Grille restoration, I need your opinions

Which color looks better

  • Total voters
    20
  • Poll closed .
-
Backtobasics

Backtobasics

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2008
Messages
1,513
Reaction score
17
Location
Kansas City, KS
I have decided that I want to make some small progress, until I can get the brakes sorted out safely.

I pulled the grille tonight. I searched high and low at Walmart (no hardware stores open)

They had some .96 stuff. Flat black. I grabbed several cans.

My boggle is in regards to the silver/argent. The had 2 options, a .96 silver, and a 5.27 can of of Krylon that is a darker silver metallic, as opposed to straight silver.

I have included pictures of both. Either way, they will be wet sanded with fine sandpaper to smooth out the road rash as much as possible. This is a test run.

Option 1....Cheap Silver
Option 2....Darker Krylon
Option 3....Find a Dull aluminum

Cheap silver​
Picture041.jpg

Picture043.jpg

Picture046.jpg


Darker Silver / Charcoal​

Picture037.jpg

Picture038.jpg

Picture047.jpg
 
There's a posting on "grill paint", in the body/ interior/ trim section on paint sources. (3-18-08). Might be worth a look, if you already haven't. Howard
 
Thanks. I read that ahead of time, but I am not interested in spending that kind of dough for an "exact" duplicate finish.

Perhaps if I was going for gold certified, etc. This is a driver, and I am just trying to find the right shade of silver with the larger metallic in a can, so I can (pun intended) refurbish this grille for a few bucks.
 
The easiest and cheapest way to nearly duplicate the original argent finishes with their somewhat "dry textured" finish is this......(and I've used it on several top shelf restorations).....

Buy a can of self etching primer (it's a dull greenish color)........use it for your base coat over the bare metal surface (the best brand we've found for "canned" spray is dupli-color, available at your local discount shop).

When it's dry, color coat with a hue of silver (darker or lighter, depending on your application), and apply it in LIGHT coats, not even attempting to leave a well colored surface.......Light coats, alternating your pattern direction, until you get full coverage.........

In our experience, if you've chosen the correct materials, you can duplicate argent finishes this way.

When these color coats are applied directly over the self etch (which, by the way, is NOT sanded before color application), you end up with a very nice slightly dry-textured finish like the argents.......MUCH less expensive, and dead ringers if you carefully choose your colors. For an even dryer look to the finish, spray your coats farther away from the surface with even sweeping motion.....you can actually build an increasingly sandy feel when using this "dry-spray" method (actually, it's been used for decades with primers for finish sanding....dark color over light to expose sand scratches)....it's the same principle, but applied to color coats for special purposes such as yours.

Even a gloss black paint will be dulled to an eggshell and given a mildly sandy texture if applied correctly over fresh self-etching primer.

Experiment a little on some scrap aluminum or steel.....it doesn't take much paint to test your patterns and coverage on a small piece.

The 2 cans (primer and color) should only set you back about 12 bucks or so. (and you can do 3 or more grilles with that little bit if you know what you're doing). :read2: :toothy10:
 
The bright silver will degrade quicky and will rub off, the darker silver will probably last longer. I would paint the outside trim silver, then the center grill dark, then spray it all with a clear to seal it. Remember, the cleaner and better prepped the substrate is, the longer it will last.
 
YESSSSSSSSSSSS................

Do NOT use any of the "bright metallic" or "chrome" paints........they are GARBAGE...............

Use actual Dupli-Color auto paints, in whatever shade of silver you decide......try to match your shade to the argents you see on the top shelf Mopars. :read2:
 
I used a can of dupli-color Aluminum engine enamel I thought it would be more
durable and hit the whole thing with a flat overcote. I like the way it turned out.
 
The correct silver argent can be purchased from your local Dodge dealer for about $8.00 a can, if you want to gowith the factory color. I used the silver aargent wheel paint which was a perfect match to my 70 dart
 
totally auto has the correct color and texure paint for your grille
also check out steel wheel paint or krolon dull aluminum
mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top