The Ford Torino Page Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Model Specific Forum > 1977-1979 Ford and Mercury
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Cougar Opera Window Trim Re-painting
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Cougar Opera Window Trim Re-painting

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
Turbo301 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 11-March-2007
Location: London, Ontario
Status: Offline
Points: 331
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Cougar Opera Window Trim Re-painting
    Posted: 10-November-2009 at 5:50AM

Although the passenger-side black paint on my opera window trim is in very good shape, with only a few small bits of missing black paint, the driver's side is terrible: there's maybe 40% of the black paint left, and it's all "fuzzy" in the areas where it's worn off.

I have to admit that I was too much of a coward to want to remove the trim and re-paint it off the car, so instead I have again applied some modeling techniques: I first roughened the chrome surface where the paint is to go, then did a careful masking job: I used Tamiya tape (probably the best masking tape in the world! Super flexible and provides a great edge) to get an accurate outline, then regular masking tape and brown paper to mask off an area around. I also used the Tamiya tape to mask off the seal between the trim and the window.
 
Up next: "Mr. Surfacer" primer and some Polyscale semi-flat black paint, to be applied with my airbrush! I can't wait to see how this all works out :).
 
 
The light edges on the louvres shown below are actually Mr. Surfacer primer applied to the worn edges; again, some Polyscale paint will hopefully work to bring those "back to black"!
 
 
1977 Cougar XR7
1980 turbo Trans Am
2009 Pontiac G8 GT
Back to Top
Psquare75 View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group

Member of the Stroker Club

Joined: 26-November-2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 4591
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-November-2009 at 5:52AM
When I did mine, I had them off the car... I also didn't bother masking the glass. A razor blade was my friend.. LOL

Make sure you scuff the metal a bit. Don't forget the chrome edging on the louvers as well. :)


Edited by Psquare75 - 10-November-2009 at 5:53AM
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500
Back to Top
Turbo301 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 11-March-2007
Location: London, Ontario
Status: Offline
Points: 331
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-November-2009 at 2:28PM
All finished!
 
I think the end result is quite spectacular; it actually looks better in person than in the photos, which is rare :). Once the masking was pulled off, it didn't need a stitch of touch up or removal of excess paint: the Tamiya tape kept a nice sharp edge and didn't try to lift paint from where I wanted paint to be. The Polyscale's matteness is just about right, too: a bit duller than the louvres, which seems to be the case on the original passenger-side trim.
 
The nice thing about using the airbrush over a spray can is that a.) paint doesn't go everywhere, so you only have to mask off a small area, and b.) you can do it with the doors closed, even with a lacquer base, because so little paint and thinner are used.
 
Alas, it's too cold now to do the other side, but I think I'll do that in the spring. I may leave it for originality's sake, too... I'm kinda on the fence ^_^.
 
 
 
 
1977 Cougar XR7
1980 turbo Trans Am
2009 Pontiac G8 GT
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.06
Copyright ©2001-2023 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.078 seconds.