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jimf909 
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7455
Location: WA/ID
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 Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 10:46 am Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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After adding the super-shiny Jetta badge to my freshly painted grill I sprayed the worn old badge with Krylon paint and reinstalled it. I can't say that I prefer one over the other. I'll drive around with the black one for a while.
Was...
Is (need to clean off the bugs)...
_________________
- Jim
| Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro).
Last edited by jimf909 on Sun Jul 05, 2020 5:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9796
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 11:26 am Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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| Ahwahnee wrote: |
| ...I am now replacing the grille with the usual repro and wondering whether to paint or use the foil and if paint - how much to cover. |
Grille is now trimmed in metallic tape (about ¼" wide used instead of original paint.
Upper is new from Bus Depot, lower is original in Krylon. |
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jimf909
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7455
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 5:25 pm Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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I'm going back and forth between all black or with a chrome badge and trim ring. Every time I see one with a nice silver trim ring I'm impressed by how good it looks.
_________________
- Jim
| Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
|
Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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Yellow Rabbit
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2005
Posts: 1146
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| Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:43 pm Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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I finally got around to restoring my grill. Mine is the early style with the painted rim. It took a while to figure out the right color. Eventually I remembered about 15 years ago I painted my stock hubcaps with this paint. It was a good match and it held up very nicely. I assumed VW probably used the same or similar color on the grill. In the end it’s a very close match. It has slightly more metal flake, but it’s a great match to my Gowesty wheels.
Before:
During:
After:
I’m thrilled with the result. I should have done this years ago. |
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sphet
Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2016
Posts: 345
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 6:48 am Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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| Yellow Rabbit wrote: |
I finally got around to restoring my grill. Mine is the early style with the painted rim. It took a while to figure out the right color. Eventually I remembered about 15 years ago I painted my stock hubcaps with this paint. It was a good match and it held up very nicely. I assumed VW probably used the same or similar color on the grill. In the end it’s a very close match. It has slightly more metal flake, but it’s a great match to my Gowesty wheels.
I’m thrilled with the result. I should have done this years ago. |
Looks great! Did you spray black the rest of the grill first? Or was it in decent shape already? Mine’s not OE but is pretty faded.
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1982 Diesel Westfalia 1.6 NA - The Shellakabuukiee |
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Yellow Rabbit
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2005
Posts: 1146
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:31 am Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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| I did not have to repaint the black part but I don’t see why you couldn’t if yours is faded. |
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VicVan
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2015
Posts: 1837
Location: Vancouver Island, BC
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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What kind of prep work did you do? Some sanding, or just cleaning and degreasing?
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH) |
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Yellow Rabbit
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2005
Posts: 1146
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:56 am Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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| I lightly scuffed it with a Scotchbrite pad and cleaned it well. The masking is tedious but the entire project only took a couple hours from removal to installation. That paint dries in 30 minutes. |
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Jake de Villiers
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 1:56 pm Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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| Yellow Rabbit wrote: |
| I lightly scuffed it with a Scotchbrite pad and cleaned it well. The masking is tedious but the entire project only took a couple hours from removal to installation. That paint dries in 30 minutes. |
And it looks great!
_________________
'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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VicVan
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2015
Posts: 1837
Location: Vancouver Island, BC
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 2:00 pm Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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I concur! thanks for the tips.
_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH) |
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tjet
Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2014
Posts: 3533
Location: CA & NM
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 3:42 pm Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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Those headlights look cool. What brand/type are they?
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Yellow Rabbit
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2005
Posts: 1146
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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| tjet wrote: |
| Those headlights look cool. What brand/type are they? |
GE Nighthawk LEDs. They are rebranded Trucklites with a chrome stripe added.
I got a chance to check out my grill work in the daylight today. I really like the paint choice. It has just the right amount or gloss/matte to look factory. |
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Yellow Rabbit
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2005
Posts: 1146
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| Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 2:33 pm Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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| I’m happy to report the Rustoleum wheel paint trim on my grille still looks 100% stock and factory new. I highly recommend this for early grilles. |
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WestiT3_1986
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2016
Posts: 43
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 12:21 am Post subject: Re: Grille restoration / refinishing |
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| Ahwahnee wrote: |
| Ahwahnee wrote: |
| ...I am now replacing the grille with the usual repro and wondering whether to paint or use the foil and if paint - how much to cover. |
Grille is now trimmed in metallic tape (about ¼" wide used instead of original paint.
Upper is new from Bus Depot, lower is original in Krylon. |
How did you get the round edges made- could you stretch the tape?
Do you have some closer pictures?
Thanks! |
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