1969 Camaro Sill Plates
 

From my understanding you cannot restore original still plates that have the rivets for the Fisher Body emblem. So, who is making the most accurate reproduction sill plates? I sure would like to use my originals because they are in good condition, but I feel they need something to look like they did when they came out of the factory.

Hearbeat has them listed as concours quality

https://www.heartbeatcitycamaro.com/...644760-USA%21/

I don't see why not. I bought a lot of maybe 20 sill plates in generally bad condition at a swap meet, because a few had near-pristine Fischer Body emblems. I ground off the back of the rivets, and installed the original Fischer emblems on newer NOS sill plates. I just drilled out the sill plates, and epoxied the remains of the original rivets from the back side.

I don't see why you couldn't remove the Fischer emblems, similar to how I did, polish the sill plates, and then reinstall the emblems

That is what I was thinking of doing but wanted to get some input on how to restore them. Is the finish supposed to be satin or shiny? Getting back to the reproductions, I do not see any difference in HBC sill plates compared to OER except for the price. They both have the rivets.

I did something similar on mu '70 Cutlass prior to MCACN this past fall. The NOS sill plates didn't have the rivets.

I put a piece of tape over the front of the Fisher Body tag on my factory plates since the rivet is so tiny and I didn't want to risk losing it.

I took a grinding wheel to the back side of the plate to get the rivet loose.

Pulled the rivet out and kept it in a safe spot until I drilled a hole in the NOS plates.

The smallest dab of super glue and some tweezers helped get the factory rivet in to the NOS plates.

Finish plate
 

This is an NOS sill plate with the factory rivet removed from the original plates and installed in the NOS plate.

IF not mistaken The Aluminum sill plates are clear anodized originally.

That's what I recall too....

Yes - they are Bright Dip Anodized...a different process compared to regular clear anodizing. Extremely hard to redo nicely on a door sill plate where there are all the little ridges, nooks and crannies. Best bet is as mentioned above...install original rivets on NOS plates.

I had believed the sheets were probably anodized prior to stamping, just like most zinc parts were plated as blank sheets and then stamped, same with the fuel tanks etc.

I was going to restore my original sill plates. Grind off the rivets from the under-side, remove the emblem, remove any scratches and dents, polish the sill plates, and then attach the emblem with the rivets. Since the sill plates are anodized, I need a new plan.

I did not realize these were anodized. I figured you could just buff them back to life.

Learned something new!!

That is what I thought. It seems like there is enough information that says the sill plates were anodized.

You can remove the anodizing with the HD Oven cleaner.
Then you can polish them without them appearing splotchy.

Bright dip anodized AFTER they were stamped.

Yes, they can be rehabbed w/out trying to have them reanodized. Plenty of time and basically it's a "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" type deal. The bright dip finish has a unique look...different from a stripped/sanded/polished/buffed look.

Does anyone have experience with or photos of the plates sold by HBC, and any idea how they compare to factory-fresh bright-dip anodized? I have read various past threads with comments that the HBC examples are “too shiny” but perhaps that’s actually a good match for the factory look?

HBC (Trim Parts) Reproduction Sill plates Side by Side
 

1968 (LOS) Origs compared to HBC (Trim Parts) current Reproductions

Lots of Detail differences, Still a Nice product.

You know it is a tough Call. Most 99.9% of the car show public would never understand the difference(s) or care. But I still want to restore my orig, tough cause my plating plant charges 270$ per Lot of plating. So it would be necessary to restore batches to make it economically viable. In the Past I have tried to Home (DIY) polish alum trim without post treatment (Clear Bright anodization) only to have the Alum part appearance be compromised with just general exposure. Even Attempts to Aerosol Can spray cleared alum jus looked strange.

Ref: MIL-DTL-5541, "Military Specification, Chemical Conversion Coatings on Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys" Type II: Addresses compositions containing no hexavalent chromium. This film typically appears to have no color (Having no color is described as "clear"). Class 1A: Provides maximum protection against corrosion, whether painted or unpainted. This is a relatively thick coating used as a final finish or pre-treatment to paint or powder coating.

*Apologies for the Large photos but these allow great detail views.

** Disregard the Mfr's Blue protective Film

JIM