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68 grille painting advice: who's done it?

Started by Dennis K, September 01, 2006, 09:41:49 PM

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Dennis K

I just stripped my grill down to the bare plastic by soaking it in Castrol Super Clean, now I need to repaint it. I would like to do it myself with products I can buy locally in spray cans. Has anyone else done their own this way? What did you use for a primer, if any? What shade of silver matches the factory color? I know Totally Auto sells the authentic stuff, but I would like to avoid the mail order stuff if I can. Thanks.

Rolling_Thunder

I know most people want the exact factory look...     but I painted the outer shell the general color found at any auto store...     "flat aluminum"...     I then used semi-gloss black for the black parts...     

1968 Dodge Charger - 6.1L Hemi / 6-speed / 3.55 Sure Grip

2013 Dodge Challenger R/T - 5.7L Hemi / 6-speed / 3.73 Limited Slip

1964 Dodge Polara 500 - 440 / 4-speed / 3.91 Sure Grip

1973 Dodge Challenger Rallye - 340 / A-518 / 3.23 Sure Grip

69 OUR/TEA


Hey Dennis K,I have replied on this subject before,I am one of those who wanted that exact factory look so I did not stop with the mixes and test spray outs until I matched it exactly to my NOS grill center.To prep the grill,clean it with an alcohol based cleaner,DO NOT USE A PREP SOL SOLVENT AS IT WILL STAY IN THE PLASTIC AND CAUSE WRINKLING AND LIFTING OF THE FRESH PAINT.If you are familiar with PPG products use DX 103 or something similar,ligthly scotch pad anywhere you can possibly get into,clean again for painting.I used SEM trim black ,as it dries to resemble new or "raw black plastic",and for the gray areas ,like I said I came up with my own formula that was a dead match to my NOS grill color.It is more of a gray color,not silver.When this formula was made and the computer went to name the color,it called it ash gray poly.So try to use a light to medium gray metallic color if you can find it.If you have access to a PPG paint store,I will be glad to give you the formula to have it made,depending how precise you are trying to get with your grill.Here are some pics of my finished grill.......

bill440rt

If you don't have access to a spray gun, there are plenty of GOOD quality paints available in rattle cans at your local auto body supply store. SEM & even DuPont have great primers in a spray can. I used SEM's flexible parts primer (also designed for plastic) on my '69 grille. I also used Ford's Argent Silver in a can, available at your local Ferd dealer. OK, it's Ferd paint, but the argent was an exact match for me (my grille was a little brigher than 69 OUR/TEA's).
I did my '70 similarly.
The grille in my '68 was done years ago, I think we used Rust-o-Leum silver in a spray can. A good tip is to spray the silver FIRST, then use different widths of fine line masking tape to tape off all the silver areas. You can't beat Plasti-Kote's semi-flat black, great stuff. SEM's Trim-Black is also very good semi-flat black paint.
"Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best that exists and make it better. If it doesn't exist, create it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough." Sir Henry Rolls Royce

bill440rt

"Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best that exists and make it better. If it doesn't exist, create it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough." Sir Henry Rolls Royce

Shakey

I used SEM's Trim Black and Eastwood's Argent Wheel paint.

Some good reading in this thread.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,49.0.html

Shakey


Silver R/T

those grilles looking great, hopefully Ill paint mine this winter
http://www.cardomain.com/id/mitmaks

1968 silver/black/red striped R/T
My Charger is hybrid, it runs on gas and on tears of ricers
2001 Ram 2500 CTD
1993 Mazda MX-3 GS SE
1995 Ford Cobra SVT#2722

Chatt69chgr

Hey 69 OUR/TEA------I read with interest you note on 69 grill restoration.  The "gray" color you ended up with is virtually the exact color my grill is painted and it's original.  I do have a PPG paint store here in Chattanooga and would appreciate if you could share with all of us the formula you ended up with for the gray.  Thanks.

69 OUR/TEA


Dennis K

Thanks for all the info and pics. One more question: does anyone know if it's safe to soda blast plastic parts? I've tried everything on my headlight doors, castrol super clean, oven cleaner, and nothing works on the factory black paint. Castrol got rid of all the thick flat black paint someone put on my grill, and the factory silver, along with a bunch of orange overspray that was under the flat black, now I just have the factory black paint on the headlight doors. It' a little too chipped up to paint over,so I want to strip it off and put new paint on. Thanks.

bill440rt

Dennis,
There shouldn't be ANY factory black paint on that grille, because there wasn't. The grilles were just molded in black plastic. The silver was applied over that black plastic & left that way.
The reason why restorers paint the black is to freshen up the faded, dingy black plastic.
I would not use anything too abrasive on your grille, they are very fragile & a pain to repair.
"Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best that exists and make it better. If it doesn't exist, create it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough." Sir Henry Rolls Royce

BigBlockSam

Quoteif it's safe to soda blast plastic parts? 

you don't have to do that. just power wash it, sand it alittle and spray. thats what i did. i used fusion black paint for plastic and aregent sliver for the surround. came out good. Rene

I won't be wronged, I wont be Insulted and I wont be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to others, and I require the same from them.

  [IMG]http://i45.tinypic.com/347b5v5.jpg[/img

motorhead

I taped mine with pinstriping tape after shooting argent silver (eastwood). Then used SEM trim black.

charge-it

Quote from: bill440rt on September 02, 2006, 01:13:43 PM
If you don't have access to a spray gun, there are plenty of GOOD quality paints available in rattle cans at your local auto body supply store. SEM & even DuPont have great primers in a spray can. I used SEM's flexible parts primer (also designed for plastic) on my '69 grille. I also used Ford's Argent Silver in a can, available at your local Ferd dealer. OK, it's Ferd paint, but the argent was an exact match for me (my grille was a little brigher than 69 OUR/TEA's).
I did my '70 similarly.
The grille in my '68 was done years ago, I think we used Rust-o-Leum silver in a spray can. A good tip is to spray the silver FIRST, then use different widths of fine line masking tape to tape off all the silver areas. You can't beat Plasti-Kote's semi-flat black, great stuff. SEM's Trim-Black is also very good semi-flat black paint.

Beautiful job on your grills! Do you remember the Ford part number for the argent silver?
Visit our new website:

http://www.pepsparts.com

69bronzeT5

I'm doing my '69 grille as we speak. I used Tremclad Grey Primer (red primer makes the silver go a weird shade) and I'm painting the black and silver parts right now. For black, I am using Krylon Semi-Flat black. Since I am in the US, I do not have access to the paint the guys in the US go. I plan on going to the hardware store and finding something close to the shade of silver I need.
Feature Editor for Mopar Connection Magazine
http://moparconnectionmagazine.com/



1969 Charger: T5 Copper 383 Automatic
1970 Challenger R/T: FC7 Plum Crazy 440 Automatic
1970 GTO: Black 400 Ram Air III 4-Speed
1971 Charger Super Bee: GY3 Citron Yella 440 4-Speed
1972 Charger: FE5 Red 360 Automatic
1973 Charger Rallye: FY1 Top Banana 440 Automatic
1973 Plymouth Road Runner: FE5 Red 440 Automatic
1973 Plymouth Duster: FC7 Plum Crazy 318 Automatic

Kazza68

Great thread, thank you everyone. I wasn't confident this morning about doing mine. But after seeing how things worked for everyone here, I am now.
Cheers!

E5 Charger

Take a look at the post second from the top of this Paint, Body & Trim section. The one called "Charger grille restoration database". There is tons of great information on painting the grille.