Figured I should update this… I’ve done the Molotow spray another time since I posted previously. The first time a few months went by and then I noticed the entire painted/cleared area looked like fractured glass. I stripped it back down and then sprayed it again without the adhesion promoter. Prepped the surface, sprayed the Molotow chrome, waited close to 6 weeks then hit it with the special sealer. I let it dry for weeks in a climate controlled area and then set it in the car out in the shop. Looked at it a week or 2 later and saw the same results. Got frustrated and then decided not to waste my time again even though I found another clear stating good results with Molotow. It’s hard seeing your finish look 90% like chrome, only to spray it with a protectant clear that degrades your finish each time (even if it’s just slightly) or eventually leaves it ruined.
I started doing some testing towards the tail end of all that with “electroplating chrome powder”. Tried it a million ways and definitely saw potential. It’s an ultra fine gray looking powder that buffs out to what I would believe is actual chrome if I didn’t know better. Despite some other things I’ve read, my test pieces looked best if I used it like Alsa and the other “premium” spray chrome products (applied to a dark base).
So here’s where I’m at now:
- cleaned my instrument panel to bare plastic
- did a quick flame treat of the whole panel
- sprayed TTP #1134 Tahoe Metallic Blue
- let dry for a week
- masked off everywhere except where I wanted “chrome”
- lightly sanded any nubs or irregularities
- Cleaned with W&G remover (either SPI 710 or Custom’s KW 901, can’t remember and shouldn’t matter… both solvent based wax/grease removers)
- sprayed SPI’s Production Clear (4:1, no reducer)
- waited for it to get just past the tack stage and stripped the masking
- applied the electroplating powder with a fine brush, lightly buffing with the bristles until it started to shine
- finished buffing the following day
Basically you’re imbedding the powder into the clear and then polishing it up to a shine. The powder buffs away leaving the thinnest of layers, leaving a very thin micron-level film. I haven’t played with clears yet (top coating), not sure if I will want to or have to.
The finish is basically perfection, or at least way closer than I ever imagined. The hardest part is that you have to spray your clear as straight “glass”. The powder will accentuate any flaws, just like true electroplated chrome would. I did 2 layers of clear, 30min apart. I’m leaving it blue for now… was that the way the LeMans had it? My original dash piece had this same blue under the fake wood, in the tube looking recesses where the gauges sit, and elsewhere on the dash (back side of glove box door, overspray on back of instrument panel,…). I’ll sort out the “wood” later. I want to try a more appropriate fake wood that has the original color and textured grain. 3M makes some quality stuff but it’s high $$$ even if I’m cutting my own with my cutter/plotter.
First couple pics were taken after I unmasked most of it, basically just showing the cleared areas. Second last pic shows just a 1/2” or so area where I started and the last pic was complete. The piece was then final buffed the next day.
-edit: the final pic shows somewhere along the way as I progressed along. You can see the edges that I didn’t complete yet. I’ll get a final pic posted soon with everything done.
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