Retouching instrument dial surrounds

[foot2firewall]

Can anyome recommend a suitable paint to retouch the dashboard intrument surrounds on an S3? The standard finish is somewhere between a matt and silk black.

I'm thinking a Humbrol paint would do it (if they still exist.)

[TurboTony]

I used Halfords satin black. Sprayed some into the can lid and used an artists brush. After a few coats they look ok.

[Scoobimax]

Matching I think will always stand out. Might be best finding a colour/finish you like and re-doing the whole lot. Slow and tedious but a better result.

I'm thinking of getting a bit of wet and dry or a dremmel type tool and removing the paint to end up with a brushed ali finish.

Max

[Griffinr]

Scoobimax said:

I'm thinking of getting a bit of wet and dry or a dremmel type tool and removing the paint to end up with a brushed ali finish.

Max

Could be a flaw in this plan, I think they are steel!
Rob.

[Longers]

A couple in my S2 needed doing and I thought long and hard about the best way to remove the exisiting paint, what paint to use, how best to paint them, etc etc.




After a while (about 30 seconds actually) I added it to the list of jobs for Mr Plow and delivered the car to him I'm sure he'll be along soon to let you know how he did it



I know he's painted them but I've not seen the finished work yet - from the latest pics he's sent me it looked like the car has exploded with doors, wheels, body, etc all over the place...

[Scoobimax]

Griffinr said:

Scoobimax said:

I'm thinking of getting a bit of wet and dry or a dremmel type tool and removing the paint to end up with a brushed ali finish.

Max

Could be a flaw in this plan, I think they are steel!
Rob.

.... wonders what brushed steel might look like with a thing coat of matt varnish?

[S2Mike]

I tried Humbrol enamel on the gauges in my MGB, unsatisfactorily, it looked too "thick" so ended up doing all of them. ( maybe should have thinned it down)
I did find on the S2 that a soft wire wool takes the rust and paint off easily without marking the glass or dash, so long as it is covered with a thin masking tape layer.
I am undecided whether to mask and spray just the Rev counter ( only this one gauge needs attention) with matt black, or go the whole hog and refinish all the gauges with wire wool and clear varnish.

[phillpot]

in my (very limited) experience brush painting is not good for "satin" finishes.


if a jobs worth doing etc. etc.


gauges out, mask glass, flat down remaining paint, prime and spray

[Elfit]

Ha ha ~ I used a marker pen! Not with good results I'm afraid.

[gmw9666]

if you are after the aluminium look, try ebay for something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-SUPRA-93-02-DASH-...

lots of different sizes available if you look around and they simply clip / stick over the current ones............bingo

just my 2 cents :-)

[gmw9666]

and a nice article on how to restore a dash guage on a TR6, very detailed = http://www.74tr6.com/gauges.htm

[foot2firewall]

Thanks for all the advice, in the end I bought a pot of Polyvine satin coal black acrylic enamel from Homebase for about £1.70 which is a pretty good match, just slightly darker than the original finish, but you would really have to look to notice. I ended up repainting the whole bezel on the clock and found it was better to apply a number of very thin coats.

[junglieD]

What did you buy in the end? ;-)

[phillpot]

foot2firewall said:

found it was better to apply a number of very thin coats.

3 coats should do

[NeilS3]

Hi there,
Sanded off with some wire wool can look nice I think, here's my S3 I did.

[NeilS3]

Also seen here.
Cheers.

[foot2firewall]

junglieD said:

What did you buy in the end? ;-)

Ha Ha, for some reason when I post from my Mac the post appears three times (probably as this one will appear!)

[dryden]

I believe I have seen fit over covers to fit these in black or chrome?? cannot think where......!

[Sandgrounder]

Was this what you were thinking of??

http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/product/instrument-rims-2-/

[dryden]

They are the ones. Better than painting methinks......darn site easier!!