Restoring '82-'83 taillights

[Donny Lowrida]

I just need to know, what should I use for refreshing that silver outline that goes around the lens?

I've already painted the chrome bezels black (I have an '83 T-Type), but the outline on the red and reverse lense itself is silver. Is there a specific paint? Special brush?

I've torn the tail lights down to individual pieces re-sprayed the inside with a chrome/ highly reflective paint, strip-calked the lenses back in place, sanded and re-sprayed the chrome bezels black (my originals were broken). and now the only thing I need to do is re-highlight the silver outline around the edge of the lens. These things look great so far!

I did the same with the headlight bezels. Came out AWESOME!!! Just like new!

Thanks guys!

 

[TURBOELKY]

I always use fine steel wool on chrome, or very fine. Buy it at home depot, works great..

 

[Donny Lowrida]

I'm not talking about the metal bezel. That has been taken care of already.

On the tail light lense itself ('82-'83 only) there is a silver border that goes around the red and white lenses and it is part of the lens.

Is there a specific color or way I should paint this strip? (for example: I wouldn't use a metallic paint, because it wasn't metallic to start with. Is there a specific "silver" color that I use? Brand name? "Testor's model paint work? Should I use a specific type of brush? I heard a crushed toothpick works great of fine detail. I've used one for restoring emblems, would it work for this too?)

 

[Donny Lowrida]

I bought silver "Sharpies" and it went on nicely. Came out pretty good. You can't tell unless you're right on top of the tail lights. I know it won't stand up to the weather, but niether did the original chrome/ silver paint that GM used.

Went it comes off again, I'll try painting it back on with some silver paint.

Right now, my used '83 tail lights with chrome bezels, look like BRAND NEW factory '83 T-Type tail lights with black bezels.

Not bad for someone who doesn't have much body shop experience.:wink:

 

[dan lephart]

silver

I have used testors silver paint pen...

 

[Donny Lowrida]

I didn't know there was such an animal...BUT...funny you should say that. In case the Sharpies didn't work, I had a bottle of Testor's Silver paint ready to go. The silver Sharpies work awesome tho. Now it's just a test to see how much weather they can endure.

Thanks for the tip tho, I'll definitely keep that in mind if I should need it again.:wink:

 

[Jarnutt]

Testors fixes EVERYTHING. you know those chips you get from stray rocks and such? beats using a black sharpie.

 

[Donny Lowrida]

Touch up paint??? I never thought of that!!!

It's so simple!!! My LeSabre T-Type and my Z24 are both black and show all the stone chips. Who would of thought...Testors?!?!

Thanks!!!

 

[Jarnutt]

belive it or not, it has proven to last, so far, the same as the black touch up pen I paid six bucks for at the stealership. The only difference is, with the testors paint, and a fine brush, you can almost make that bad boy blend with your stock paint perfectly, and even thin it for scratches. Im as redneck as they get sometimes when it comes to fixing the scratches and such. But why Else would they sell model paints in factory GM, Chrysler, and Ford paint colors? Its a conspiracy, thats why.

 

[Donny Lowrida]

I just noticed you have a Typhoon for sale...
any pics?

My brother loves those things (as do I), and I'm sure he'd like to see some pics of it.

You can PM them to me.