1963 Hood Tins

[Paul Y.]

I'm getting ready to paint my hood tins and I would like some tips and methods of doing it. I have them stripped and the high ridges buffed out. I have heard of painting all and wiping off with a flat metal stir stick wrapped in a rag and dipped in laquer thinner, 1/16 inch masking tape, or putting a light coat of grease on the high portion then wiping it off later. What is your best method and experiences. Thanks to all you gurus.

[Jim L.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

I've repainted two sets of the '63 hood grills.

The first I did by careful masking. For the second set, I just painted everything and wiped the black off the ridges.

No doubt about it, painting everything and removing paint from the ridges is easier and produces a better result.

Jim

[Tracy C.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

Paul, I've painted a couple of sets using the 1/8 blue vinyl tape from 3M. It was a very time consuming process. Based on Jim's recommendation, I would try the "paint everything" approach.

I'll bet one of those 2 1/2" foam paint brushes and some thinner would work good as a tool to wipe the paint off the ridges.

good luck,
tc

[Chuck G.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

I used the tape process and it turned out very well.

I was concerned with lifting/removing the lacquer from the depressions if I tried to wipe off the high spots.

Chuck

[Perry M.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

Clean the surface with lacquer thinner, spray the entire surface with a semi-gloss paint, steal one of your wife's/girlfriend's panty hose and wrap it tightly over a piece of wood, such as a paint stick, and wipe off the high surfaces. Some lacquer thinner on the stick may be helpful but not too much. Worked for me 20 years ago and still looks good. The wife didn't even miss it.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

I used the paint and wipe off method back in about 1976. I don't recall too many of the details, but I know I spent a lot of time doing like one line at a time. It was worth it as they still look like new today - better than new.

Stu Fox

[Irby G.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

What are hood tins? Are these the faux hood grills?

[Jack H.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

Yes, different 'buzz' words are used by different folks including 'muffin pans', 'grilles', 'louvers'....

[Mike M.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

also, Cookie Sheets, Waffle Grills, Ice Cube trays.....
HaND

[Stuart F.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

I guess the only one we have not mentioned are "Screens". As screens, or grills, it best describes their origin from the original Sting Ray race car. They were designed to vent built up air pressure from under the hood thereby providing some front end downforce (an early attempt at aero dynamics). In other words, they were functional. They would have probably been functional on the production 63 only I guess the introduction of rain, snow, and leaves, etc, may have made them impractical (tongue in cheek). The beautiful Sting Ray body, unfortunately, would rather fly than hug the ground. A similar hood venting system was later employed on the Grand Sport Racers.

Stu Fox

[Kenneth S.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

Story I heard was that on the prototype Sting Ray the air flow went through the radiator, got nice and hot, came out the hood grills and then went right into cockpit through the air vents just in front of the windshield, roasting the driver.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

Ken;

That is probably so, and may explain why they came up with that elaborate baffling on the hood of the grand sports to accomplish the same thing(s) w/o roasting the driver. Whatever the reason, I think they are cool and enjoy my 63 the more for them. They also make great conversation pieces at shows, and the cookies aren't too bad either, Ha!

Stu Fox

[Gerald C.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

Jim,

How did you address the vertical ridges in each "square". Are they supposed to be unpainted, thus the use of the tape.....

Jerry

[Bob R.]

[Gerald C.]

Re: 1963 Hood Tins

Bob,

I'm going to do the same thing. I was getting a bit anal about the painting and was getting frustrated.....They are what they are!

Thanks