Instrument Panel Restore

palerider94 · Apr 9, 2006

I would like to restore my dash instrument panel for my 1970. can't find any any one that sells repro parts except for the lenses. I probably will repaint and put new lenses in it but would like to have the original chrome trim look around edges. Any suggestions?

bnickel · Apr 10, 2006

i'd like to know as well

Pakrat · Apr 10, 2006

I have done some research on this in the past and alot of what I read said basically two things: 1) The original finish is not actually chrome, and 2) that a good match can be obtained by simply using testors silver model paint.

That was going to be my plan, but I decided that since I have had good luck in the past using my old hobby building skills to re-make some finish items like 2 part molds etc... I decided to search out that and came across some impresive new products. So now the testors is my back up plan, and my new plan is to try and use this as I think original or not actual chrome will look a lot better.

http://www.bare-metal.com/bare-metal/bare-metal_foil.html

Basically you are still applying it to plastic so I don't see why this wouldn't hit the spot nicely, especially since it's not a heavy wear and tear area.

bnickel · Apr 10, 2006

true it's not actually chrome plated. but the effect is close enough. it's actually aluminum that gets electrostaically applied in a vacuum chamber and then clear coated and baked on. the actual process is called vacuum metalizing. the testors bright silver looks pretty good but it really doesn't look the same. i've tried the bare metal foil and it doesn't look much better than the paint. someone posted once on the vmf about using chrome mylar sheeting and it looked pretty good but i didn't save any of the info. i was wondering if anyone here has done that or something else that looks really good

Pakrat · Apr 12, 2006

Really, wow that's disapointing to hear about the foil, I thought for sure it would look better than testors. Which one did you try? I was going to use the new bright chrome one.

mustangdave · Apr 12, 2006

Replace it; NPD now has the bezel. It was brand new at press time for their catalogue so you have to call for the price.

wild70stang · Apr 12, 2006

I second daves suggestion. Rather than pay more money to have someone do replace the same part with an expensive process, you can get the part replaced for much less. Also, since the chrome trim would no longer be "original" you get the same part from a parts store than having it redone by an individual

bnickel · Apr 13, 2006

Pakrat said:
Really, wow that's disapointing to hear about the foil, I thought for sure it would look better than testors. Which one did you try? I was going to use the new bright chrome one.

didn't know they had a new one. i've always used the old stand by that looks like aluminum foil with an adhesive back. i'll have to look into the bright chrome one, that just might work pretty well.

dave, haven't seen a stock 69 guage bezel being repro'd yet. i know year one has a custom bezel that was used in the "blackened" 69 mustang that year one built.

Pakrat · Apr 13, 2006

Well that's encouraging then B, I guess I'll give the bright chrome one a chance then as planned, nothing to lose except for $6 in raw material cost.

At this stage I just can't see replacing an otherwise perfectly good bezel just because the small trim rings have a little wear on them especially when it won't be cheap and I can probably refinish it myself for under $10 bucks.

mustangdave · Apr 13, 2006

dave, haven't seen a stock 69 guage bezel being repro'd yet. i know year one has a custom bezel that was used in the "blackened" 69 mustang that year one built.[/QUOTE]

That's why I said it was brand new. From the NPD catalogue: NEWBezel, instrument cluster,deluxe interioir,use only w/woodgrain applique panel.....10838-10A..... CALL.
For 69-70.

yeloxr7 · Apr 14, 2006

A Tamiya Silver paint marker or Sharpie silver marker will work in a pinch.

65Mustang2+2 · Apr 14, 2006

You could try Mr G's
http://www.mrgusa.com/

palerider94 · Apr 14, 2006

I just called NPD not in stock yet and you can't get price or order. I did not want wood grain so -I'll probably paint and lose the chrome trim.

Pakrat · Apr 17, 2006

bnickel said:
true it's not actually chrome plated. but the effect is close enough. it's actually aluminum that gets electrostaically applied in a vacuum chamber and then clear coated and baked on. the actual process is called vacuum metalizing. the testors bright silver looks pretty good but it really doesn't look the same. i've tried the bare metal foil and it doesn't look much better than the paint. someone posted once on the vmf about using chrome mylar sheeting and it looked pretty good but i didn't save any of the info. i was wondering if anyone here has done that or something else that looks really good

You know I just took a closer look at my bezel and it would seem that the whole darn thing was originally finished in the electrostatic aluminum front o back and then the whole front painted black except the trim ring. Seems an awful wasteful way to get just that small chrome touch.

bnickel · Apr 17, 2006

pak, the deluxe bezels are the same way, i don't think there is any other way to do it

Pakrat · Apr 18, 2006

bnickel said:
pak, the deluxe bezels are the same way, i don't think there is any other way to do it

Yeah, I suppose you are right but you'd think the design would incorporate more flash then to get your money's worth, from a manufacturing standpoint I mean. This seems like one of those steps Ford would have eliminated in the end and made it all black or just applied an external trim ring too to earn some extra margin dollars.

bnickel · Apr 18, 2006

well when you're having a couple hundred thousand of the things made i think the per unit price is pretty low, probably lower than designing a bunch of little trim rings, producing them, having them chromed and then paying someone to install each little part, in the end it's a probably a wash or even cheaper to just chrome the whole part. in fact all of the mustang bezels from 64 to 78 were made the exact same way

Pakrat · Apr 19, 2006

Hunh, interesting, yeah I guess at the end of the day it would have to at least be a wash or less for them to have done it this way.

Edbert · Apr 19, 2006

I used to make scale model aircraft, there was a fairly expensive paint that could only be used in an airbrush that was actual aluminum. You would apply it and then polish it with a compound, if buffed correctly it became very chrome-like. Not quite a mirror finish but VERY close. You'd want to put a gloss-clear on top of it since it picked up fingerprints like crazy, but it would work great for a plastic bezel IMHO.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

yeloxr7 · Apr 19, 2006

You're talkng about the SnJ rub'n'buff, right? There is a product now called Alclad that works a lot better.

Instrument Panel Restore

palerider94

Member

bnickel

Pakrat

bnickel

Pakrat

mustangdave

My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

wild70stang

New Member

bnickel

Pakrat

mustangdave

My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

yeloxr7

Member

65Mustang2+2

New Member

palerider94

Member

Pakrat

bnickel

Pakrat

bnickel

Pakrat

Edbert

yeloxr7

Member

Similar threads

Instrument Panel Restore

Member

My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

New Member

My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

Member

New Member

Member

Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency