1963 Hood Grille Painting

[Gerald C.]

To all,

I'm refinishing my hood grilles and would like to know if anyone put down a self-etching primer before putting down the black satin finish and how did that come out and hold up over the years.

I've had my own experiences, but would like to hear from the group. "The more information obtained results in a better decision!"

Thanks

[Kent S.]

Re: 1963 Hood Grille Painting

I stripped and then did the tedious task of taping the grilles on my convertible and based on the paint shop's recommendation started with a coat of self-etching primer. Finished up with satin black. I've done others without the primer and to tell the truth the results are about the same - neither one results in a permanent fix. I'm very careful to not run a wash mitt over the grilles and certainly no high pressure hose. Might work for some others but that's my experience.

[Gerald C.]

Re: 1963 Hood Grille Painting

Thanks for the feedback Kent.

[Frank D.]

Re: 1963 Hood Grille Painting

I don't know of anyone who has used primer on the cookie sheets, I do know that some, instead of doing the tedious taping, spray the entire sheet and before the paint sets up they rub the paint off the high ribs with something, like a Popsicle stick, wrapped in a "T" shirt soaked in lacquer thinner. I haven't done it but have seen the results from others and it was nice..

[Kent S.]

Re: 1963 Hood Grille Painting

I've tried that and due to slight irregularities in the "cookie sheet" it resulted in less than a perfect outcome. As they say "results may vary".

[James G.]

Re: 1963 Hood Grille Painting

Are the original "cookie sheets" clear anodized?
If so even etching primer is not going to be wet long enough to eat the anodizing and break through to bite into the AL.

Personally I would probably clean well with lacquer thinner, tape up the ribs with some heavy pinstripe and then lightly dust at 20- 25# or so in a glass bead cabinet to give the paint something to grab.
Clean again with isopropyl or lacquer thinner and lightly spray some semigloss laquer -the thinner the coverage the better.

I have glass beaded AL trim at low pressures in order to paint semigloss black and it didn't flake or have adhesion problems as I had experienced in the past when not prepped.

[Jim L.]

Re: 1963 Hood Grille Painting

I've re-painted two sets of cookie sheets.

I masked the first set. The second set I sprayed everything black and then wiped paint off the high spots.

I found it far less tedious to just spray everything and then wipe. Also, the finished appearance of the second set was, in my opinion, much better.