I did the same type of polishing job on the valve cover of 1971 Datsun truck that my dad and I cherryed out.
Also on the the valve cover of a '73 Toyota Celica. It was kind of shiny but when I got done with it... Well it was better.
Aluminum is easy to shine and buff. I really dont like if its painted, and I cant understand why anyone would paint over it.
Me like shinny things!
So If I get the chance I strip and buff it. Sometimes, even if it’s not my car.
Ok, If its anodized thats cool also.
But, NO PAINT!
Anyway, after a month trip up the coast to Seattle and back through Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada, it was tarnished to the max. Along with all the other exposed aluminum. Some of the aluminum trim was even pitted from the salt air.
So if you live on the coast, or where they use salt on the roads, or in an area of high air pollution, heck yea, your wasting your time buffing your fuel door. It wont last a week without clear coat, or possibly buffing it every time you put gas in.
I live in Tucson Arizona. I buffed it back on 05/16/03 and I can sill see myself in it with no special attention.
Before I decided to buff it I had considered making a repeating swirly pattern on it with a small cupped wire brush ( Like the nose of “The Sprit Of ST. Louis” ) but I figured I would try shinny first.
Mmmmm, shinny...D’oh!
I was also thinking it would look cool if I etched in a few extra letters so instead of saying “LOCK” it would say “LOCKHEED” But frankly I lost interest in sutch a tiny and esoteric mod. Also if I messed it up I would have to buy a new one, or possibly mill it totally flat in that area and then inlay a piece of clear acrylic plastic that had a NASA or Isuzu logo under it.
But if all you guys start buffing yours I’ll have to do something to make it different!


PS.
On second thought dont buff it every time you put gas in. With our fuel consunption there wont be anything left of the thing after a year.
PPS.
I know that date for a fact, because I etched my name and the date on the inside of the cover when I finished with a Dremel tool.
Why? Because I’m insane, also so I could show people it wasn’t manufactured that way.