Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

Tim H · Mega Poster

Dash gauge housing paint

John D · 2K+ Club

When I reworked my instrument faces for indicator LED's, I "reconditioned" the housing assembly.

I glass-beaded the tin housing, and reshot it with my airbrush - using model paint from Testor's "Model Master" line. from the Hobby Shop.

The interior of my cluster is a greeney blue/green. I was able to match it using paint #2135 (USSR interior blue/green), lightened up with a touch of #2725 (header flat white).

(The circle thing is OEM, the area between the guages is after)

Tim H · Mega Poster

John D wrote:
When I reworked my instrument faces for indicator LED's, I "reconditioned" the housing assembly.
I glass-beaded the tin housing, and reshot it with my airbrush - using model paint from Testor's "Model Master" line. from the Hobby Shop.
The interior of my cluster is a greeney blue/green. I was able to match it using paint #2135 (USSR interior blue/green), lightened up with a touch of #2725 (header flat white).
(The circle thing is OEM, the area between the guages is after)

That's exactally what i was looking for. It looks dead on. Thanks

-- Edited by Tim H on Tuesday 21st of February 2012 04:22:07 PM

SShink · 3K+ Club

You might want to give APT Instruments in Bloomington a call. They do gauge restoration and might share their secrets. Phone: 952-881--7095 www.gaugeguys.com.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

The only way I know how to do this isnt the do it yourself way. Which is what Stan is suggesting. Have a shop like APT do it..

John D · 2K+ Club

You're welcome...

Part II of the story was I touched up some of the flaked instrument bezel paint (the paint in the numbers/letters of clear plastic lens & the indicator marks of the gauges) with an inverse mix of the "Header White" tinted with a tinge of the green. Pretty much just a thimble-full of white with about 5 drops of green... just enough for a tinting. Used a size 000 modelling detail brush.

The guage needles were given a recoat using #2041 Flourescent Red/Orange.

Tim H · Mega Poster

II'll try that this weekend. the housing for the speedometer needs to be blasted and repainted due to mice messing it up. the tack side is new and it would be good for them to match.Did you paint the silver back to match the original color

John D · 2K+ Club

64 & 5's were left raw steel (!). I didn't blast the back, as it only had a "patina" of rust & age on it. After painting I wiped it with a rag I shot with a few squirts of WD-40.

Tim H · Mega Poster

I ordered the paint 2 days ago and it came in the mail today. I'll give it a try this weekend. it's going to be a busy weekend. i have a lot of little parts to paint and am going to try to get the 502 for my 70 into a short block and finish porting the heads.