Tail Light bezels

[ROBS6T8]

What are the bezels made out of... pot metal? Talking 68 Camaro here. Mine are pitted and need to be painted as well. I'm looking for ideas. i was thinking of powder coating them if possible. Is this possible? I'll have to wait until next Christmas for the billet ones! I'm doing this because the wife bought me the sequential LED's for Orngasm! It would be a shame to install them with the old looking bezels.
While we're at it, what would you recommend for cleaning of the lenses themselves? Polishing compound?
Thanks for the help and suggestions.

[astroracer]

The bezels are pot metal, correct. Clean them up, use some all metal to fill the pits and paint them. Or have them powder coated chrome...
You can wet sand the lenses with 800 grit and then clear coat them with Dupont clear. Or use one of the many polishing kits out there but those are pretty expensive when you can do it for about 5 bucks with a little elbow grease and a rattle can. :)
Mark

[ROBS6T8]

Thanks Mark. I just wasn't sure about the pot metal being able to be powder coated. This will be the route I go. I'm thinking going with a brushed metal color to match the wheels. Or a black.

[justin51986]

they arent easy to powder coat, but can be done. they just have to be "outgassed" first. this means the coater will have to put them in the oven for about 50-100 degrees higher than the powder coating temp. for about an hour before coating them, this will get all the molding gasses to come out, so it won't come out in the coating causing bubbles. the alternative is to use what's called "red oxide primer" this is a powder primer that will prevent outgassing in the process, but the coater will most likely charge you for a 2 coat process. where as the first method he or she may charge an outgassing fee, (to pay for the electricity/gas), just depends on the coater's process. i offer both options to my customers, some like to pay a little extra for the primer, because it will make the coating a little smoother, plus added protection in case of a chip.

[speED]

Powdered coated mine black over 20 years ago, still look great.

[ROBS6T8]

they arent easy to powder coat, but can be done. they just have to be "outgassed" first. this means the coater will have to put them in the oven for about 50-100 degrees higher than the powder coating temp. for about an hour before coating them, this will get all the molding gasses to come out, so it won't come out in the coating causing bubbles. the alternative is to use what's called "red oxide primer" this is a powder primer that will prevent outgassing in the process, but the coater will most likely charge you for a 2 coat process. where as the first method he or she may charge an outgassing fee, (to pay for the electricity/gas), just depends on the coater's process. i offer both options to my customers, some like to pay a little extra for the primer, because it will make the coating a little smoother, plus added protection in case of a chip.

Thanks Justin. I dropped them off today and he did mention the out gassing problem. He also mentioned the primer to smooth them out. They already had some of the "bubbles" on them. They couldn't give me a price until they talked to the owner's son stating there could be other problems down the road with the pot metal. The final price was $80 for the pair. About what I was expecting or should I say hoping for! LOL

[ROBS6T8]

Powdered coated mine black over 20 years ago, still look great.

I went in with the idea that I wanted black. I then thought about the platinum stripe and started looking at the greys... long story short, I went with the black. Semi-gloss. If I was to buy the billets, I would probably have them anodized black... or the brushed look to match he wheels! Oh well, it's done now. I'll post some pics when I get them on Wednesday. Now for the window trim. Shoot, I should have taken that in today as well. Didn't even think of it.

[ROBS6T8]

Here we go guys... and gals. I picked them up this morning. Overall I'm happy with the way they turned out. $80 vs. $400+ I can always purchase the billet ones at a later date.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/bezel-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/bezellenses-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/bezels-1.jpg

[spacepirate]

I like em! Now get a shot of them on your ride! I might be going down the same route and saving myself some cash for the moment.

[ROBS6T8]

I like em! Now get a shot of them on your ride! I might be going down the same route and saving myself some cash for the moment.

Yeah, the ride... That might be a while! She's in pieces and still waiting for the quarter panels to get welded on, body work, primer, paint, etc. I did just throw them up and I liked the look!
I definitely like them and who knows how long it will take to replace them with the billets! :cool:

Sorry.

[spacepirate]

No worries. I think you have the right idea though. What did you use to fill in the pitting? All metal?

[ROBS6T8]

No worries. I think you have the right idea though. What did you use to fill in the pitting? All metal?

I didn't have any pitting. I had bubbles caused from the outgassing. I did some sanding, not much though, on the bubbles. I also knocked down the chunks of metal around the lense frame from the form.

[427camaro]

Thanks for sharing the pics! I have been thinking about doing this for a while now. I was also thinking of doing the trim, but I am not sure how well it will all go back together with a coating on them.