Firstfives.org

This is barely a Tech Forum topic after reading Keehn's latest post, but here are my humble offerings while my alternator is rebuilt.

My C-pillar vents were looking a bit tired.



I found some silver-chrome pinstripe on eBay, the lower band of which was 1/5" (3mm). I masked the old chrome and repainted using a semi-gloss black (figuring I could always rely on the old, tired chrome if the pinstriping didn't work. Next, I burnished the pinstriping onto the vanes.



Here it is on the car. It's not NOS-perfect, but it's a big improvement.



Cheers,
Eric

Eric,

That looks great! Do you have any long shots of the car in its entirety with the chrome vents?

Mike

Thanks Mike. Not yet, she's immobilized and in a confined space. I'll post a shot ASAP.

I like the look. A big improvement over stock.

Excellent Eric. And I like your red pinstripe on the black paintwork. Pinstriping used to be so fashionable on cars.

Here's a longer view.

Lookin' good. Is that a 14" wheel? I'm looking for one if anyone has a spare I can buy.

No, that's a 16"; check for a recent thread in in the For Sale section on the 14" turbines.

Eric,

That looks really great. The untrained eye would think that was OEM

Mike

That looks amazing! I have never seen (or noticed) that look before. Great work.

For posterity - unfortunately the adhesive pinstripe method didn't stand the test of time. The extreme bends required at the ends of the vanes were a problem for the metallic stripe, which crumpled and admitted water behind it, leading to a loss of adhesion.

I resorted to using a dense foam roller and a metallic silver paint, and applying about seven light coats, followed by a satin clear coat. The result is very good, similar to the silver paint around the perimeter of the nose grille.