[70post]

If you want the "highly polished/smooth" look you show in your "this is what I want" pic then you might not be able to avoid SANDING those surfaces (VS. just polishing).

It all depends on a couple of things:

>How much time/patience you have....or, in the alternative, how many $ you're willing to pay someone to deal with them.

>How "slick" you want them -- I've done Oldsmobile versions of the M/T covers to a fairly extreme degree. Not just some sanding and polishing but instead, blocking the flat surfaces down to a super flat/straight surface. These things, as diecast, are typically full of subtle waves, etc. They look really cool just polished out BUT if you are wanting super straight/flat surfaces the don't reflect/shine showing a bunch of these subtle waves, they will need some serious block sanding.

If you glassbead them and still want the shiny polished look you show in the "what if" pic then YOU WILL HAVE TO SAND THEM first to get rid of the small pitting/grain that will appear on the surfaces after blasting. Sure, you may be able to machine buff the blasting texture off but it'll still take some serious time to do that.

It will be THE WAY/METHOD you sand them that will or will not affect whatever waviness they have in them.