Reverse lights paint

[john87442]

Happy 4th!
I’m looking to get my reverse lights refurbished and wanted to see if anyone else took on this project and any tips, it’s for an 87 442. The silver is dulled and that red stripe around the lens needs churning up, that’s going to be a fun one. Not sure if anyone has found the colors to use on these. Thanks in advance. Photo is not my set just an example.

 

[g0thiac]

Happy 4th!
I’m looking to get my reverse lights refurbished and wanted to see if anyone else took on this project and any tips, it’s for an 87 442. The silver is dulled and that red stripe around the lens needs churning up, that’s going to be a fun one. Not sure if anyone has found the colors to use on these. Thanks in advance. Photo is not my set just an example.

You can use 1156 LED's, too if you want RGB lights like I have, with the 194 as well if you don't feel like painting or want multiple colors lmaooo 😎💪💪💪

 

[69hurstolds]

A lot of guys in the 70-72 "a" body realm use Krylon Dull Aluminum paint to redo their silver on the tail lamps. Seems to duplicate it well. However, I'm not sure how well it would match up with the reverse lamps. The aluminum color on the lamps is 5% gloss at most, darn near flat.

As far as the red, it's not a real bright red. It's a slightly darker red IIRC. Satin-like, not a lot of gloss either. Going to the shop, BRB...

...went to the shop and grabbed a reverse lamp.

With inside lighting- as you can tell instantly, depends on the angle and lighting as to what red shade it throws off.

Then outside light-

 

[pagrunt]

I'm thinking that silver is a general use shade GM used on a lot of exterior parts. Might even be the same shade non SS Monte's used on the plate pocket. I should have a PPG code somewhere in my notes for my Monte.

 

[69hurstolds]

I would imagine it's the same on the tail light silver sides as well.

 

[john87442]

A lot of guys in the 70-72 "a" body realm use Krylon Dull Aluminum paint to redo their silver on the tail lamps. Seems to duplicate it well. However, I'm not sure how well it would match up with the reverse lamps. The aluminum color on the lamps is 5% gloss at most, darn near flat.

View attachment 223759

As far as the red, it's not a real bright red. It's a slightly darker red IIRC. Satin-like, not a lot of gloss either. Going to the shop, BRB...

...went to the shop and grabbed a reverse lamp.

With inside lighting- as you can tell instantly, depends on the angle and lighting as to what red shade it throws off.
View attachment 223775

View attachment 223774

View attachment 223776

View attachment 223777

Then outside light-
View attachment 223778

View attachment 223779

View attachment 223780

View attachment 223781

A lot of guys in the 70-72 "a" body realm use Krylon Dull Aluminum paint to redo their silver on the tail lamps. Seems to duplicate it well. However, I'm not sure how well it would match up with the reverse lamps. The aluminum color on the lamps is 5% gloss at most, darn near flat.

View attachment 223759

As far as the red, it's not a real bright red. It's a slightly darker red IIRC. Satin-like, not a lot of gloss either. Going to the shop, BRB...

...went to the shop and grabbed a reverse lamp.

With inside lighting- as you can tell instantly, depends on the angle and lighting as to what red shade it throws off.
View attachment 223775

View attachment 223774

View attachment 223776

View attachment 223777

Then outside light-
View attachment 223778

View attachment 223779

View attachment 223780

View attachment 223781

That’s an amazing example of a tail light! It’s perfect, so what do think just go to the hardware store and look for close color and then spray it on a sample card to hold it near it and compare until I find the best color? And as for the red I wasn’t sure if taping it off would be the best or using an art fine brush to try and get it right.

 

[john87442]

I'm thinking that silver is a general use shade GM used on a lot of exterior parts. Might even be the same shade non SS Monte's used on the plate pocket. I should have a PPG code somewhere in my notes for my Monte.

Thanks I would love to check that out.

 

[john87442]

That chrome stamping is going to be difficult to reproduce to along the edge.

 

[69hurstolds]

Well, yeah, that chrome stamping is hot stamp. Which sucks because it would be kind of a whole lotta expensive to duplicate that. If your chrome is toast, about the best you could hope for is some of the chrome-like paint stuff or a chrome mylar decal of sorts (polyester metalized adhesive film- like that little funky chrome balloon material except with sticky stuff on one side).

In FAAAACCCCCTTTTTTTT.......

I just got done measuring the chrome edging dimensions to see if some thin mylar polyester chrome adhesive tape can be used. I made a template for my decal cutter but I have to get some mylar chrome tape first. If I can make a 3/16"-ish wide perimeter rectangle (one side is 5/32" for some reason), it can mimic the chrome edging. It's an experiment worth doing. If it can be pulled off, it's a lower cost alternative to restoring the chrome edging on the backup lamps. You can do it with small strips, but it would leave seam marks on the corners. With the cutter, it should be one single decal for each side. Not sure how long it would last, though. I'm sure a garage car would fare better, but who knows.

I got a backup lamp set out of an 83 that may need restoring, I'll have to dig it out and see. If it seems do-able, I'll just restore those and try to match up the silver and add the chrome edging and buff them up.

If it works out, might do them in smaller size for the always rubbed off shifter handle perimeter on the shifter PRNDL plate.

 

[84cutlasssupreme]

Well, yeah, that chrome stamping is hot stamp. Which sucks because it would be kind of a whole lotta expensive to duplicate that. If your chrome is toast, about the best you could hope for is some of the chrome-like paint stuff or a chrome mylar decal of sorts (polyester metalized adhesive film- like that little funky chrome balloon material except with sticky stuff on one side).

In FAAAACCCCCTTTTTTTT.......

I just got done measuring the chrome edging dimensions to see if some thin mylar polyester chrome adhesive tape can be used. I made a template for my decal cutter but I have to get some mylar chrome tape first. If I can make a 3/16"-ish wide perimeter rectangle (one side is 5/32" for some reason), it can mimic the chrome edging. It's an experiment worth doing. If it can be pulled off, it's a lower cost alternative to restoring the chrome edging on the backup lamps. You can do it with small strips, but it would leave seam marks on the corners. With the cutter, it should be one single decal for each side. Not sure how long it would last, though. I'm sure a garage car would fare better, but who knows.

I got a backup lamp set out of an 83 that may need restoring, I'll have to dig it out and see. If it seems do-able, I'll just restore those and try to match up the silver and add the chrome edging and buff them up.

If it works out, might do them in smaller size for the always rubbed off shifter handle perimeter on the shifter PRNDL plate.

My '84 back-up lens edge chrome started to dull out just like everypne else's. I tried 1/4" chrome trim tape that worked ok, and , yes, there was a seam at the corners. I went over those with clear nail polish. The tape is a smidgen wider than the edge is so after awhile, the edge of the tape would start coming up. You may look in Hemmings under "chroming" or "plating". Good Luck.