Beauty is only primer deep.

calebessent · Post by **calebessent** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:19 pm

Anybody want to talk about chrome?

I need advice on what to do about my missing pieces. Does anybody have any of these pieces they'd like to sell? How often do replacement pieces pop up on the web?

I am missing my beauty rings, circled in this picture in blue. They're really the ones I'd like replaced the most, since this is a unique area on the car.

The linear ones that run the length of the car under the door handles are neat, but I've only got four of the six that came on the car. I'd like to have the passenger door and passenger rear chrome, if I could get my hands on them, but I wouldn't be too sad if I wasn't able to reinstall these after painting the car. None the less, if these are floating out there in 411 world in abundance, can anybody steer me to them?

What about the fender lip chrome? (by the green arrows) Anybody had any luck with replacing or refurbishing theirs if it was as dented as mine?

Finally, are all 411s prone to rusting in the area highlighted by the red arrow in this picture? Any suggestions as to how to go about fixing this? I know I read some heated arguments over... um... bondo. Any comments?

-Cale

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:57 am

The vent trim pices behind the window should be fairly easy to find. Everything else may be significant a challenge to find in good condition. Is the metal perforated or just pitted from rust?

raygreenwood · Post by **raygreenwood** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:35 am

I beleive I have the oval trim pieces. I took them from numerous wrecks...but they may be 412 versions.....which may have been rectangular. I will check. I have lots of the fenderlip chrome. Its all in about the same shape.

Its best to just repair yours. Here is how.....its tedious.

You need to either have your chrome chemically stripped of chrome...or just get busy with sandpaper and a dremel....carefully....and strip the parts to metal. At this point...you can fill the dents/dings with Eastwoods lead free body solder...and sand again until smooth. Then have it rechromed. Tedious...but perfect.

I am opting to do a variation of this....but am powdercoating or epoxy paiting all of my trim, mirrors, bumpers. dooor handles and bezels black. They will look great with my paint color.....L-96m Marathon blue metallic.

Yes...all type 4's are very prone to rust in the areas pictured due to a filling of foam that saturates with water when the body leaks.

The best fix for this.....is to open the panels from the back....like under the fender....and dig out all the foam. Then chemically dissolve all of the rust both inside and out with a muriatic acid adn water ,ix. It will go straight to fresh metal. Don't worry about what you lose. If its rusted enough to dissolve....it was useless to you anyway.
Then...let it re-rust on the surface over about 24 hours and spray Ospho or phosphoric acid solution inside and out. It is now permanently protected. You can fill and shape all of the missing metal with Eastwoods lead free body solder for permanent patches that will never absorb moisture like polyester body putty will. Since its lead free....its sandable. Ray

calebessent · Post by **calebessent** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:38 am

I've never heard of Eastwoods, but that all sounds awesome. Thank you Ray.

-Cale

raygreenwood · Post by **raygreenwood** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:11 pm

Look for them on the internet. I also think you can find links under the bodywork/paint forum. They have been making body repair products for ages. Ray

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 4:06 pm

http://www.eastwoodco.com/