[chrisp]

I would like to know the correct color on the rear light bezels & fuel door , as i have seen a solid medium red & a medium metallic red on different cars , how would you describe the correct color ? Thank you

[Dick Boneske]

The correct color is "Marimba Red", a body color for the '64 GTO. It is slightly metallic. All you have to do is go to an auto paint supplier and get the stock color. If you want aerosol spray, find a store that will package it that way.

For the tail lamp pieces, I have found that priming the chrome surface with Krylon or Rustoleum aerosols made for plastic will adhere well to the chrome. If you use the Satin Black Krylon Plastic spray on the black portions and the center ribs that will have red between them, you can mask each piece to keep paint off the chrome outer edges and wider stripes. After about an hour of drying time, remove the masking tape and carefully scrape off the center narrow ribs with a dull razor blade. Then, mask all the chrome and black areas, leaving the center ribbed area unmasked. Apply the Marimba red to the entire center ribbed area and let it dry about an hour. Again, scrape off the high points of the narrow ribs, leaving red only in the grooves.

A similar procedure can be used for the gas door trim, but the "PONTIAC" letters are more difficult to mask and paint. I believe Cameo Ivory is the correct color for the letters.

The hood scoops can be masked and sprayed with the same Satin Black. It's not hard to scrape the high points of the ribs with a dull razor blade to finish these.

If anyone has found a procedure that works better than what I've described, I'm sure we'd all welcome your input. Painting the tail lamps and hood scoops on these cars is a PITA.

[Flatfish]

The shop that did the resto on my 64 GTO two years ago used a pretty simple process on the tail light panels that still looks OK. They took a sample of the marimba red to a sign shop and had them produce a narrow, marimba red tape to fit in the grooves in the tail light panels.

Of course, the red is only in the bottom of the grooves, but it is a very time and cost effective method, and you dont have the potential problem of the paint flaking off later on. I would like to compare the results to some other restored 64's, but I just never see another 64 at the shows around here.

My subjective opinion is that it looks fine for the type and level of restoration I had done. Walt M.

[Dick Boneske]

The tape idea sounds good, but doesn't solve the hardest part--the white PONTIAC letters on the fuel door. And, you still need to paint the wide groove surrounding the tail lamps and fuel door satin or flat black.

[Flatfish]

You're right Dick. As you said, the tail panel of a 64 is a PITA. The restoration of those parts are time consuming and expensive. You pay an amazing amount to have it rechromed and then you try to cover up most of the new chrome with paint that you hope will stick to it. I see guys at car shows inspecting the tail panel to figure out what was done. I think the method you described is the best way to have it look original.

[lil64gto]

When I did mine, I masked the ribs on the taillights and used my air brush to spray the marimba red to the tailights. It is a time consuming task, but will give you the best results.

As far as the gas door, you could mask the letters off or you can brush the marimba red on. A good quality brush will work fine.

I didn't use any primer on them and the paint has been on there for the past 6 years.

Good luck

Jim

[chrisp]

Excellent info. from all , i am sure more will come . Just got my parts back the plating co. and i am looking forward to finishing these , did my 65 GTO a few years back , easy 1 color black , as for the PONTIAC letters i hand brushed them and cleaned the edges with a Q-tip and some thinner . Would you all agree on the color Marimba Red as being a reddish metallic , meaning no silver flake ? thank you all

[Flatfish]

Chrisp, just in case you are not aware of it, PY sells a marimba red in a spray can for the tail light panels.

[valkyrie9901]

highjack this thread but did the trim for the panel only come in red?Mine is black and original to the car..........JB.

[Old Man Taylor]

They only came in red on 64's.

[valkyrie9901]

Thanks OMT..........red is gone but the black outer paint is still there in spots.......JB.

[Dick Boneske]

When my '64 was about a year old and the red began peeling, I redid mine with flat black both in the wide outer edges that were originally black and the narrower ridges that were originally red. It looked pretty nice--like a '62/'63 Grand Prix tail panel. After a few years of that when it began peeling again, I repainted the narrow ribs Marimba Red as the factory did.

[John V.]

The factory published a Service Bulletin in '64 specifically for the taillight panel refinishing. Apparently, the red began peeling off very early on many of them so that Pontiac was compelled to address the problem.

It may be in the Resto Guide, I do know Phil Baumann published it in his Classic GTO Newsletter around 30 years ago.

Aside from identifying the use of Marimba Red, the procedure was thoroughly described. Rather than the scrape off method Dick described, the factory described how to carefully "wipe" off the excess paint using lacquer thinner.

I don't recall them addressing the white lettering or the black, just the red in the ribs.

[johnta1]

Is this it?

[Old Man Taylor]

John - Do you have an electronic copy of that page?

[chrisp]

BULLDOG ADHESION PROMOTER , Google this I just bought a spray can today at the local auto parts store , they say it sticks to chrome etc.

[johnta1]

OMT, PM sent.

[Pecosbill]

When repainting the tail lights on my 64 I first tried taping the ribs off and painting around them. It was extremely difficult and tedious. Then I just taped off the areas around the perimeter of the ribbed area and just painted the whole area, ribs and all, with Marimba red spray paint. Next I took a rag and stuck my finger in the rag and dipped it in lacquer thinner, then took the pointed finger and cleaned the paint off of the ribs. It turned out great. I highly recommend doing it this way rather than trying to tape off the ribs.

[Keith Seymore]

The black came off our '65 as well in one spot.

I remember making a repair many, many years ago (maybe early 80's?) by taping off the ribs and respraying the offending area.

K

[John V.]

Johnta1, that's the one. Thanks for posting it. I assume comparable or better metal conditioners and wash primers are available today to substitute for the named Dupont products. I'd forgotten about the "#30 platinum gray hi-speed primer surfacer".