Restoring '67 rocker panels

[Garry B.]

My original '67 rocker panels are in pretty good shape, but could be better. For those of you who have restored yours, did you strip the black paint before reshooting or did you scuff and shoot over the original black paint? I know it should not be a big deal, but the original paint was applied very lightly and want to keep the OEM look as much as possible. Thoughts? Any guidance on restoring the aluminum portions would also be helpful. Thanks.
Garry Barnes
#18531

[Michael H.]

Re: Restoring '67 rocker panels

Gary,

I would scuff over the old paint that way the new paint has something to stick too as long as it's not flaking off.

Mike

[Ara G.]

Re: Restoring '67 rocker panels

clean really well with dawn and wanted a few times to make sure there is no grease or oil that would cause fish eyes. mask off, and use a good quality paint. Simple job and a satisfying one at that.

[Russ S.]

Re: Restoring '67 rocker panels

Restoring the aluminum is very involved. You would need to take them to a plating company that does anodizing and have them strip the anodizing. Then you need to carefully removed any dents. Next sand out the scratches starting with a medium paper. You don't want paper that is so course that it adds deep scratches. As you work out the scratches keep going down in coarseness until you get to where you aren't leaving scratches. Now polish to a high shine. You are now ready to them back to the plater and have then re-anodized. Remember that re-anodizing will lesson the sheen slightly, so you want them polished well before having them anodized.

[Garry B.]

Re: Restoring '67 rocker panels

Russ, fortunately the aluminum bright work on my rocker panels are quite nice. On the '67 rockers there is a very thin line of bright work that runs the full length and has a section of about 1" painted space between it and the upper bright work. Trying to figure out how best to tape this thin line off. The paint in the 1"section is in very good condition and clearly the masked original paint, but it probably would not match what I spray below.

How have some of you taped this off and what paint and gloss level did you use? Thanks.

[Russ S.]

Re: Restoring '67 rocker panels

The paint should be semi gloss. Possibly try pin stripping tape. 1/8 inch wide. If you use masking tape, I would trim it with a razor blade carefully run along the raised edge.

[Garry B.]

Re: Restoring '67 rocker panels

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

[James G.]

Re: Restoring '67 rocker panels

I dislike using a spray can when trying to replicate original finish on things such as rockers or other blacked out areas on trim, it seems like it just builds too thick.

I use thinned catalyzed paint in a IWATA air brush so I can lay down light passes.

Here are some derby center caps I repainted for a customers original car.


100_9568.jpg100_9570.jpg100_9573.jpg

[Patrick H.]

Re: Restoring '67 rocker panels

SEM Trim Black works very well to match the original paint.
A tiny bit of lacquer thinner on a Q-tip fixes hard edges as well as any overspray.

[Garry B.]

Re: Restoring '67 rocker panels

Great additional responses. Thanks for the help and ideas.