Duplicating Blackout trim???

[RapidRide2]

Heres the situation,,, I have an original 87'gn I have been gathering alot of (at least money) nos/oem exterior parts in attempt to have a pretty authentic, original exterior. I have alot of windshield/window trim along with other metal blackout parts that are in pretty good shape. However they are VERY badly sun faded and oxidized. I am looking for a somewhat authentic look. My question: Is it possible to spray these parts and achieve the same look as factory blackout package???(spraybooth&gun if necessary) Or will this look pretty shady compared to some of the new factory blackout parts that will be on the car????? Thanks Matt Green

 

[Gary Wells]

FWIW & IMHO:
Take one of your new factory blackout parts that will go on the car and take the parts to be painted to your favorite painter/processor and ask him how close can he match them.
Then take another factory new blackout part that you previously matched to the one that you took to the painter when you pick up your new painted parts. Verify the match. If he did not match them, and said that he could/would, have him redo them till you are happy with the outcome. Or take all of your parts, new and the ones that need refinishing, and have him paint them all so they do match.

 

[zam70]

#1 - they'll NEVER be able to match the factory trim finish perfect. There is no such thing as a "17 year fade" additive.

Respray all of them.

You can use trim black but, I personally think it comes out to flat looking. There's also Rally black, I think it's to shiny. I prefer to use this Rustoleum "satin" black made for out door furniture (green on the lable with a picture of a black iron patio chair). It has a nice sheen to it. Not to shiny, not to flat.
It's not the "factory" finish - I think it's better.

 

[Red Regal T]

I agree with Scott. I use the rustoleum SATIN BLACK all the time. You can purchase it at K-mart and Walmart for around $7 a qt. I use a decent enamel reducer and a couple drops of fisheye eliminator. If you don't have spray equipment, you can also opt for Krylon semi-flat black. Just don't spray on a humid or rainy day......it'll blush. Re-finishing black out pieces on our cars has to be done every now and then if you use your car much. Paint fades!

 

[zam70]

hey John, The Rustoleum satin It''s available in a spray can too...I picked some up at true value hardware.

Nice stuff....

 

[Boston GN]

You guys spray your black out trim? Damn, I was going to have the autobody shop do it. Now that I can do it myself, it makes it much easier and cheaper. Do you clear the parts after? Wet sand them or just spray, let dry and put back on car?
TIA

 

[zam70]

Take them off the car, scuff pad them (red) and spray them. Let them sit over night and snap them back on. If there are any bare metal spots, scuff prime scuff again and paint them.

piece - o - cake

 

[aminga]

What about powder coating. Is it close to the factory finish.

 

[larry33kc]

If you can try to sit them in the sun or in or on something hot this will bake the pait on and it will last much longer.

I use to do this with my car I had when I was young I sand balsted the trim peices, then sprayed them and sat them on a hugh parts cleaner that was set to keep the water temp. of 210 deg. s It would intern bake the molding's and I never had a problem with them for years.

 

[RapidRide2]

Thanks alot guys,,, i am just looking for that authentic look,,, mano'man and to think i was gonna purchase all of those overpriced moldings just to get the resto look??? I'll probably pick a quart up and scuff them and let my friend/bodyman spray em' with a gun and let them heat in the warm spraybooth. Thanks again.

 

[JP87GN]

Originally posted by aminga
What about powder coating. Is it close to the factory finish.

The factory parts are powder coated, A friend is about to have some of his redone and I can let you know how it went next week. The bumpers on a GN are powder coated too.

 

[Gary Wells]

I am not doubting your word, but I think that this is the first that I have heard about the bumpers and the blackout trim being powder coated by the factory.
Did you read this somewhere?
It just doesn't sound like GM to spend any extra money that they could have avoided spending, and powder coating may not be more expensive than standard paint processing, but I would think that setting up for it would be, and powder coating was a relatively new process in the mid 80's, I thought?
Maybe some of our long time Buick/GN/GNX/TR experts will pick up here and elaborate some?