70 louvers casting

[Bill L.]

Getting ready to redo the side louvers. They are totally stripped and ready to paint.

My question is how rough was the casting on the inside edgees or was it relatively smooth?

I will use etching primer and I am deciding whether to use some high build primer to smooth them out a little where they look a little rough.

Thanks! Bill

[Chuck S.]

Re: 70 louvers casting

Once completely stripped, the painted interior surfaces of the side louvers have a fairly rough, "as cast: finish; all the outside surfaces and edges were polished smooth before plating.

In my opinion, there are a couple of reasons the interior surfaces were left "as cast": (1) Polishing of the interior surfaces would be a tedious, time-consuming, and expensive process ultimately corrected by a much cheaper method, and (2) the roughness helps provide "tooth" for adhesion of the paint.

The kind of primer used on the side louvers is unknown to me except that it was black. And, no, it bore absolutely no resemblance to the black primer GM used on parts everywhere else...it was DEFINITELY NOT the same stuff. It was more like powder coat or epoxy from hell, and nearly impossible to remove. However...it did fill the rough surface very well, leaving the painted interior surfaces smooth. If I had a do-over, I would just strip the top coat, scuff the factory primer, and repaint.

If you strip them completely, I'm thinking you may be best served by a base coat of epoxy primer followed by multiple coats of high build primer. Mask your chrome well to avoid sand scratches.

[Bill L.]

Re: 70 louvers casting

Thanks Chuck.

I will actually sand the roughest edges from the underneath side to protect the chrome. I have relatively narrow fingers.

I have had excellent results using the SEM etching primer. Then I will be using Upol high build primer. The spray pattern and air pressure are amazing coming from a spray bomb.

I am using BC/CC so I end up taping up about four times per side. Time consuming but I look forward to correctly painted louvers

If I ever find the Daytona Yellow LT-1 Vert with deluxe interior it will be painted with lacquer.


Bill

[Terry M.]

Re: 70 louvers casting

What color is your 1970, Bill?

[Bill L.]

Re: 70 louvers casting

HI Terry,

Classic White with std. black interior.

I hope to see your original owner LT-1 one day.


Bill

[Terry M.]

Re: 70 louvers casting

It needs a lot of work to bring it out of hibernation, but I am lobbying to get it to Novi for the National this Summer. The last outing was for the National in Windsor. It kind of likes that part of the world, but a certain Chevelle is taking up my money lately.

White is a good color for BC/CC. That, with the Black intrior, should be nice in a 1970 drop top.

[Paul O.]

Re: 70 louvers casting

Terry didn't a part of the car make it to the Gettysburg Regional last year for a for a paint lesson for the extra credit Advanced Judging Seminar. So you could say part of the car made a NCRS trip last year.

Paul 18046

[Terry M.]

Re: 70 louvers casting

Point well taken.

If I can get the whole car to Novi we can make a lot of people happy by having part of the Advanced Judging Seminar on C3 exhaust sound -- maybe I'll restrict attendance to the young guys -- people under 40.


It would be a small group.

[Mike G.]

Re: 70 louvers casting

they are rough. i always send mine to the chrome shop first and let them strip them. then i prime and paint and take the edges off with a razor blade while the paint is a little soft. 70 is the easy year for these. not as much raised chrome edges to deal with.