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Has anyone performed another approach to restoring the face/bezel of their dash? I know you can't do your own chrome work per say but what about masking very meticulously and airbrushing with flat silver, flat black, etc. Just wondering if their is a poor man's method that some have tried. I guess I just don't want to take my dash out for fear of causing more issues. Love to hear some comments on this one.
I did it with rattle can chrome and argent and flat black. It looks great for a short period of time. It requires touch up on the "chrome" often. I would say for a driver grade car it is ok.
I am looking forward to getting my Ron Roth restored dash to put in place of mine soon.
I did it with rattle can chrome and argent and flat black. It looks great for a short period of time. It requires touch up on the "chrome" often. I would say for a driver grade car it is ok.
I am looking forward to getting my Ron Roth restored dash to put in place of mine soon.
The silver part is pretty close to Krylon dull aluminum. The dash is not that hard to take out as a unit with pad attached. Be very careful with the main roundwire connector as sometimes the pins snap off....
If I do a dash I take out the front seat or seats depending on bucket or bench. This makes it very easy to lay on the floor and get to the nuts that hold it in. You need to unplug the wiring harness very carefully as the pins can be broken off so be careful. Then undo the speedometer cable. I leave the heater controls in so take out the screws that hold it to the dash insert. take out the radio and unplug any accessory switch like: top switch, rear defogger or power antenna. There is I think 8 nuts holding the dash pad assembly to the car. Once removed it comes out pretty easy. You then need to separate the insert from the pad. The hardest nut is the one above the light switch. Oh forgot so editing. the ignition switch is a little tricky. If you don't need to pull it then take the tumbler out and unscrew the nut holding it to the dash otherwise there is a trick in the CSM that tells you how to use a paper clip to undo the three wire harness retainers to the ignition switch. Oh and unplug the lighter, headlight switch and wiper switch and clock if you have one.
Hope this helps.
Larry
Last edited by lemoldsnut; Sep 30, 2016 at 06:31 PM.
FYI- I have never taken a 66-67 dash apart that at least one of the mounts on the back of the dash insert wasn't broken. I've probably done 7 or 8. The last one I took apart only had one good mount left holding it to the dash pad. That old plastic is super brittle and fragile. Front seat removed is the only way I can do it any more.
I've painted one as you describe but wasn't happy with the results. It's the main thing you see when sitting behind the wheel.
I had Mr. G's Enterprises in Ft. Worth, Texas rechrome and paint one that I'm very happy with but they no longer replate plastic. https://mrgusa.com/rechrome/
Looks like they are still selling old inventory and still have a few 68 and 69 Cutlass dash parts for sale, plus some 70-72 bezels too.
I've also seen pictures of Ron's work and they look really nice too. If you are going to attempt to paint yours it will be about 1000 times easier with it out of the car. Good luck.
I took mine out and sent the plastic to Chrome Tech USA, 608-274-9811. I think the guys name is Robert. They did a very nice job, its done as the original was done in 67. Its aluminum vacumizing, its not chrome, but it looks chrome. They can do the whole job, repair any cracks, chrome and paint or just repair and chrome. I painted my own after it came back. They are im Madison Wisconson, so i built a plywood case to ship it in, because as Texxas said the plastic is very fragile and brittle. I padded it and it shipped surrounded in styrofoam peanuts, made the round trip with no problem.
I dont know of any paint that will really look Chrome, but im sure you could make it look better if removing it and shipping it for chrome is not possible now.
Theres a guy Ron Roth, he used to be on this site regularly but i havnt seen him posting for quite a while. I think he had some health issues, i hope hes ok. He restores these dashes and does an amazing job, if he is still doing this, he would be the guy to send it to if you want to have it restored.
I found some pictures of my dash after I got it back from being plated and painted and some pictures of the back that shows all the mounting points repaired and intact so you can see where the nuts are you will need to access if you choose to remove yours.
Here is mine after it was painted with the rattle can chrome and matte silver and matte black. It is presentable but by no means the same as having it restored correctly.
I am looking forward to installing the one Ron is doing now for me
When you pull it out there is a screw often missed till the end. It is on top of the speedo cluster area and is a loop that holds that wire harness in place. It is easy to see when you get all out and pull the dash assembly toward the steering wheel a few inches you can see it through the windshield.
Here is mine after it was painted with the rattle can chrome and matte silver and matte black. It is presentable but by no means the same as having it restored correctly.
I am looking forward to installing the one Ron is doing now for me
67 442 Dash Face Question
