1968 Taillight housing restoration

[dalorzo_f]

In the GT/CS book it notes these were chrome plated. In looking at a pair I'm working on (Shelby, second set to play with before disassembling the GT/CS) it sure looks sprayed on to me...

On mine its pretty evident that there was a mask, as the edge outside the lamp housings areas has overspray on one side. Inside the buckets once the bulb sockets were tapped out a bare ring is obvious around the hole. I think probably masked to keep the spray off the contact area to the socket and interfering with grounding...

Wondering if the consensus is chrome or paint? I'm leaning towards some kind of paint and the note in the book is incorrect...??? (as steel wool removes it, its real soft chrome!)

 

[dalorzo_f]

... and has anyone tried the NPD (or other) LED's... they list a few options for the 1157...

 

[robert campbell]

see Batgirl post. I think they were just like your instrument cluster plastic chrome plate. Wears out over the years. I used chrome paint on mine. I bet there are better options these days if you have the bucks!!

Rob

 

[rvrtrash]

I used chrome paint on mine as well.

Steve

 

[dalorzo_f]

I'm leaning to chrome paint, the VHT Expoxy I have is a very good finish. Was more a curiosty question.

I don't think its the vacuum deposition process as that does the whole part, this is masked, does not make sense to mask and then cover the masking with chrome to throw away? As the vacuum deposition process covers everything, as the dash clusters and other pieces show, chrome on the backside, none on the rest of the taillight housing...

I'm going paint, the comment was more about chrome in the book, which I don't beleive it is...

 

[dalorzo_f]

VHT Expoxy Chrome Paint SP-525-1A

Before

Pre-paint prep, media blasted (I did find black paint was used under the original "chrome" maybe a predecessor of today's Alsa type chrome paints which also require black as a base?)

Now

... and my helper...

:smile: