Ray (shadowgray396) - repro dash

Hank70SS · #1 05-16-2010, 06:18 PM

Ray, I painted over the chrome on the four small pods and removed the paint from the lettering so they're now chrome. Looks like I need to wipe down the dash, the marks in the picture's only show up with the flash, probably from the masking tape.

You can't tell I painted the 4 pods and the lettering looks good, much better than you can see in the pictures.

I covered each pod with 2" detail blue masking tape. There are 2 kinds of blue tape, the regular stuff, has a grain like regular masking tape then a detail tape. It's smooth, no grain, and thinner then the regular stuff, that's what I used. Cover each pod then use an Exacto knife to cut a circle between the chrome and the flat grained surface of the dash. Don't try to cut along the edge of the outer circle, the grain is rough and you'll just scratch more black paint off. Once you've removed the cut out circle use finger, finger nail, to roll the tape back to the outer edge. It will stick up a little around the edge, that's ok, just make sure you roll it all the way to the outer edge. Then I masked off the rest of the dash to catch any overspray. Hit it with some adhesion promoter so the paint will stick to the chrome. I used SEM landau black, painted left to right, top to bottom from one side, looking down on the dash. Let it dry a few minutes then did the same from the other side. Then another coat the same way after a few minutes. You really can't tell I sprayed it at all.

For the letters I masked off as close to the letters as I could. For the WIPER WASHER I taped over WASHER and did WIPER, then reversed. There is a gap between the 2 and you don't want to touch the flat surface in between the 2. Take some t-shirt material and pull it tight over you finger. Dampen with lacquer thinner, I dipped it in lacquer thinner then pressed it against a blue paper shop towel to absorb the excess. Too much lacquer thinner and it will go down between the letters and bubble the paint. Take your time and wipe across the letters. It will take several times before the chrome starts to show. Just work slowly and the top of the letters will come clean. Like I said you can't see it in the pictures but the letters look great.

I'll take some closer pics so you can see what it looks like. I thought these would be ok but they don't really show the detail enough.

shadowgray396 · #2 05-16-2010, 11:16 PM

Hank looks really good. Thanks for letting me know how you did it. I'll get to work on mine now.
Rau

Bowtie-Bri · #3 05-17-2010, 02:47 AM

Looks good Hank!
How did you do the chrome around the guage pods?

grumpy · #4 05-17-2010, 04:49 AM

I really like it . Came out nice.

Hank70SS · #5 05-17-2010, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowtie-Bri

Looks good Hank!
How did you do the chrome around the guage pods?

Brian, it's a reproduction dash. It's completely chromed under the paint like original. The problem with it is the 4 small pods around the speedo, turn indicator, etc. were chrome like the gauge pods. I painted over those. The other problem is the lettering for the wiper/washer and lighter were not chrome, they painted over those. So I removed the paint on the letters to expose the chrome. After fixing those 2 things the only thing that is different is the lettering. The font is a little different and they're not as deep. Nothing you would really notice unless you were looking for it. All and all for a reproduction part it's decent, not exact but pretty good.

Bowtie-Bri · #6 05-17-2010, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hank70SS

Brian, it's a reproduction dash. It's completely chromed under the paint like original. The problem with it is the 4 small pods around the speedo, turn indicator, etc. were chrome like the gauge pods. I painted over those. The other problem is the lettering for the wiper/washer and lighter were not chrome, they painted over those. So I removed the paint on the letters to expose the chrome. After fixing those 2 things the only thing that is different is the lettering. The font is a little different and they're not as deep. Nothing you would really notice unless you were looking for it. All and all for a reproduction part it's decent, not exact but pretty good.

Its about time they offered them with the chrome instead of the silver paint.
It should really make your dash pop. Hopefully it will fit as good as the original one.

rak1 · #7 05-17-2010, 03:49 PM

Nice job!!

Hank70SS · #8 05-17-2010, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowtie-Bri

It should really make your dash pop. Hopefully it will fit as good as the original one.

Not quite! The glove box door fit is pretty bad. I'll see what I can do with it after the dash is in, too hard with the dash laying on a table. I don't have AC, I have the filler plate that goes above the heater controls. It's goes in from the back and fits tight against opening. This dash had a tab 1/2" x 3/4" at one corner of the opening. Had to cut that off smooth so the opening was flat all the way around. Then had to open the screw holes up in the plate to center in the opening. Had to open up the hole for the black circle that goes around the e-brake release, not a big thing. Wiper switch sits too low in the opening, not a big thing.

It'll look good, it's just taking a lot of time trying to get everything to fit the way it should.

Hank70SS · #9 05-17-2010, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy

I really like it . Came out nice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rak1

Nice job!!

Thanks. Can see the lettering very well because of the flash but it looks good. Like I said, can't even tell I painted the 4 small pods.

Time to go see how the radio fits.

EDIT: Meant can't see the lettering because of the flash.

shadowgray396 · #10 05-17-2010, 06:05 PM

Sounds like I might have a few challenges also, I have not tried to put everything in to it yet.
Ray