• Welcome to the CaliforniaSpecial.com forums! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all our site features, please take a moment to join our community! It's fast, simple and absolutely free.

    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

    Please Note: If you are an existing member and your password no longer works, click here to reset it.

1968 Horn pad question

Ruppstang

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2009
Messages
3,032
I am restoring the horn pad on our HCS and am tring to find the correct finish on the six cups and on the rim of the emblem. All the repro stuff is chrome and I don't think that is correct. From what I can tell from the back side of mine they were argent painted with a black bottem in the cup. I took a second pad apart and found the same thing. Does someone have a low mile orignal to look at? Thanks Marty
 

franklinair

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
4,740
All I have seen for many, many years is the plastic chrome (ala the instrument bezels) with the black cups, although I have seen many that were painted the argent to freshen them up (presumably after the chrome finish had faded). Also, the oval shaped piece that goes arounf the center pad- same story.

Neil
 
OP
OP
R

Ruppstang

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2009
Messages
3,032
The outside bezel is chrome for sure. When you take it apart it has bright chrome under. The cups or buttons do not they have the argent finish under.
 

somethingspecial

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
1,795
Marty, here is a tip for you. the buttons were melted on the pin to secure them in the pad. The chrome finish will not burn as fast as the plastic inside. Scrape the chrome finish off the pin before you insert them into the pad, then using a lighter, set them on fire to soften the plastic. Don't worry, you won't damage anything. I let it burn just long enough to soften the plastic, then blow it out and while pressing the button into the horn pad, use a flat punch to flaten and flow out the pin to secure it. just look at how the originals were fastened and you will see what I am talking about. If you don't scrape the chrome off it will not compress and will most likely break the pin off. I learned from experience. Mike
 

390cs68rcode

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
2,864
Location
Houston Texas
Marty, here is a tip for you. the buttons were melted on the pin to secure them in the pad. The chrome finish will not burn as fast as the plastic inside. Scrape the chrome finish off the pin before you insert them into the pad, then using a lighter, set them on fire to soften the plastic. Don't worry, you won't damage anything. I let it burn just long enough to soften the plastic, then blow it out and while pressing the button into the horn pad, use a flat punch to flaten and flow out the pin to secure it. just look at how the originals were fastened and you will see what I am talking about. If you don't scrape the chrome off it will not compress and will most likely break the pin off. I learned from experience. Mike

or a small dab of silicone
 

franklinair

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
4,740
Good techniques, but what about Marty's query on the finish of the buttons- chrome or argent? I believe they were/are chrome finish.

Neil
 

somethingspecial

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
1,795
Good techniques, but what about Marty's query on the finish of the buttons- chrome or argent? I believe they were/are chrome finish.

Neil

I just removed two buttons from an original horn center I had and they are definately argent. No signs of chrome on the button anywhere. They had black bottom inserts. Mike
 

6t8-390gt

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
490
Location
Central Virginia
I just removed two buttons from an original horn center I had and they are definately argent. No signs of chrome on the button anywhere. They had black bottom inserts. Mike

+1

The original large center trim off my car has the chrome; none of the buttons had any evidence of chrome.

Danny
 
OP
OP
R

Ruppstang

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2009
Messages
3,032
I think I am going to have to agree with the no chrome on the cups. I looked at several more pads and found no chrome on any of them. Also the difficulty that Mike described in the above post all so points out the problem that the crome would have caused during assembly. I like the look of the chrome but I am going to respray my orignals. Thanks to all for the tips and advice. Marty
 
Top