Well that was a lot of sanding

I had a spare Miata hood and decided to strip it and polish it for fun. There is still a lot of work to be done but my arms are tired now.

Now paint it flat black.

Why? Why not?

Cool. Are you going to let it rust, or finish polishing it and clear coat it.

No rust, it's not a VW. It is an aluminium hood so I am going to finish polishing it and just repolish it when it starts to fade.

Toyman01 wrote: Cool. Are you going to let it rust, or finish polishing it and clear coat it.

Rust? only if it's not a stock hood

I vote flat black

I vote polish.

That ought to be fun on sunny days...you'll have to wear a welding mask to drive it.

DILYSI Dave wrote: I vote polish.

+1 & clearcoat

I vote self darkening welding helmet when driving into the sun!

Ah, I didn't know they were aluminum. Then polish for sure.

What would it take to get it turned?
Sample:

a lot of patience

A lot of patience indeed to get it turned.

From what I have read from others who have done this it doesn't shine into your eyes while driving. When driving you can't see much of the hood anyway so it should be fine.

Even if it does, polarized sunglasses will cut it right out.

SS brush on a drill or angle grinder to give it that alu texture look... lot less work... lot less shinny...

more cars should have aluminum hoods

Did someone say.... turned?

I vote fake rust & see how many people realize it.

In reply to mad_machine:

My 87 Town Car had an aluminum hood. I never considered polishing it.

Lugnut wrote:

Just my opinion, but I don't like that as much. Evan's is more fighter jet, yours is a bit too disco ball.

Nice!

If you want that 'brushed aluminum' look, do this: get some coarse Scotchbrite, some lacquer thinner and some spraybomb clearcoat. Wipe it down real good with the lacquer thinner, then use the Scotchbrite only in one direction! NOT back and forth! until you get a uniform brushed appearance. Then clean it two or three times with the lacquer thinner, let it dry good, wipe it with naptha or similar (this removes the lacquer thinner residue), wipe it a couple times with a tack rag and then clearcoat.

fr primer and some nose art

I didn't realize Miata's came stock with aluminum hoods! Good news for me