Has anyone restored the red center cap to a Chrysler Cordoba aluminum wheel?

[vlodarty]

Looking for tips on restoring the red center cap plastic on this wheel

The red and silver paint has peeled of the interior face where a gasket behind it probably caused the damage from water and salt

The original paint does not come off easily, I have tried brake cleaner and laquer thinner, but it did not work. Would sanding with 1200 wet and dry work with no real damage?
I plan to repaint the cap face with a similar dark red metallic auto paint and polish the front face when done.
Any suggestions as to old paint removal and new application would be helpful.

 

[Boydsdodge]

After you get the paint off, lens polished. you would get the red in a semi transparent, then spray the red with a chrome paint. get the depth and shine.
Wet sanding increasing to a polish for paint removal should work.

 

[Boydsdodge]

Looking for tips on restoring the red center cap plastic on this wheel View attachment 511518View attachment 511519The red and silver paint has peeled of the interior face where a gasket behind it probably caused the damage from water and saltView attachment 511520View attachment 511521
The original paint does not come off easily, I have tried brake cleaner and laquer thinner, but it did not work. Would sanding with 1200 wet and dry work with no real damage?
I plan to repaint the cap face with a similar dark red metallic auto paint and polish the front face when done.
Any suggestions as to old paint removal and new application would be helpful.

What year Chrysler are those wheels from? They might look good on my Imperial.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

I would try paint remover/stripper. I don't think that it would attack the plastic. The modern paint strippers aren't as aggressive as they used to be.

Jeff

 

[Boydsdodge]

There is/was a Goof off for plastics.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

What year Chrysler are those wheels from? They might look good on my Imperial.

I think they were 1978 and 1979 on the Cordoba's.

It's tough to find a complete set, but not unusual to find the aluminum wheels without the centers. Every so often I'll see some wheels and some centers for sale at Carlisle.

Jeff

 

[Boydsdodge]

I think they were 1978 and 1979 on the Cordoba's.

It's tough to find a complete set, but not unusual to find the aluminum wheels without the centers. Every so often I'll see some wheels and some centers for sale at Carlisle.

Jeff

Thanks, got excited to soon. I need 5x5 bolt pattern. Maybe the Lincoln wheels with the Cordoba centres. I'll stop stealing the thread. Back to the Centre paint restore.

 

[vlodarty]

What year Chrysler are those wheels from? They might look good on my Imperial.

1978 Chrysler Cordoba
Here's what they look like on my 76 NY'er
Apparently hard to find

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Those wheels look much nicer on a New Yorker than they do on a Cordoba.

The red centers go well with your white and burgundy car. I don't think they would look as good on a green car for example.

Jeff

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Thanks, got excited to soon. I need 5x5 bolt pattern. Maybe the Lincoln wheels with the Cordoba centres. I'll stop stealing the thread. Back to the Centre paint restore.

You may be able to do that. I bet it would be much easier to find the Lincoln wheels than it will be to find the Cordoba centers.

Jeff

 

[Big_John]

Tamiya makes a red that's semi transparent. Spray a few light coats and then spray a silver coat. I'd use a Tamiya paint for the silver too... Just so there's no issues.

A well stocked hobby shop should have this, but if not, there's sellers on eBay or Amazon. They also have a version for painting lexan, but I would stay with their paint for plastic.

ITEM# 85074

TS-74 CLEAR RED​

Spray TS (Plastics)

 

[CBODY67]

A good while back, when model cars were kind of still a bit popular, one of our Mopar club member bought a Road Runner, but they didn't offer the car in the color he desired, so he repainted it. How to get the old paint off? He decided to use brake fluid. Did not attach the plastic a bit. Then he washed the plastic and began the re-finish operation. Came out pretty nice.

With those wheel emblems, you do everything from the backside. Kind of going in reverse order than if you were doing a normal paint operation. When done cleaning and polishing the outer portion, give the outside a good coat of silicon-dioxide "nano-wax", which will shine things up more and offer better protection.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[marko]

those wheels 1st were available on 77 Lebarons & Dodge Diplomats, then in 78 they also became available on Cordobas, Chargers and B body Monacos. and then on the smaller 79-81 fullsize cars

 

[marty mopar]

3766014 is the cap

used from 1977-1980

I have 8 of them NOS and 2 used ones that are perfect

Also have other parts for the wheels including the finned appliques:

3699440 /5 air slots have 13

3880730 w/o air slots have 9

 

[vlodarty]

It's always amazing how one project can have different ways to get to a finished product.
Brake fluid did not cross my mind, but I think I'll try that first.
Thank You everyone for your suggestions, I will post more as I progress.
Vlad

 

[Boydsdodge]

1978 Chrysler Cordoba
Here's what they look like on my 76 NY'er
Apparently hard to find
View attachment 511525

They look great on your car. I will have to some investigation into the Lincoln 5x5 wheels and the Chrysler centre cap attachment. I think those wheels might look pretty good on my 73

 

[73Coupe]

I do not recommend brake clean or any harsh solvents on plastic at all. Especially vintage plastic like this. No telling how it will react. Brake clean only usually works on paint that it can dissolve, like alkyds.
Brake fluid might soften the paint but it will take a while, probably overnight. Do a small test area first.

 

[vlodarty]

Well, I got all excited about the brake fluid method and tried it.
73 Coupe, you were right !
I tried it on a already broken piece and here is the result

The brake fluid did remove the paint but the plastic did not survive intact.
So, live and learn, on to the next method

 

[73Coupe]

Wow, so it actually penetrated the plastic and caused all those fissures? dang....

 

[vlodarty]

I should add that I tried 3 solvents first, Brake cleaner spray, laquer thinner and a grafiti spray to no result, so it's possible that could have affected the result.