BUILD THREAD Project Olds Cool (Recognition!!)

[Rktpwrd]

Ok, so tonight's update isn't really an update per se.

It's more of a response to the suggestions you guys made to possibly carry the brushed finish look that I did on the wiper arms through to the rest of the trim.
The truth is, by the time you guys had made the suggestion, I was already in full experimentation mode!

I am by all accounts, a self admitted trim hoarder. I seem to have this affinity for grabbing all the windshield, drip rail, back window etc trim that I come across.
Some of it's in great condition and needs very little to be put back into service, some of it is pretty rough, only usable if nothing else is available.

The advantage to this is I have lots of "so-so" pieces that I can play with and experiment on.

After experimenting with a couple different pieces and different grit scratches, I selected two really good condition pieces, and gave them the brushed effect. These pieces are the passenger's side "A" pillar and side windshield mouldings.
I chose these two because of the close proximity they sit in relation to each other, and to see how they'd look up against the new dark grey paint.

I went about giving them the brushed effect the old fashioned hard way, I sanded all the hard clear anodizing off by hand until it was all gone. I didn't have any at the time, but going forward I will attempt to remove the anodizing ahead of time with oven cleaner as suggested on YouTube and other sources.
I'll advise if this procedure works well on the trim on our cars or not.

So to cut to the chase, after the pieces were done, I temporarily installed them on the car.
From a distance, the trim looks shiny and nice, perhaps as if it were painted...

...but the closer you get to it, the more you can start to see the detail.

To be honest, I love the effect.
I don't think it takes anything away from the car, if anything I feel it adds a more subtle and edgy look to it. A bit tough around the edges, but still classy at the same time. In addition, the brushed silver finish is remarkably similar to the silver edges on the wheels!

Also, I love the contrast between the dark grey, and the brushed finish. I haven't tried it up against the white yet, but I feel that it will compliment it nicely as well. So in conclusion, I will indeed be pursuing this as the finish on the trim.
🙂

Now I know, it's still really early in the game to be worrying about trim and the final details, but I'm the sort that likes to have a complete game plan before I get near the finished product. If I plan for it now, it may help with any further decisions I may need to make in the future.

The decision is not without further obstacles to overcome tho, not all of the trim on the car is the same. The quarter window mouldings for example, are chrome plated pot metal. In my experimentation so far, the color is different when it's sanded. The chrome finish goes away quickly, leaving the nickle underneath to have the brushed finish on it. The nickle is nowhere near the same color as the trim, so I will need to devise a plan to make them match.

Also, I will have to come up with a way to put a protective finish back on the trim afterwards. It might be as simple as clearcoating them with a flattening agent in the clear to keep them looking matte, but I may also have an option to have a clear anodizing put back on as well. I still have to explore that possibility.

But I'll cross those bridges when I get there.

That's it for now fellas, please let me know your thoughts on how it looks!

D.

 

[TURNA]

Trim looks awesome!!!!!

I was actually playing around with the trim on the new Monte I picked up the same way but I used a red scotch brite pad.

 

[1evilregal]

like the look. it's one of those subtle that catch your eye, but doesn't beat you over the head with it...

IIRC, the way my customer did it, was wet sand, etching primer, a few coats of aluminum color paint, scuff lightly in one direction with a grey scotch pad, and a flat clear.

 

[dr78442]

Trim with paint choice looks great. I really like the look .Will you be matching all the bright work . I am curious how the bumpers and headlight and taillight bezel would look with brushed finish.

 

[Injectedcutty]

Trim with paint choice looks great. I really like the look .Will you be matching all the bright work . I am curious how the bumpers and headlight and taillight bezel would look with brushed finish.

I had that question for Donovan as well. It's a ton of work, but I feel if all the brightwork is given the brushed look it will stand that Calais apart from the rest!

I sent Donovan the following pic. This is when I was smoothing my bumpers and prepping for the 1st coat of primer. I recall giving them a brushed look by accident and really liking it! The bumper was just sanded with 220 to smooth the very minor amount of filler where the bumperettes once were....if you look close you can see how the sanding left the same appearance!

To Donovan.... I think you should stay the course on finishing the trim with the brushed look! It looks awesome next to the grey, and will look killer against the white as well!!!! Great job as usual buddy, keep up the awesome progress!

 

[HAFROD]

Dude, you painted your speakers? They had rust too? LOL. On a serious note, it's looking AWESOME. Since you asked, I'm not a fan of the brushed trim on that stock looking car. I do like it on modded cars though. I never like giving an opinion but I follow this build and the OTHER one you have and gave it only cause you asked

 

[HAFROD]

OK, I have an idea. Send me your Hurst wheels that I can put on my Salon. Then you could buy some big rollers and lowering components 😉 😛

 

[Longroof79]

I like the brushed look. It's subtle and doesn't standout as much as chrome.
I had thought about doing my bumpers in a brushed stainless look awhile back, but there were a few imperfections from welding repairs, etc. that would have shown had I not painted them..
I noticed the look when I DA'd the bumpers getting them prepped for primer.

 

[Rktpwrd]

Trim looks awesome!!!!!

I was actually playing around with the trim on the new Monte I picked up the same way but I used a red scotch brite pad.

Thanks man!
As I mentioned in the post above, I experimented with different techniques and different media first. Red ScotchBrite was the first one I tried. I wasn't all that happy with the result tho, as when you scuff with the ScotchBrite, you're really only scuffing the clear anodizing that's on top. I found that once the anodizing had been scuffed, it turned the trim a whitish color, not quite giving the effect that I wanted.
So I went this route instead.
Thanks for weighing in!

like the look. it's one of those subtle that catch your eye, but doesn't beat you over the head with it...

IIRC, the way my customer did it, was wet sand, etching primer, a few coats of aluminum color paint, scuff lightly in one direction with a grey scotch pad, and a flat clear.

That sounds about right Darin.
I recall seeing that technique done with paint many years ago, and that's what I'm going to have to do on certain pieces to ensure they match the rest of the trim.
The trick is going to be to try to color match to the sanded trim as close as possible.

Thanks for confirming what I had seemed to remember about the technique.
🙂

Trim with paint choice looks great. I really like the look .Will you be matching all the bright work . I am curious how the bumpers and headlight and taillight bezel would look with brushed finish.

Thanks Mike. I really do like the effect. I'm a bit curious on those parts too, I can't say that I've ever seen it done on headlight and taillight bezels, at least not on this year of Cutlass.

When it comes to giving the effect to ALL the brightwork on the car, I guess I have a couple options:

1) I could do the brushed look on just the trim around the windows, and nothing else...

2) I could do around all the windows, the headlight and taillight bezels, grilles, and leave the bumpers and rocker panel trim alone...

Or 3) Give every piece of brightwork on the car the treatment.

In fact, I'll likely progress in this manner, only doing the next group of parts if I determine they need it or not. That seems like the most logical way to go about it in my opinion.
We'll see!

I had that question for Donovan as well. It's a ton of work, but I feel if all the brightwork is given the brushed look it will stand that Calais apart from the rest!

I sent Donovan the following pic. This is when I was smoothing my bumpers and prepping for the 1st coat of primer. I recall giving them a brushed look by accident and really liking it! The bumper was just sanded with 220 to smooth the very minor amount of filler where the bumperettes once were....if you look close you can see how the sanding left the same appearance!
View attachment 72123

To Donovan.... I think you should stay the course on finishing the trim with the brushed look! It looks awesome next to the grey, and will look killer against the white as well!!!! Great job as usual buddy, keep up the awesome progress!

Thanks Scott.
I do believe I will stay the course.
Thanks for sharing your previous experiences with your bumpers. It just may come in handy!

You've always been a solid supporter of mine, no matter which hair-brained direction I may head off in.
I want to thank you for that. It's very much appreciated my friend.

Dude, you painted your speakers? They had rust too? LOL. On a serious note, it's looking AWESOME. Since you asked, I'm not a fan of the brushed trim on that stock looking car. I do like it on modded cars though. I never like giving an opinion but I follow this build and the OTHER one you have and gave it only cause you asked

Thanks, and thanks for your opinion Robert.
I did indeed ask the opinions of the members, and I appreciate you sharing yours with us.
Yes, the car is and will continue to be quite stock looking, but I don't feel this little mod will alter the vibe all that much. It's still the same trim, it's still the same color after its sanded, it's just a different finish on it. Far less radical than say, blacking it all out.
It should serve to set the car apart from others, and I'll be happy with that all day long.

I like the brushed look. It's subtle and doesn't standout as much as chrome.
I had thought about doing my bumpers in a brushed stainless look awhile back, but there were a few imperfections from welding repairs, etc. that would have shown had I not painted them..
I noticed the look when I DA'd the bumpers getting them prepped for primer.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the effect too, Jack.
I feel the look is fairly subtle as well.
I'm undecided at this point whether or not to carry the effect over onto the bumpers just yet or not. If it looks ridiculous with the trim done and the bumpers not, then I'll know the answer at that point...!!

As always, thanks to everyone for your thoughts and opinions. I welcome them all, whether I agree with them or not.

D.

 

[1evilregal]

I had all but forgotten this idea on my chrome, until a few months ago... I was watching an old episode of East coast customs, where they built the Zippo Jeep, and painted it a stainless steel color, then used the grey scuff pads, and gave it the "brushed effect". I'm planning this on all the brightwork thats left on the buick....