[corellian corvette]

Searching through the forum I've found good pictures of the masking procedure for 68 grilles (argent on the horizontal fins, black on the vertical)

However, I can't seem to find good images of the actual hidden headlight cover. In some pictures it looks entirely silver, and in others only the raised fins. It looks like masking that would be a nightmare.

Is there a definitive on how the headlight covers are painted with perhaps some tips on masking?

Thanks!

[webfoot]

Definitely silver fins with black background to mimic the adjacent open grille. In my head I would paint the entire thing silver, let it dry (obviously) then go around each fin first with some fine masking tape so it gets snug around the base, then once again with some wider tape and pinch it at the top.

I bet the factory had some kind of template made for this to just snap in and spray, I bet if the aftermarket came up with one they would sell well. There is a $1,000 idea.

[Verdoro 68]

Originally Posted by webfoot

Definitely silver fins with black background to mimic the adjacent open grille. In my head I would paint the entire thing silver, let it dry (obviously) then go around each fin first with some fine masking tape so it gets snug around the base, then once again with some wider tape and pinch it at the top.

I bet the factory had some kind of template made for this to just snap in and spray, I bet if the aftermarket came up with one they would sell well. There is a $1,000 idea.

That's the way I've painted mine before. It's a pain in the butt.

I suspect the factory had a template that covered the black parts (since they are cast black) and they sprayed the silver. I'm sure it was a 30 second process.

[Wally in Keller]

Need some help with this same problem. My original covers are damaged at the lip, so I can't remount them. The plastic is broken away and nothing to get a screw into. By the way, the originals were apparently painted silver first, then the black was sprayed, so there must have been some kind of template to mask the fins and the rim around the outside that are silver. The black is flaking off my originals and they're silver underneath.

I got a pair of re-pops and tried the "paint it silver and mask the fins" approach. I could not get the silver to adhere to the plastic, and a bunch of the paint came off with the masking tape. They look worse now than when I started. I prepped the plastic, applied the bonding agent, and used the recommended paint, but it just seems like there's a coating on the plastic that I can't get past.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm obviously not the first to encounter these problems. I'm at my wits end!

[webfoot]

I used fine steel wool to scuff up the plastic first. Then rubbed down with wax & grease remover. No adhesion promoter.

(pics suck but they turned out good.)



There are metal outer rings (savers?) they sell for beat up doors, did you look into these? I don't know exactly what they are but remember seeing them in the catalogue.

So it sounds like we're all in agreement that some sort of template was used.

[Wally in Keller]

Thanks for the reply Webfoot. Your covers look great. It's nice to see that it can be done. I'll give your recommendation a try. What did you use for the black paint?

Also, I looked for the "savers" you mentioned. Can't find them. I wonder if they are no longer available. I would really like to reuse my origs.

[webfoot]

For the black I used SEM rattle can semi-gloss black, and for the silver I used ?? argent silver wheel paint. I can get exact color names if you want, this is going off the top of my head.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by webfoot

I bet the factory had some kind of template made for this to just snap in and spray,

Originally Posted by Verdoro 68

I suspect the factory had a template that covered the black parts (since they are cast black) and they sprayed the silver. I'm sure it was a 30 second process.

Correct. Except they would have been painted at the supplier, not at the final assembly plant.

The assembly plant would have received them already painted and then slapped 'em on.

K

[gto4evr]

Originally Posted by Wally in Keller

Also, I looked for the "savers" you mentioned. Can't find them. I wonder if they are no longer available. I would really like to reuse my origs.

I don't have a PY catalog handy (and this computer is too slow to download it) but I have an Ames catalog. Savers are part number B146, $27 a pair....this catalog is G27, and I think they're up to G29 so the price may have changed.

[Simple Man]

I used the "savers" on my original 68 doors. They work great.

[cuz68]

PY has them, Part #RPF33. Thay are called Hideaway door repair kit, Does 2 doors for $26.00

[north]

I paint 68's the opposite of how I do 69's, I paint the whole thing silver and then mask the fins with electrical tape (to avoid peeling) and then shoot the whole thing black. Paint downwards vertically to avoids runs under the tape.

for 69's I paint the whole thing black and then mask the "floor" of each hole again with electrical tape (major slow tedious job) erring on the side of the tape being a bit big, then I hang them face down with fishing line and spray upwards and very light multiple coats to avoid running under the tape. It's better to be a little light on the silver to avoid to harsh silver to black lines. As for colors I like Krylon semigloss black and argent silver.