chrome on air vents?
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g3chevy / Mr Pontiac
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1973 454 MONTE
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chrome on air vents?
by crice63 Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:52 pm
So I'm preparing to install the good dash and am wondering about the air vents. On my 75 and on this 73 I took apart, the air vents seem to have been chromed or silver-painted. Most of the color has worn off, and looks terrible. Two obvious solutions--rechrome or dechrome. Seems like rechroming would be an expensive hassle for something that doesn't look great anyway, but has anyone found a chroming/silvering plastic paint that looks good? Or, on the other hand, does anyone know a way to dechrome them effectively so I can keep them black or paint them black?
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by Mcarlo77 Wed Mar 01, 2017 7:20 pm
Clai...these were originally chromed using the vacuum metallizing process and they are almost always worn and unsightly after all these years. I thought I had seen where these were being repro-ed, but can't seem to find it right now. Anyway, I've tried several "chrome" rattle can paints and none of them leave that chrome shine. Closest I've come is with Krylon's Original Chrome.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by impalamonte Thu Mar 02, 2017 9:44 am
Remove the chrome by sanding it off.
Paint them black. Looks better and is durable for the long run. Thats what I have done. I like the look. Brings it more up to date.
Paint them black. Looks better and is durable for the long run. Thats what I have done. I like the look. Brings it more up to date.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by ant7377 Thu Mar 02, 2017 11:57 am
There is a new modeling paint pen that really looks like chrome but I'm not sure how durable it is.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by clanceman427 Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:17 pm
I saw a company called Vacuum Orna-Metal online which looks like they do the whole restoration process. Might be worth giving them a call and see about getting a quote.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by Mcarlo77 Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:45 pm
ant7377 wrote:There is a new modeling paint pen that really looks like chrome but I'm not sure how durable it is.
That would be handy for the chrome edging around the instrument cluster bezel. Any idea who makes it?
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by 1973 454 MONTE Thu Mar 02, 2017 3:20 pm
on a 73 air car the vent on the driver side in the gauge panel is BLACK from the factory. I replaced the 3 in my monte dashpad with black ones because I could never find good chrome ones..
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by ant7377 Thu Mar 02, 2017 3:27 pm
http://www.molotow.com/products/marker-ink/liquid-chrometm/
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by crice63 Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:39 pm
Yes I noticed the driver side was black. What's up with that? Â Too much light glinting off the vent could blind the driver? 
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by pila Thu Mar 02, 2017 10:51 pm
The two center ones are available, for AC cars, and I put those in my Malibu. No end ones were available at that time..
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by Joe73 Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:23 am
Are the center and end ones different other than color? I didn't think so.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by pila Fri Mar 03, 2017 9:41 am
I don't have an answer for that . The vents in my Elco and Malibu are all chrome... Seems like painting them would solve the problems...
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by thatfnthing Fri Mar 03, 2017 9:57 am
Joe73 wrote:Are the center and end ones different other than color? Â I didn't think so.
Yep, they're exactly the same. My center ones were chipped, and rather than try to paint them, I managed to track down several of the already-black driver's vents and just swapped them.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by crice63 Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:01 pm
Internet researches show that the chrome ones are being made for the trucks, looks like they might be the same. You'd have to call and get the dimensions I guess.
http://www.classicindustries.com/shop/1981/truck/parts/?q=dash%20vent
Eckler's, OPGI seem not to carry any, don't know why.
I sent the Vacuum Orna-Metal people a query yesterday, nothing back yet. The pen looks good for the chrome edging--the trim trim--I was planning to do that. For some reason I like the little chrome touches. It's tempting to go all black but GM does have really good design sense sometimes. All black with nothing to break it up starts to get boring. Plus, the various blacks are not all the same shades.
http://www.classicindustries.com/shop/1981/truck/parts/?q=dash%20vent
Eckler's, OPGI seem not to carry any, don't know why.
I sent the Vacuum Orna-Metal people a query yesterday, nothing back yet. The pen looks good for the chrome edging--the trim trim--I was planning to do that. For some reason I like the little chrome touches. It's tempting to go all black but GM does have really good design sense sometimes. All black with nothing to break it up starts to get boring. Plus, the various blacks are not all the same shades.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by crice63 Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:11 pm
Response from Vacuum Orna-Metal
"The prices below are for stripping, plating and detailing your parts.
El Camino 1975 Rectangle A/C Vent: Â R&R louvers Strip and Vacuum Metallize Housing (price each)
$41.00
El Camino 1975 Double Vent Housing Surround: Strip and Vacuum Metallize
$38.00
Durability will be as good as original depending on care and cleaning."
So this service is for higher end restoration than what I'm doing.
"The prices below are for stripping, plating and detailing your parts.
El Camino 1975 Rectangle A/C Vent: Â R&R louvers Strip and Vacuum Metallize Housing (price each)
$41.00
El Camino 1975 Double Vent Housing Surround: Strip and Vacuum Metallize
$38.00
Durability will be as good as original depending on care and cleaning."
So this service is for higher end restoration than what I'm doing.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by thatfnthing Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:35 pm
Wow, that's way better pricing than I would have expected.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by 1973 454 MONTE Sat Mar 04, 2017 10:22 am
Joe73 wrote:Are the center and end ones different other than color? Â I didn't think so.
yes exactly the same.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by Limey SE Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:34 am
Mcarlo77 wrote:ant7377 wrote:There is a new modeling paint pen that really looks like chrome but I'm not sure how durable it is.
That would be handy for the chrome edging around the instrument cluster bezel. Â Any idea who makes it?
Testors Make a Chrome one I have used it on Models for years for the windshield trim on Plastic model kits
___________________________________________
1977 Chevelle SE x2
One Mild original
one Wild NON original
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by Mcarlo77 Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:57 am
But, are these touch-up pens a shiny chrome? Seems everything I've tried is nothing more than bright silver.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by Limey SE Sat Mar 04, 2017 1:41 pm
Yea they were back then I am not sure about now It has been a few years (maybe 6 at least ) Since I have bought one and we all know quality is not the same for anything like it used to be
___________________________________________
1977 Chevelle SE x2
One Mild original
one Wild NON original
Anthony
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by ant7377 Sat Mar 04, 2017 5:34 pm
No these pens are something new . The Testor one are bright silver. This actually looks like chrome on a model car from the pics I have seen. I have built a lot of models through the years and from what I have seen online these pens are great. Not at all like Testor silver.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by crice63 Mon Mar 06, 2017 2:07 am
Update: Paint or rechrome, the existing chrome needs to come off. Researches said Easy-Off oven cleaner or soak in bleach. The oven cleaner worked pretty well, takes off the chrome with a few rubs.
Someone had asked above if the left, center, and right are the same. I put them all side by side and all these from the 73 are the same dimensions and construction. There are however some minor differences. In the pic below you can see that my center ones lack two extra little holes on them on the side, and when you clean off the chrome the plastic is green rather than black. (hard to tell in this pic but very green in real life).
I took the passenger side one apart, and snapped off one of the tiny plastic studs that hold the cover on, so I will likely not do that again.
The metal strip holding the louvre blades is rusty on these, and they don't move well. I can't see how to derust them because the blades cannot be removed. Maybe some lubrication will help the action.
The driver one in my 75 Elco is chromed. I still would like to talk to someone at GM to find out the rationale for making the driver side in 73 non-chrome.
Someone had asked above if the left, center, and right are the same. I put them all side by side and all these from the 73 are the same dimensions and construction. There are however some minor differences. In the pic below you can see that my center ones lack two extra little holes on them on the side, and when you clean off the chrome the plastic is green rather than black. (hard to tell in this pic but very green in real life).
I took the passenger side one apart, and snapped off one of the tiny plastic studs that hold the cover on, so I will likely not do that again.
The metal strip holding the louvre blades is rusty on these, and they don't move well. I can't see how to derust them because the blades cannot be removed. Maybe some lubrication will help the action.
The driver one in my 75 Elco is chromed. I still would like to talk to someone at GM to find out the rationale for making the driver side in 73 non-chrome.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by g3chevy / Mr Pontiac Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:53 pm
Try soaking the louvers in a 50% distilled vinegar and 50% water solution. This will usually remove all the rust within 24-48 hours. But do some testing first as I'm not sure how it will affect the plastic.
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by 77camino Fri Mar 10, 2017 10:26 am
Don't want to change the topic, but just a quick question. Can these vents be removed without removing the dash?
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Re: chrome on air vents?
by crice63 Fri Mar 10, 2017 11:01 am
Yes for the drivers side--remove the gauge cluster bezel and the two screws are right there. But I vote no for the others. Their mounting screws go into the back of the dash so can only be accessed from behind. Someone more experienced than me might know a trick to do it, but it seems to me you'd have to at least loosen the dash to get your arm behind it.
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