Restoring hood louvers 68 442
July 3rd, 2011, 11:52 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Denver
Posts: 699
Restoring hood louvers 68 442
Does anyone have any tips on painting the black in between the louvers? Any tips on dealing with the pits in the chrome?
Thanks in advance!
Happy Independance Day and a belated Canada Day to our northern neighbors!
Tom
68 442 convt
70 F85
95 Aurora
Thanks in advance!
Happy Independance Day and a belated Canada Day to our northern neighbors!
Tom
68 442 convt
70 F85
95 Aurora
July 3rd, 2011, 12:09 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 686
because of the pot Metal you will make holes when you remove the pitts. I'd buy new ones.They look great and fit perfect. I was going through the same thing as you with mine and figured it was easier and cheaper to pick up new ones. Around $200 For the my 69. Good Luck.
July 3rd, 2011, 12:36 PM
#3
Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Poteau, Ok
Posts: 40,647
I use fine steel wool and soap n water. Works great on all chrome including bumpers. I buy semi-gloss black or you can use a Dupli-color from the auto parts store. Mask off the areas where you can. Spray the whole piece and wait about 3 mins, use a shop rag on your forefinger lightly saturated with acitone and rub the upper areas of the chrome to remove the paint. This will leave the paint in the bottom areas where you want it.
I repeat the process with a shot of clear.
This same process can be used for emblems. For smaller emblems and scripts, I use touch-up paint that u can find in the auto parts store and a the small brush that comes with them. The acitone will remove paint from the upper face areas as well.
I repeat the process with a shot of clear.
This same process can be used for emblems. For smaller emblems and scripts, I use touch-up paint that u can find in the auto parts store and a the small brush that comes with them. The acitone will remove paint from the upper face areas as well.
Last edited by oldcutlass; July 3rd, 2011 at 12:38 PM.
July 3rd, 2011, 03:22 PM
#4
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,479
There are only two ways to deal with the pits. 1) pay dearly to have a top-of-the-line chrome shop grind them out, plate the parts with copper, fill the craters with solder, and replate the whole part, or 2) buy new ones.
July 3rd, 2011, 03:48 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Seneca Falls, NY
Posts: 5,266
Alright, I'll disagree with almost everyone (except oldcutlass).
My vents were slightly pitted. I tried everything to remove the black paint in between so I could TRY to get them to look presentable without spending big money for the repros. Chemical stripper, steel wool, etc. Nothing worked. Finally I just wire wheeled them with the bench grinder with a fine wire wheel on it. I painted them semi flat black and then fine sanded them with like 600 grit to get the paint off without scratching the crap out of the chrome plating. Then I used a thinner on a rag over a flat surface (a piece of wood) to clean them up. The chrome shined up pretty well.
The pits are mostly in the black portion. Once it's painted you can't really see where they were
JMO
Mike
My vents were slightly pitted. I tried everything to remove the black paint in between so I could TRY to get them to look presentable without spending big money for the repros. Chemical stripper, steel wool, etc. Nothing worked. Finally I just wire wheeled them with the bench grinder with a fine wire wheel on it. I painted them semi flat black and then fine sanded them with like 600 grit to get the paint off without scratching the crap out of the chrome plating. Then I used a thinner on a rag over a flat surface (a piece of wood) to clean them up. The chrome shined up pretty well.
The pits are mostly in the black portion. Once it's painted you can't really see where they were
JMO
Mike
Last edited by allyolds68; July 3rd, 2011 at 03:50 PM.
July 3rd, 2011, 04:42 PM
#7
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Alright, I'll disagree with almost everyone (except oldcutlass).
My vents were slightly pitted. I tried everything to remove the black paint in between so I could TRY to get them to look presentable without spending big money for the repros. Chemical stripper, steel wool, etc. Nothing worked. Finally I just wire wheeled them with the bench grinder with a fine wire wheel on it. I painted them semi flat black and then fine sanded them with like 600 grit to get the paint off without scratching the crap out of the chrome plating. Then I used a thinner on a rag over a flat surface (a piece of wood) to clean them up. The chrome shined up pretty well.
The pits are mostly in the black portion. Once it's painted you can't really see where they were
JMO
Mike
My vents were slightly pitted. I tried everything to remove the black paint in between so I could TRY to get them to look presentable without spending big money for the repros. Chemical stripper, steel wool, etc. Nothing worked. Finally I just wire wheeled them with the bench grinder with a fine wire wheel on it. I painted them semi flat black and then fine sanded them with like 600 grit to get the paint off without scratching the crap out of the chrome plating. Then I used a thinner on a rag over a flat surface (a piece of wood) to clean them up. The chrome shined up pretty well.
The pits are mostly in the black portion. Once it's painted you can't really see where they were
JMO
Mike
July 3rd, 2011, 06:06 PM
#8
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Denver
Posts: 699
Awesome, I did get most of the black out using a couple of pounds of baking soda I had left and my pressure blaster. Used some fine steel and got the rest of the paint off. So i guess the hardest part is done. I have the primer and the paint so I will give it a shot....damn i am cheap. good thing about these parts is I can always spring for the sweet brand new ones after I win the lottery or get a permanent job(whichever comes first). Thanks for all the input, Old's people are the best!
Tom
Tom
July 3rd, 2011, 09:05 PM
#9
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 3,157
You SHOULD grind down the pits....if they are in an area that's ultimately gong to be covered with black paint. You'll likely never get them filled with just spray primer....too thin once it's dried.
>Dremel tool and a small grinding burr/cutter
>Remove all the corroded/loose die cast from the pit (play like you're a dentist and these are cavities)
>Now you can fill them with two part glazing putty (just a finer form of "bondo) or epoxy. Pay attention to how easily you can get in there and sand any given pit before deciding which to use...epoxy is MUCH harder and a lot more tedious to sand.
>You could also spray one coat of primer over the cleaned out pits before applying filler...probably doesn't matter though.
>Once you've filled them in you can prime the whole "black area", take a look to see if you are happy with the smoothness (if not then it may only need a few more coats of primer, allow plenty of dry time and some more sanding).
From your pics you may be VERY LUCKY ----- if the pits/bubbles are all in the blacked out areas and the bare chrome areas are nice then it's only a function of how much patience you have to get them to look perfect. You should end up with a very nice pair of grilles.
>Dremel tool and a small grinding burr/cutter
>Remove all the corroded/loose die cast from the pit (play like you're a dentist and these are cavities)
>Now you can fill them with two part glazing putty (just a finer form of "bondo) or epoxy. Pay attention to how easily you can get in there and sand any given pit before deciding which to use...epoxy is MUCH harder and a lot more tedious to sand.
>You could also spray one coat of primer over the cleaned out pits before applying filler...probably doesn't matter though.
>Once you've filled them in you can prime the whole "black area", take a look to see if you are happy with the smoothness (if not then it may only need a few more coats of primer, allow plenty of dry time and some more sanding).
From your pics you may be VERY LUCKY ----- if the pits/bubbles are all in the blacked out areas and the bare chrome areas are nice then it's only a function of how much patience you have to get them to look perfect. You should end up with a very nice pair of grilles.
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