How to restore headlamp bezel?

[SpriceyStuff]

Hey guys. I pulled the fender and necessarily also pulled the bezel off the driver side of my 74 dart sport. It’s not as obvious in these pictures where it’s wet from being cleaned, but the black is badly faded. Is this just paint, and therefore should I just paint it? I figure the metal will clean up nicely with some aluminum polish. If I do paint this, what should the finish be for a factory look? Matte? Semi-Gloss/Satin? Gloss? I want to do something with the car in these colder months and since I have it off the car anyway I want to work on it.

 

[4spdragtop]

I think I have an NOS one, I'll chk the finish.

 

[SpriceyStuff]

I think I have an NOS one, I'll chk the finish.

Cool! Thanks!

 

[jos51700]

Those were a semi-gloss polish on the anodized aluminum (basically a clear anodize).
The black is just matte black on every car I've ever seen. Is it organisol?

 

[SpriceyStuff]

Those were a semi-gloss polish on the anodized aluminum (basically a clear anodize).
The black is just matte black on every car I've ever seen. Is it organisol?

So what’s the game plan? I don’t want to try and sand the metal… would painting over the existing paint work okay?

 

[Kendog 170]

Tape it off, scuff it with a red scotch brite pad,wipe clean with prep solvent of iso alcohol, and paint it.

 

[jos51700]

So what’s the game plan? I don’t want to try and sand the metal… would painting over the existing paint work okay?

I'd try to strip the black with chemicals only, but check your chemicals and make sure they wont' attack aluminum (Test on the back side first).
Any mechanical action will change the finish on the aluminum.

 

[Locomotion]

Once the black is chemically stripped off, the hard part will be the detail to paint just the areas that are supposed to be black and keeping he remaining metal polished if you're trying to maintain the original look. I think the areas inside the headlight circle may have had a silver "haze" coating. But I don't have any new ones to be sure.

Use a paintbrush i you have a steady hand?

 

[Dana67Dart]

My understanding of the aluminum trim on our cars is the aluminum is bright anodized.

Some have a light argent on some areas and the black is 80% gloss.

Best you can do is compae to NOS that have been protected from light and humidity

 

[340six]

Those were a semi-gloss polish on the anodized aluminum (basically a clear anodize).
The black is just matte black on every car I've ever seen. Is it organisol?

Yes brite dip anodized with a matte-semi not Organsol.
I would tape up all.the clear anodized part, and do a lite clean with common wipe down used to wpr cars down for paint. It will remove wax grease. Then scuff the black with a Gray 3M pad.
Then wipe with wipe down again before paint.
SEM makes spray cans and quarts of black
I will post my 1973 Dart Sport NOS ones and grille below

 

[340six]

Yes brite dip anodized with a matte-semi not Organsol.
This is my 1973 Dart Sport NOS ones and grille

 

[Kendog 170]

I painted my hardtop with SEM. I also bought fineline tape for the correct widths I needed.

 

[jos51700]

I painted my hardtop with SEM. I also bought fineline tape for the correct widths I needed.

View attachment 1716034200

I'm not sure why, but that pic is cool as can be

 

[4spdragtop]

Heres the NOS one I have #3672189. Looks "satin" to me but that's my opinion lol. You can see they werent precise in their painting of the bezels.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Blue = bright anodized
Red = argent
Green = black.

I have 2 nos 67 dart heater radio bezel, who would have known chrome, argent , and black.

I had no idea, I thought the argent on my oe part was faded chrome!



Also on many of the areas you can thin the black a bit and flood the paint in.

 

[SpriceyStuff]

Once the black is chemically stripped off, the hard part will be the detail to paint just the areas that are supposed to be black and keeping he remaining metal polished if you're trying to maintain the original look. I think the areas inside the headlight circle may have had a silver "haze" coating. But I don't have any new ones to be sure.

Use a paintbrush i you have a steady hand?

View attachment 1716034023

Sounds good enough. I have a steady enough hand from painting model kits

 

[CRUZE 418]

Silver VHT header paint is an exact match for the factory grill silver. Then I overcoat it with a matte clear coat, just to seal it. You will get good at using fine line tape and free handing with a brush. Very satisfying if it comes out right.

 

[SpriceyStuff]

@Dana67Dart @4spdragtop yall are lifesavers