66 cluster repaint TIPS for chrome ring/letters

[Keith B.]

Two feet of snow and snowing hard, so I thought I would change the burnt out light bulb in my cluster........wow. Steeting column out, cluster out, number tagged all the wires, what a project !!

I now have my cluster disassembled and want to re-paint. I'm using SEM Trim black. What tips do fellow members have for not painting the chrome bezel accent rings on the Speedo/Tach and gauges. Masking it off seems like it would be difficult to get a perfect circular ring. Then how about the raised letters over the ignition, lights, etc. Are the letters silver of white?? Any best practices here?? Thank-you/

Keith
#47865

[Donald T.]

Re: 66 cluster repaint TIPS for chrome ring/letter

Keith,

I just paint all the chrome at the same time. You can then use a little 000 steel wool to remove the paint and polish the chrome at the same time. It takes longer to mask than to just remove the paint after the fact. Good luck with your project!

Don

[Donald T.]

Re: 66 cluster repaint TIPS for chrome ring/letter

Keith,

I just paint all the chrome at the same time. You can then use a little 000 steel wool to remove the paint and polish the chrome at the same time. It takes longer to mask than to just remove the paint after the fact. Good luck with your project!

Don

[Jim S.]

Re: 66 cluster repaint TIPS for chrome ring/letter

Keith,

Don is correct , just paint the whole thing and then remove the paint afterwards.
I used a razor the next day to remove it from the rings (that was easy)
and from the letters (thats a little harder).

Jim

[Jim S.]

Re: 66 cluster repaint TIPS for chrome ring/letter

Keith,

Don is correct , just paint the whole thing and then remove the paint afterwards.
I used a razor the next day to remove it from the rings (that was easy)
and from the letters (thats a little harder).

Jim

[Jim S.]

Ps. the letters are the same as the rings ,chrome! *NM*

[Jim S.]

Ps. the letters are the same as the rings ,chrome! *NM*

[Donald T.]

Re: Ps. the letters are the same as the rings ,chr

Keith,

A few additional items. You didn't mention if you have disassembled the cluster. If not, then this is the time to do it. It's straightforward to disassemble just by removing the sheet metal screws on the back. Once you have removed everything from the housing, then go ahead and paint the whole thing. Remove the paint from the rings and letters, and polish the chrome with 000 steel wool. Repaint the needles with the correct paint available from any of the vendors. Use a small paint brush to remove any dust from the gauge faces. Polish the gauge faces with cloth and some Pledge wax. You'll be amazed what a little Pledge will do for your gauge faces.

I don't bother labeling all of the dash harness wires. I just take a few pics as I remove the cluster to see how everything goes back together. This makes wiring the cluster back up much easier.

Removing and installing the cluster is much easier if you replace the screws with threaded rods. This allows the rods to hold the cluster in place while giving you more room to work. I can't take credit for this idea, because I got it out of the archives.

Good luck!

[Donald T.]

Re: Ps. the letters are the same as the rings ,chr

Keith,

A few additional items. You didn't mention if you have disassembled the cluster. If not, then this is the time to do it. It's straightforward to disassemble just by removing the sheet metal screws on the back. Once you have removed everything from the housing, then go ahead and paint the whole thing. Remove the paint from the rings and letters, and polish the chrome with 000 steel wool. Repaint the needles with the correct paint available from any of the vendors. Use a small paint brush to remove any dust from the gauge faces. Polish the gauge faces with cloth and some Pledge wax. You'll be amazed what a little Pledge will do for your gauge faces.

I don't bother labeling all of the dash harness wires. I just take a few pics as I remove the cluster to see how everything goes back together. This makes wiring the cluster back up much easier.

Removing and installing the cluster is much easier if you replace the screws with threaded rods. This allows the rods to hold the cluster in place while giving you more room to work. I can't take credit for this idea, because I got it out of the archives.

Good luck!

[Keith B.]

Thank you very much.....appreciated *NM*

[Keith B.]

Thank you very much.....appreciated *NM*

[Page C.]

Re: Ps. the letters are the same as the rings ,chr

The lead pencil eraser also works well on the letters.
Page Campbell

[Page C.]

Re: Ps. the letters are the same as the rings ,chr

The lead pencil eraser also works well on the letters.
Page Campbell

[Jim S.]

Now you tell me ! *NM*

[Jim S.]

Now you tell me ! *NM*