Gauge Bezel Repaint

[bnz84]

Here is what I started with.

 

[bnz84]

End finished with this

I finished up redoing an extra 69 fury cluster that I’m using to practice on in preparation for removing mine soon. I thought I would write down a few observations in case it helps anyone else. I used the suggested SEM Landau Black spray paint and it worked great. Could other satin black work too. Probably. It didn’t go on as consistent as I would like and I thought it would dry too thick in some areas and thin in others. It did not. Great stuff. For the chrome there is been talk here and other sites about Molotow chrome, and I agree, best I’ve ever used in a pen or brush style. I bought both a 4mm pen and 30ml bottle. Very spendy$$. For the white I bought any old white paint pen and a black one for minor touch ups.

I also bought some black fingernail polish because I’ve had better luck putting gloss black down BEFORE chrome to make it as smooth as possible. And lastly I heard the chrome is pretty delicate once dry so I found out that some people used this clear lacquer to topcoat. It does not dull the chrome effect. Probably any lacquer based clear would work. The chrome by the way is alcohol based, more like ink.

First I spray painted after cleaning everything with a toothbrush & soap. Then I started with white for lettering. I am going to write down what you should do, not necessarily what I did. Take an exacto knife and dig out a bit in the center of the “O”s and between the 2 lines in “F”. I say this cuz the new paint will fill up these areas making it harder to paint white on them next. Too much paint is your enemy. I put down some painter’s tape and paper over areas I was not working on. Because once you drop paint on new black you put down is does not clean up easily. I had to repaint the entire face after a few screw ups. I used the pen directly and soon realized it was better to push out a little ink on a bit of foil and use a toothpick to “paint”. More controllable. After the white I did the gloss black (fingernail polish) on the wide areas on the edges where the chrome will go. I then did the chrome. Used the pen to do the thin lines and the bottle and brush for the wide edges. I first used the pen on the wide areas but it was obvious I needed wider coverage hence the brush. The chrome is strange in that once dried touching up produces a slightly different shine. Try to get it right the first time! If you drop some chrome on the black wipe it fast. If not it will smear and stick in the texture. If you try to repaint black on a small area it will have a different sheen so I found if you wipe your spill so only chrome is in the texture and “drop” some black and then wipe it similarly the black will cover the chrome in the texture and the sheen will remain the same. After it all dried I covered the now chrome edges with clear. It’s really thin so multiple coats. In the end I’m happy but the chrome is still uneven on the edges. I may redo it. After I redo my convertible bezels I will probably sell these. Oh also the line on the left bezel is not a crack but a scratch. It did not look as bad until after I painted it. Strange. Also I did have 2 cracks with one on the mounting tab. I fixed them with superglue for the first join and then plastic epoxy to reinforce the back. Added some staples (for paper) to the epoxy over the crack for extra strength. I polished up the speedo plastic clear face with car polish and then wax. Used a cotton wheel on a drill to provide the muscle. Too much info I know.

 

[300rag]

Well done.

 

[mrfury68]

Nice work.

 

[live4theking]

Looks pretty fine to me.