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Refurbishing Hood Crest from 49 P18


lwebb

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Refurbishing the hood crest on 49 P18

I recently tackled refurbishing the faded and cracked hood crest off my 49 P 18.

I polished and recast my crest to get a solid new clear crest to paint BUT  this will work on the original as well. You will still have the small interior cracks but the colors will shine through. Beats the almost $400 for the NOS crest on eBay.

 

I used Testors metal flake model paint for the blue and red, a gold spray paint and Krylon “Looking Glass” silver. The Krylon is specific as most spray paints are shiny on the top. I needed shiny on the bottom next to the plastic so it would look mirrored on the front of the crest. The gold is a little yellow but I can live with that.

It’s teadeous but easily doable. The final polish on the front will be with with Blue Magic Headlight lens polish and a wet buffing wheel. It turned out much better than I expected it to so I thought I'd pass it along.

 

 

 

Hood Emblem Original start.jpg

Hood Emblem Start Cleaned up.jpg

Hood Emblem Start Back.jpg

Hood Embjem Start cleaned Back.jpg

Newly cast Crest.jpg

MyCrestbeforefinalpolish.jpg

NOS Crest on Ebay for $399.jpg

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Thanks for the kudos. I was REALLY pleased how it came out. I used soap for an automatic dishwasher. Soaked it over night then a stiff tooth brush and the same soap. It took a while. Had to use folded wet and dry on some areas as well. Used front and the back side of an exacto blade in the cracks where the paint just wouldn't come out. Finally used 100 grit wet and dry on the gold part and same process after putting in the silver paint in the man and boarder by dipping a tooth pick in the paint I'd sprayed in a cup.  If you go this rout be REALLY careful not to touch the edge of the blue or red grooves as it will suck in the silver and you can't get good cover with the blue and red paint later. Just a note about the blue and red paint, my final coat was spraying the entire back over the red and blue and gold so the ship would get a good coat of silver. It made the blue and red enamel paint orange peel but that does not show on the front.

I can't guarantee all this will work for you. It works for me but go slow and test when you can.

 

I don't think I could do there anyway that would be cost effective. I could possibly make the clear emblems with no paint but they wouldn't be cheap either. Just too time consuming.

94946955_CleaningoffsilverSM.jpg.a97736166dd1d6d5e6da5835fc30e154.jpg

Applying Silver.jpg

Masked for gold spray.jpg

After Gold SpraySN.jpg

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Could you possibly use nail polish remover or some sort of gentle paint remover?  Or do you think that would eat at the clear piece?  Just wondering, I have 4 or 5 of these for my 1950 Plymouth so I am going to try this.  If I ruin one it won't be the end of the world, maybe I will start on one of the really beat up ones.  So paint remover?  Or just soap like you used?  Anyone else have any experience with paint removal on this type of piece?

Ed

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Nail polish remover might work? I didn’t think of that. Paint thinner didn’t work for me. Lacquer thinner works but be careful.  It can damage the plastic if left on too long. Put a little on the front first and let it sit for a few minutes. Acetone will eat it up. If it etches the finish you can easily wet sand and buff it off if need be.  An abrasive tooth paste or polishing compound and a stiff toothbrush helps. Lot of work but relatively gentle. 

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OH, forgot the post but clear coating. I used the ceramic treatment instead. It w't get enough exposure to really worry about. I don't drive it if it's raining and park it in my garage.

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