Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

[Fred Y.]

I am refinishing a nice pair of original rocker moldings for my 66 rear exhaust car. I sanded & polished the stainless for some 8 hours to get it back to a beautiful bright finish. Next I stripped off the remaining old black paint & then masked the top & bottom & painted. How best to get the black off the inside 1/16" fins without scratching the inner black finish ? From looking at my other molding, all 3 sides of the 1/16th inch fins have their paint removed. The top is easy, but the sides---??

Thanks for your help

[Fred Y.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

No one out there who can help me out ??

[Donald O.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

Did you try paint stripper or MEK and q-tips? Use it outside or in a garage with the door and windows open. Wear Nytril gloves.

Don

[Fred Y.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

Hello Don, with the new paint on the base some of the stripper would surely run down onto that & I'd be back at square one. Last night I tried using some 1/8" fine line tape & it seemed to roll right around all three sides. Thanks for offering some help----I'll let you know how I make out.

Fred

[Gary B.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

Fred,

You mention stainless, but the '66 rocker molding are anodized aluminum, I think. Can you show us some before and after photos?

Thanks,

Gary

[Stewart L.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

I think it would be quite a project to neatly remove the paint from the ribs at this point. It might be easier to strip the paint and mask the ribs with 1/16" fine line tape then repaint.

[Fred Y.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

Gary, you know you may very well be right. I can only tell you that it certainly is quite a task of patience. I started with 400 then 600 then 800 & then moved on to the buffing wheel with white rouge then polish. I have stripped the paint from both but I have not polished the second rocker. I can take a pic when I get home------SURE !!

Fred

[Donald O.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

I wouldn't mask the ribs. I would, after stripping and polishing, use SEM trim black over all. Then I'd use a clean old tee shirt and cover a hard rubber sanding block with it. Then use lacquer thinner on the tee and easily erase from the rib tops. The tee shirt on the block should be soaking/dripping wet with the thinner, moist or damp will work just fine.

Don

[John M.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

These rockers are bright anodized aluminum so if your serious about doing it right that should be the next step. Masking off the ribs sounds like a nightmare that GM probably did not do. Don's lacquer thinner idea sounds good. I used a piece of denim on a hard block on some 63 hood grills and that job was a real pain. I don't see how you can get the sides, too, without some really fine work.
Good luck with it.

[Fred Y.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

That's my big issue here men; I have tried the block with some 800 paper & the "TOP" black came off but using the thinner on the sides is gonna hit the base black sooner than later. That's why I see creating a mess in the end. I heading home now & will see what I can get done. I'll try & shoot some pic's for you. I'd really like to know how it was originally done. I would doubt the General, probably a Sub who made the rockers for them.

[Donald H.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

Here's picture of the molding off my 66. I did some research into having them re-anodized. From what little I did, it's very expensive. I managed to find a pair of NOS ones, but paid dearly for them.

As you can see from the picture, the inside and top of the fins do not have paint. I don't have a clue how the manufacturer managed to to this. It likely was not with lacquer thinner and a rag or some such.

[Donald O.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

I have had good luck using:
blue painters tape, 3/8" wide or 1/4" wide
a bunch of popcicle sticks
a piece of an aluminum window blind (a large metal straight edge with a handle is also good)
Several new single edge razor blades
SEM trim black

Apply the tape to one side of a rib, leave some tape to go onto a flat section. Work it into the bottom crease. Fold the tape over the rib and to the other side of it. Using a popcicle stick, really work the tape into the corners. Using the metal blind and a new blade, trim the excess off ,using the blind as an edge to keep it straight. Remove the tape from the bottom.

Repeat for all the ribs.

Use the black paint, several light coats

Remove the tape from the ribs

Sit back and have a cold one and admire the beauty of your handiwork.

[Fred Y.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

Thanks very much Don. They certainly are the 3 sided "Bright" as it were. I did come across a man at Carlisle who I actually bought mine from who also HAD brought 2 sets of NOS that he had & he had sold them for some 500---600 a pair. Here's a pic of mine now. From this "straight on" view it doesn't look too shabby at all. But when you look at it from the top down or the bottom up-------YUCK !! Guess I gotta keep at it.
I some more idea's up my sleeve.

Thanks for all your input everyone.
66 rocker moulding.jpg

[Fred Y.]

Re: Refinishing 66 rear exhaust side rocker mouldings

NOW YOU HAVE NAILED IT DON !!----Yes , my thoughts right now was to get out my 1/8" fineline which I have & with great care do what you mentioned & wrap it around the other 2 sides & work it in, but that requires a real Eagle eye !! PERFECT---Grab my 3/8 Blue & a straight edge as you mentioned & get out my exacto knife.

I think we're on to something here !

Back to the workshop------------Thank you Don !!----Pics when she's finished.

Only thing---I'd prefer 4 fingers of Kettle one---------LOL---------------AFTER I'm done of course.