Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

[Roger D.]

As part of my ongoing 1972 Coupe restoration, could someone tell me what type of finish or plating should be on the rear taillight housings? My passenger side taillight housings appear to be galvanized while the driver side housings appear to have a thin coat of silver paint. I performed a search on the forum but could not come up with the answer.

Regards,
Roger

[Joe L.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

As part of my ongoing 1972 Coupe restoration, could someone tell me what type of finish or plating should be on the rear taillight housings? My passenger side taillight housings appear to be galvanized while the driver side housings appear to have a thin coat of silver paint. I performed a search on the forum but could not come up with the answer.

Regards,
Roger

Roger-----


Galvanized steel is all that I've seen. However, I suppose it's possible something else was used. Of course, it's also possible that someone tried to "restore" your silver-painted example.

[Bill L.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

All four of the the tail light housings were galvanized on my 70. Held up pretty well for 45 years.



Bill

[Alan S.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

Hi,
I've often wondered about the white paint on the inside have the housing.
It seems quite thick, is flat in sheen, and yet appears to have a quality intended to increase the effective brightness that the bulb generated.
Was it something special?
Regards,
Alan

[Steve L.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

I was wondering the same thing since my paint is flakey and powdery and should be refinished

Hi,
I've often wondered about the white paint on the inside have the housing.
It seems quite thick, is flat in sheen, and yet appears to have a quality intended to increase the effective brightness that the bulb generated.
Was it something special?
Regards,
Alan

[Alan S.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

Hi Steve,
I ended up using some appliance white.
It seemed to be the 'brightest' white I could find.
I held the can far back so the paint sprayed 'dry' which seemed to match the texture pretty well too.
Regards,
Alan

[Bill L.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

HI Alan,

Pretty sure you saw my repainted housings at the house. The results were excellentI and looked exactly like the factory by using flat white hi temp primer and then Flat White Hi temp top coat both by VHT.


Bill

[Alan S.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

Hi Bill,
I don't really remember them, but the combination you used sounds like a good one.
It's one of those opportunities that a thorough restoration affords a restorer; to do the best job he can on any part even if it gets covered-up/hidden during reassembly!
Regards,
Alan

I thought I had a line on an original shim bag but it hasn't arrived yet, so it may not. I was thinking I would pass it along to you.

[Bob I.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

I found that the gaskets were also painted on my 1970.
Bob

[Alan S.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

Hi Bob,
I didn't see any paint on the lens side of the gasket but some had transferred to the housing side of the gasket on my 71.
Also, the white finish was apparently fresh enough that the raised numbers on the lenses near the screw holes left imprints in the housing paint when they were assembled.
Regards,
Alan

See white paint on raised numbers.


See numeral imprints in the paint near the holes.

[Roger D.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

Folks. Sorry, I've been away from the PC for a few days. Thanks for all the replies. Is having the part re-galvanized a valid option to preserve one of these original housings? I don't know where you would go to have something like that done or if the cost is even worth being able to keep the original part. Having not seen a new replacement, I don't what the trade-off would be. Any thoughts?

Roger

[Alan S.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

Hi Roger,
Because so little of the housing can be seen when installed I think I'd spray it with the cold galvanizing compound to give it somewhat the original appearance and install it!
Regards,
Alan

[Joe L.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

Folks. Sorry, I've been away from the PC for a few days. Thanks for all the replies. Is having the part re-galvanized a valid option to preserve one of these original housings? I don't know where you would go to have something like that done or if the cost is even worth being able to keep the original part. Having not seen a new replacement, I don't what the trade-off would be. Any thoughts?

Roger

Roger------



If I recall correctly, these lamp housings were fabricated from PRE-GALVANIZED sheet metal. That finish would be virtually impossible to exactly duplicate.

[Roger D.]

Re: Taillight Housing Plating/Finish

Hi Roger,
Because so little of the housing can be seen when installed I think I'd spray it with the cold galvanizing compound to give it somewhat the original appearance and install it!
Regards,
Alan

Thanks Alan. I've never used that before. Sounds like an interesting option. Do you have a cold galvanizing product you could recommend...and where I might find it?

Roger.

[Alan S.]