Can you polish plastic?

XfbodyX

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I was getting ready to prep and install the nos lower drivers side of the dash on a project and its got some light scratches in the gloss black plastic.

Im wondering if I could polish this part, maybe 2000 or higher wet sand? Its not like a used one or one thats been in the heat its a good bit more pliable and flexible so Im not worried about it wanting to turn to dust like some depleted plastic parts.

Since its below eye level it doesnt have to turn out 100% just close.

HELP< HELP can I do this?

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BudW

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I have no firsthand experience on this, but I do know plastic can be polished and scratches can be rendered less of a problem. There are kits to polish clear plastic headlights which do a great job at it. I don’t see a reason why it wouldn’t work for you, as well.

My question is most of those panels I see, has some texture to them – or maybe my memory isn’t what it used to be. Hum, I need to go look again. I would think having texture would be harder to do something with.

I’m guessing you are not wanting to paint/dye it?

I’m curious on how this turns out (good, bad or indifferent). Would you mind taking and posting pictures on progress, please?

On to a different topic, I saw this and said "hum...".
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BudW
 

XfbodyX

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Correct im not wanting to paint or dye (but im not a hater of either) because every single dash part is nos and no matter how dye is there is only one org. look, at least I think so. If I wanted to dye or paint id of used nice used parts.

Now for the spot you said hmmm, on, I said "Oh shit" when I seen your pic, and had to go lookie.

And it turns out it was the shadow from a fold in the sheet.

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This is an untouched org. dash and you can tell its got a bit different look then a painted or dyed one, still no hate for dye or paint.

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BudW

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After you last comment, I went back and you can see some purple underneath. Sorry, I wasn't trying to create a panic - I just hadn't seen that before (and guess, I still hadn't seen one).

Is that a factory (F) steering wheel?
With cruise (very cool).

Before polishing, I would find an old black one and try it first.
BudW
 

XfbodyX

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Thats a Premium/SE type wheel. Thats the cool high optioned F thats still trying to be flipped for 13k out of AZ after a 3k buying price from the org. owner in Cali.
 

kkritsilas

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There are a number of plastic polishes (Novus, Meguiar's PlastX, and many, many others) that can be used. I don't think that sanding will be necessary, unless the scratches are quite deep. Also, polish by hand, machine polishing is not really recommended, as it will induce as many scratches as it removes in most cases.
 

Aspen500

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I dabbled with it on my car, same part actually. Didn't have much luck. I eliminated the scratches but the gloss was too shiny and it didn't look right (to me anyways). Ended up using the SEM dye in "Tuxedo Black". Maybe with more experimentation it would have come out OK. I've only had good luck with exterior plastic, like lenses. Sand the lettering off and any scratches, and go one grit finer each time up to 2500, then about 3 steps of polishing and better than new. Of course, exterior plastic is a different type than the hard vinyl on interior panels.
 

Rattle Trap

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I've never been able to exactly duplicate the factory sheen. I have polished the sheen clean off them to get scratches out until the entire piece was incredibly shiny and completely wrong though. Black is proving to be the hardest color to find these days despite there having been so many black dashes too. I've got like 30 of them in every other color of the rainbow and with or without mirror grommets. But I still had to purchase black for my own use because replacing one that had been scuffed is the only way I know to get it right.

Personally I would not worry about light scratches below the sight plane. No judge is going to climb into your car and look up under your dash. If they were in view, like a scuff beside the ash tray or a scar near the fuse access cover that would be different.
 
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Rattle Trap

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That mother of pearl ringed tilt blade in your pic is another '76 only thing for F-body if I recall correctly. I believe it was same on '75/76 B-body and also without medallion in the pad center on those.
 

XfbodyX

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That wheel is on a mid 77 car. But I dont know anything about the car other then pic and sale history.

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volare 77

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I agree I would leave it be as it will end up too shiny. I tried polishing before on a used black panel. You could experiment on the back side. Sometimes you have a better shot at getting a really nice used one that was on a car vs a NOS one that has been tossed around and has shelf wear.
 
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XfbodyX

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Thanks for the great info, it is an odd oem finish. Im gonna clean it uo good and see really how bad it is. I use cheap dollar store fake windex and its got alot of ammonia in it and even new nos parts have alot of dirt on them that comes off. In this case I might be better off just to dye it if needed, lucky its not in a high visual area.
 

Aspen500

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I know what level you're going for but, it'd be tough to tell mine has been dyed. Previously I said it was SEM Tuxedo Black, I meant Landau Black (to pick nits). Actually all the plastic is dyed, everything except the dash pad. It was all in very good condition but even after cleaning it to within an inch of it's life and putting vinyl dressing on, it just didn't look right. None of it really matched so, clean it again to get all the dressing crap off and sprayed with SEM dye.
I know, not the clearest photo's, not sure what happened.
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Oldiron440

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Aspen500

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I should have mentioned that. I also used the SEM plastic prep and adhesion promoter. So far, after 7 years, so good. Just the same as painting a car, it's 95% prep, 5% finish.
 

ch1ll

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you can polish plastic, Maguires make all sorts of compounds. search amazon for plastic polish and look for polishing plastic on YouTube.
 
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