Got a nice dash bezel for my 67 barracuda. The black is really nice but all the chrome is in bad shape. What did you guys & gals do to your dash bezels ? Im on a budget so I cant afford to send it out to get rechromed. Lets see some pics of what you did
DASH GAUGE BEZEL RESTORE
- Thread starter cawley
- Start date
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Chrome paints come out silver ...they make a chrome paint from Germany call Molotow...its sold in marker refills or markers...get a 30ml refill bottle of the chrome molotow and airbrush it on....clearcoat will dull the mirror finish and finish is delicate until it cures in about 3months...cheaper than vacuum chrome plating...mirror finish is 8 out of 10
This is a standard Duster cluster bezel and dash trim that I did with the Molotow paint pens. Didn’t think about air brushing, but that’s a great idea!!
Kendog 170
Let the boy go !
Did you strip off old finish. When I tried to paint mine the old finish lifted. There was a tread on how to strip them. Maybe oven cleaner but NOT sure.
I used the chrome paint in a rattle can. Went on shiny but dulled to a silver. I had a similar experience with the chrome paint in a rattle can on curing. It took months to dry so it wouldn’t finger print. Is there a way of speeding up the cure?
Yes, stripped it with EZ Off Oven Cleaner with the yellow cap. Be patient and use a little elbow grease. They were originally flash chromed and then painted, which is why the paint tends to flake off over time. The stripper takes the chrome off too
This is what the looked like stripped.
Problem with this rally bezel is the amount of labor required to completely disassemble and reassemble it after all the detail painting is done. It's difficult to settle for anything less that beautiful OEM like result. That's my experience anyway. Good luck with yours.
Lord Sparky
Well-Known Member
After weeks screwing around with the original, I shelled out for a new one. The chrome paint never dries. I sprayed the original and put it in a cabinet to see if it ever hardens, then I can probably sell it.
I sent my 69 Cuda bezel off to www.vacuumorna-metal.com . They were mentioned in previous posts on FABO and are very nice knowledgeable people.
Garethw
Mopar. Because rocket science is too easy.
What did it cost you? Got any pics?
moparblood
Well-Known Member
i did the same with my 65 coronet www.vacuumorna-metal.com
dash, heater, radio bezel bout 450. its MINT
for me worth every cent! got decals off ebay and can of flouresent orange for needles.
dash, heater, radio bezel bout 450. its MINT
for me worth every cent! got decals off ebay and can of flouresent orange for needles.
OP should do a search tons of threads on here.
Kudakid, got any pics of your pieces? I've heard quite a few references about them.
Kudakid, got any pics of your pieces? I've heard quite a few references about them.
No pics yet its still under restoration. Hoping to have it soon. Will post when it arrives. Hope all are staying safe.
68 CUDA FORMULA S
Well-Known Member
I have shown these before, had them done at Vacuum Orna-Metal. I took them in in early December and got them back in mid February, price $565.00. They fixed all the cracks and polished the lenses, mine were in real bad shape but look great now. Very happy with them, Frank does a great job.
Bob
Bob
moparblood
Well-Known Member
you won't be sorry!
Damn that dash looks Nice.
Damn that dash looks Nice.
Mine's there too. I talked to the lady in the office a couple weeks ago when Mich. got shut down. Frank had been out sick but the one his other guys was working on the restoration items. But they're restricted to one person in the shop and one up front so expect it will take a little longer than estimated. Hopefully everyone stays healthy and Frank is doing better.
That looks sweet!!
That's stunning. Are pod centers chromed or painted?
I attempted to do a lower dollar restore ( nothing will come close to the actual chrome plaiting,BEAUTIFUL). I used a spray can of “Spatz Stick” on mine. There are plenty of tutorials for it on u-tube and I have heard that a better result is abstained by air brush. I’m satisfied with my results so far
68 CUDA FORMULA S
Well-Known Member
Hell I would be satisfied with it also, I think your bezel looks great. I probably would have tried to restore mine, but mine was badly beat up and you pay top dollar for a good shaped one to restore your self so I just had Frank do mine. The pod centers are chromed 4spdragtop.
Bob
Bob
Like I said, nothing can compare to having it plated. I've got a lot of time and elbow grease into mine, sanding masking and painting, but it payed off. I have another complete dash in similar starting shape. I am a new member(but followed the forum for years) and was uncertain if it would be more desirable if I finished it first or sell it as is so it could be finished to someone else's taste.
In 69 they went to a black center with a chrome trim ring just on the rim of the pods. Frank from Vacuum Orna-metal pointed this out on my bezel.
I'm looking into electroplating mine once I've got some practice. You can electroplate chrome onto plastic, but you need to get copper (or nickel?) plated on so that the chrome will stick. I tried chrome vinyl wrap, like they use on the trendy cars nowadays, but it's tedious and far from perfect on the larger pieces like the cluster bezel. The chrome wrap came out great on the heater/AC and radio bezels though, due to the piece being smaller and I could do it with one piece. That eliminated any seams being visible.
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