67 Catalina Conv. Trim Paint

[Edward Farrell]

Hello. I'm new here and am in need of some advice. I am giving a complete facelift to my 67 Cat. that I have had since it was new and am starting on the front plastic grilles. They are in good condition but after all these years there is NO paint or chrome left on them. I think they were painted a dull silver or argent with a chrome plating on the front of the horizontal "slats". Is this correct? Will a chrome paint work in place of the factory chrome strip?
Also, on the taillights, what kind of coating was on the area between the chromed edge and the red lens. Again, I think it was argent.
Any advice would be gratefully accepted.
Thanks

[Edward Farrell]

Hello. I'm new here and am in need of some advice. I am giving a complete facelift to my 67 Cat. that I have had since it was new and am starting on the front plastic grilles. They are in good condition but after all these years there is NO paint or chrome left on them. I think they were painted a dull silver or argent with a chrome plating on the front of the horizontal "slats". Is this correct? Will a chrome paint work in place of the factory chrome strip?
Also, on the taillights, what kind of coating was on the area between the chromed edge and the red lens. Again, I think it was argent.
Any advice would be gratefully accepted.
Thanks

[RAJNWDY]

Hello fellow hi desert Pontiac owner!! I think your right on the dull gray. but would have to see one to know for sure. I will ask some of our club members for some help on E-mail.

RDRR Custom Fabrications

....A fictitious company doing fictitious work....

[Txbobcat]

Chrome paint on the grills will look trashy need to get them rechromed however you can paint them grey except where they shoild be chrome but get chrome done first

[Edward Farrell]

Thanks Txbobcat and EMD201. I do appreciate the reply. Was hoping I could get out of chromeing but if its going to look right thats the way. I know the factory used the vacume method to put mylar? on them but I also understand there is no good way to accomplish that aftermarket.

EMD201, I would appreciate any info on the color paint. Where in the High Desert are you located? What club are you in?

[RAJNWDY]

E-mail: [email protected]
Home: Hesperia
Club: Inland Empire GTO Club

RDRR Custom Fabrications

....A fictitious company doing fictitious work....

[Steve Surgeont]

I disagree with the chrome paint solution for the 67 plastic grilles. I have just finished a 67 2+2 cv and they have the same grilles as catalinas.Mine were painted silver and they look perfect. I will send photos if requested.The "silver" gray whatever is as Edward described, painted on the front edge of the fins. It is just a medium silver and if you want paint numbers and all that I will check out what we used but it looks factory original.At least thats my opinion. Steve thankks

[1970cat]

silver paint would look fine , but the chrome paint looks splotchy and uneven. personally i avoid it.

[Edward Farrell]

After much research, the grilles were painted a sort of flattish silver (almost an argent). There was no chrome or chrome paint on the front edges, just the silver. Before I started looking into this I would have bet the front edges of the horizontal slats were mylared or chromed, but they were not. I managed to find the paint for the job and I will apply it any day now. The vertical supports and sides of the grilles were black but over the years they have started to discolor to a lighter black. I intend to paint those sections a semi flat black. The whole job will be a nightmare of tapeing.
Thanks for all of the replies.I will let you know how it turns out.

Ed