_nick Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Augusta, GA Age: 41 Posts: 1,204 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	whoa whoa whoa.. damn DOOK.. to much intel.. hahahahahahaha cats out the bag.. here is a pic of stock/shaved/sanded rear z32 caliper. since this pic was taken they are now all taken apart and the front halfs are in the first stage of final polish. The rears i am finishing up the 800grit sanding > 1000> steel wool.. then polish. __________________ Nick O. 97 240sx My Seller's Review Thread

12-20-2007, 09:35 AM	#24
azndummie Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: orange county Posts: 1,362 Trader Rating: (14) Feedback Score: 14 reviews	looking \good man

12-20-2007, 09:46 AM	#25
*dorkidori_s13* ITS LISA'S FAULT!!! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Las Vegas Age: 42 Posts: 7,492 Trader Rating: (41) Feedback Score: 41 reviews	those are hot...good work on em nice change to the whole "painted" look __________________ Check out my IG for what I'm up to! DORKIDORI INSTAGRAM!!!

12-20-2007, 10:24 AM	#26
nani Zilvia Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: maryland Age: 36 Posts: 159 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	are you guys gonna spray some clear coat or some kind of protective coat on the caliper?

12-20-2007, 03:55 PM	#28
eds13 Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: teh VA dawg Posts: 1,285 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	now one of the times i wish i had alumium z brakes.... __________________

12-20-2007, 04:02 PM	#29
Subzeroqc Leaky Injector Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: mtl Age: 36 Posts: 108 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Wow those look amazing, might be enough to motivate my lazy ass to take mine powder coated ones apart and try this. I might give it a try on old S14 calipers I have laying around first. Thanks for the write up!