68 GTX Headlight Bezel

[dfarmercse]

What is the best way to clean up the Bezels? What is the color of the dark part. Is it Dark argent textured or just dark argent?

Dave F

 

[detmatt1]

That should just be satin black I think, just like on the Road Runner.

 

[dfarmercse]

Good deal, thanks. Can you clean the metal with chrome cleaner or comnpound. I think they have some kinda of coating on them.

Dave F

 

[detmatt1]

They are anodized aluminum and the black is painted over that. If you remove the anodizing to polish them you should have them reanodized or they will oxidize.

 

[dave5237]

They are anodized aluminum and the black is painted over that. If you remove the anodizing to polish them you should have them reanodized or they will oxidize.

Hi Dave. These bezels are a pain in the a$$. I still have to clean mine up. It is tough to get these polished everywhere. Yes the black area is satin black. I am thinking of sending them to RON73 to polish these darn things up. I have been using scotch brite to start. Anodizing cost a fortune. I looked into it.

 

[dfarmercse]

That is what I was afraid of. The satin black is no problem, don't have a problem with polishing, just don't want to do it all the time. I wonder if I could powdercoat them chrome or silver and how that would look.

Dave F

 

[dave5237]

That is what I was afraid of. The satin black is no problem, don't have a problem with polishing, just don't want to do it all the time. I wonder if I could powdercoat them chrome or silver and how that would look.

Dave F

I have been in this dilemma for a long time with these almost being the last thing I need to do. I even looked into powder coating but they have something close to chrome but it still looked like silver paint. The eastwood company sells some chrome paint you use in a spray gun only. Its not cheap. I too did not want to keep polishing them all the time. Thats why I have been holding so long till I can figure something out. Let me know if you come up with something. Thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHf-mbuaJsI

 

[Cazbah362]

I agree - A PITA, I rebuilt the entire front grille hand powder coated all black. Looks nice, but if your a purest, probably not the course.

 

[dfarmercse]

I have used the chrome powder coat and it is alright, But looking at the bezels, the chrome PC is pretty close. I am guessing they were never really chrome but more of a reflective silver. I may try and strip them and try PC just to see. Can always strip them back down if I don't like it. What is the best way to remove the coating?

Dave F

 

[dfarmercse]

OK, here is what they looked like before I started.

 

[dfarmercse]

The first picture is after cleaning and removing the paint.
The second is after I removed the coating.

 

[dave5237]

There not that bad Dave. I guess I am sick of polishing. I have been polishing my trim around front and back glass forever. So are you going to powder coat them and if you do please post them for me. Thanks.

 

[dfarmercse]

There not that bad Dave. I guess I am sick of polishing. I have been polishing my trim around front and back glass forever. So are you going to powder coat them and if you do please post them for me. Thanks.

Dave, my plan is to polish them to a mirror finish, then powder coat the black and then clear powder coat the whole thing. I am going to post pictures through the whole process.

Dave F

 

[Ron 73]

Dave F. Matt is right, they will start what i call fogging over again, oxidize, But if your powder coating them, and clearing them they should be fine.. I don't have any idea what shade of black myself to paint them, if you change your mind.. The 124 i mentioned is about all i can think of, like i said i do have other compounds but cant really without going back out tonight to tell you the numbers.. I tried them and they didn't help me and then spoke with that guy and i bought the 124.. I almost asked you where you seen mine but i forget about my sig, I think the powder coating and clear sounds like they would look great myself. They appear the same metal as mine are, more aluminum/chrome just really dull like the pic i sent you. Ill post the same pic here and maybe someone else can look, maybe there a different metal then yours but the sound of it the same miserable results trying to get them to shine!

 

[Ron 73]

Hi Dave. These bezels are a pain in the a$$. I still have to clean mine up. It is tough to get these polished everywhere. Yes the black area is satin black. I am thinking of sending them to RON73 to polish these darn things up. I have been using scotch brite to start. Anodizing cost a fortune. I looked into it.

I SEE!!! LOL I guess somewhere i had a picture in a thread you seen? Like i was telling Dave, the other Dave , i use a buffing wheel and yellow 124 compound, thats what i used to do the ones in that pic there.. Its not in the picture, the bricks laying there wouldn't do it... So i bought the yellow..

I remember now! sorry...

 

[dfarmercse]

These were stamp alum and then brite dipped. The brite dip is the coating that has to come off to get to the metal so you can polish it. You can't just powder coat over it since it doesn't conduct electricity. I am hoping to just polish off the coating, just one less step. I do powder coating for other people and am going to try 124, if I can reduce the number of steps and man hours to prep for powder coating I could charge less. Most all the cost for powder coating is preping the part before coating. Like doing a good paint job, it is all in the prep.

Dave F

 

[Ron 73]

Im trying to get all i need to do some myself, the gun ill call it is what i imagine will hold me up with the price, but i have some friends looking for or keeping there eyes open for a cook stove, a member here posted about it and he got my attention with the pics he showed of small parts he did.. im looking forward to giving it a shot, what you do is on a bigger scale it sounds like.. My garage is only 18-20 right now, if all works according to plan it may be larger here this summer, we need someplace to put my garden tractor and so much more and my old garage needs tore down, so were thinking on a bigger garage for me and this one for the other stuff, My Kabota is worth more then the old shed its in lol. and i got that, no problem ;) Good luck!! Ill be watching for updates..

 

[dfarmercse]

I have a 30x50, have my kubota is in my shop also. Just can't see leaving it outside. I have a small powder coating oven, can do up to 18 inches. Plan on getting a larger over later. Need a bigger compressor for the blast cabinets.. Need a 60 or 80 gallon to keep up with blasting.

Dave F

 

[Ron 73]

If i had one that large, i don't think i would be worrying about another building. I do have a small tractor for plowing snow (Wheelhorse) but again 30x50, i would survive! LOL! 18 inches for size, how big is the blasting cabinet? im working on a 3X4 foot, should i go larger? I wont be doing this often, just my own stuff and mainly my front end parts when i re-do my bushings, i thought id try some valve covers and all engine brackets, intakes maybe.. And can you use a propane stove instead of electric? i cant see why not, its not like the flames themselves would be hitting anything your doing.. This may sound like ridiculous questions but im not one to jump in without some checking and some opinions..

 

[dfarmercse]

If i had one that large, i don't think i would be worrying about another building. I do have a small tractor for plowing snow (Wheelhorse) but again 30x50, i would survive! LOL! 18 inches for size, how big is the blasting cabinet? im working on a 3X4 foot, should i go larger? I wont be doing this often, just my own stuff and mainly my front end parts when i re-do my bushings, i thought id try some valve covers and all engine brackets, intakes maybe.. And can you use a propane stove instead of electric? i cant see why not, its not like the flames themselves would be hitting anything your doing.. This may sound like ridiculous questions but im not one to jump in without some checking and some opinions..

You can't have to big a shop, I have 3 cars and the tractor so I could use a second shop, but that ain't going to happen. 3x4 should be a good size cabinet, that is about the size of my big one, my smaller cabinet is about 24 inches wide. I don't see why you couldn't use a propane oven, I have a electric oven which will hold up to 22 inches wide. I am going to get get a old oven, full size so I can do larger parts.

Dave F