Buffing with diamond: Micro polishing the gearbox internals

While the internals of our gearbox were found to be in remarkably good condition, they are still mechanical parts that are over 40 years old and will show signs of use. Recently dad and I spent two full days micro polishing every machine surface inside the gearbox in order to bring them back to a factory fresh state. In addition to this we removed any burrs or marks that could affect the operation of the the machine.

This is a very time consuming process where ultra fine abrasive papers (2000 grit and finer) are used in conjunction with machinists cutting oil to just polish the surface of the internals but without removing any significant material that will affect critical tolerances. Final polishing is done with an assortment of diamond pastes that bring the parts to a near mirror finish. You do not want too shiny a surface as it affects the ability of oil to stay attached to the surface during operation so naturally it takes time, patience, and experience to get right.

This is not the service you get with your average re-build but we can now be sure that the gearbox will operate as it did the day it left Ferrari.