New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and grille
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Re: New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and gr
We are making the Regal/GN bezels from black ABS so we knew to make the Hurst and 442 out of that material as well. We will have to experiment with the black ABS being chromed around the edge as the light tan ABS performs better chroming than black.
88hurstolds said:
We are making the Regal/GN bezels from black ABS so we knew to make the Hurst and 442 out of that material as well. We will have to experiment with the black ABS being chromed around the edge as the light tan ABS performs better chroming than black.
Re: New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and gr
I wanted to bring up that the same manufacturer that did the fillers for the Regal has been doing these ABS projects. They are one of ...if not the best. They are all over the cutlass bucket seat chrome covers.
I wanted to bring up that the same manufacturer that did the fillers for the Regal has been doing these ABS projects. They are one of ...if not the best. They are all over the cutlass bucket seat chrome covers.
Re: New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and gr
The votes were entertaining.
Trust me if you walked in the room & had 2 there side by side NOS & Aftermarket you would have chose the aftermarket just due to the chroming quality. Like Mike stated the Chrome is thin on the originals.
If you pick them up the aftermarket are just slightly heavier. This is due to the chroming.
Same with the cutlass grills. They are just heavier & the quality of the chrome is un believeable.
You can see me looking at the white head light bezel for the Buick. I am checking the trueness of the plastic. That side always sagged out from GM even after a few months. Yet the driver side doesn't.
I just wanted to make sure when they built the passenger side it hadn't warped already.
The votes were entertaining.
Trust me if you walked in the room & had 2 there side by side NOS & Aftermarket you would have chose the aftermarket just due to the chroming quality. Like Mike stated the Chrome is thin on the originals.
If you pick them up the aftermarket are just slightly heavier. This is due to the chroming.
Same with the cutlass grills. They are just heavier & the quality of the chrome is un believeable.
You can see me looking at the white head light bezel for the Buick. I am checking the trueness of the plastic. That side always sagged out from GM even after a few months. Yet the driver side doesn't.
I just wanted to make sure when they built the passenger side it hadn't warped already.
Re: New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and gr
GM painted the black on the bezels for 83-84 Calais/84 Hurst and 85-86 Salon and 442.
The 83 Hurst's were ABS black, the rest were painted eggshell black over fully chromed bezels.
Theres no need to chrome the edges of black bezels.
Same senario goes with the grilles.
All were chrome with painted inserts except 83 Hurst and 87 442 were never chromed.
87 442 are black ABS and 83 Hurst were unchromed dark gray ABS painted black and argent
83-84 Hurst tail light bezels are dark gray ABS painted black as well.
Rear hood trim, lower windshield trim are non anodized painted aluminum.
tobyp said:
GM painted the black on the bezels for 83-84 Calais/84 Hurst and 85-86 Salon and 442.
The 83 Hurst's were ABS black, the rest were painted eggshell black over fully chromed bezels.
Theres no need to chrome the edges of black bezels.
Same senario goes with the grilles.
All were chrome with painted inserts except 83 Hurst and 87 442 were never chromed.
87 442 are black ABS and 83 Hurst were unchromed dark gray ABS painted black and argent
83-84 Hurst tail light bezels are dark gray ABS painted black as well.
Rear hood trim, lower windshield trim are non anodized painted aluminum.
Re: New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and gr
awesome to hear they are working on the chrome seat covers,if they look anything like the head light brazel and grills they are going to be awesome
awesome to hear they are working on the chrome seat covers,if they look anything like the head light brazel and grills they are going to be awesome
Re: New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and gr
Mike we will be doing the 83 in a black ABS not the gray. Simple reason they are like the Grand National head light bezels.Gray ABS is exposed once the black is worn off. This way in 10-15 years of washing the paint wears out it will still be black underneath. I think (& he will correct me if I am wrong) but if we can chrome the edges on a black bezel if the paint wears off it will still be black underneath. I have 4 84 H/O's here & every one of them you can see the chrome under the black. If it is Black ABS it would remain black for longer even after the paint wears off. In other words trying to improve over GM.
88hurstolds said:
Mike we will be doing the 83 in a black ABS not the gray. Simple reason they are like the Grand National head light bezels.Gray ABS is exposed once the black is worn off. This way in 10-15 years of washing the paint wears out it will still be black underneath. I think (& he will correct me if I am wrong) but if we can chrome the edges on a black bezel if the paint wears off it will still be black underneath. I have 4 84 H/O's here & every one of them you can see the chrome under the black. If it is Black ABS it would remain black for longer even after the paint wears off. In other words trying to improve over GM.
Re: New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and gr
It's my understanding that you have to chrome the whole part, you can't just do edges etc. for that you need to use the vacuum metalizing process and then the life of the vacuum metalized aluminum or chrome doesn't last as long as the paint would.
I'm all about originality, just so long as the 83 Hurst Olds bezels are pure black ABS I'll just paint the chrome ones to get the factory finish for the other years, no biggie.
Just thought if you guys went that extra step in chroming the edge of a black it might be costly though don't you think?
It's my understanding that you have to chrome the whole part, you can't just do edges etc. for that you need to use the vacuum metalizing process and then the life of the vacuum metalized aluminum or chrome doesn't last as long as the paint would.
I'm all about originality, just so long as the 83 Hurst Olds bezels are pure black ABS I'll just paint the chrome ones to get the factory finish for the other years, no biggie.
Just thought if you guys went that extra step in chroming the edge of a black it might be costly though don't you think?
Re: New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and gr
Cost versus quality at that point quality will win. There is nothing nailed down in stone yet that is why we had the meetings with the manufacturers. If you noticed the 86 Grills they are all chrome. A tool has to be made to come back & apply the argent color. Looking at the grill all chrome it looks cool, not original but alot of bling. We were talking about offering different choices.
As far as vacuum metalizing The front marker lights are done that way as well.
We just thru ideas past the manufacturers to see what they would come up with. What we can & can not do & what wil be the best product.
This is why we put these threads up here is to get honest feed back. I'm about originality as well but with technology of the originals being 30+ years old if it can be improved upon to last longer or better then GM I would chose that route.
The person doing a 100 point restoration will search out NOS parts.
88hurstolds said:
Cost versus quality at that point quality will win. There is nothing nailed down in stone yet that is why we had the meetings with the manufacturers. If you noticed the 86 Grills they are all chrome. A tool has to be made to come back & apply the argent color. Looking at the grill all chrome it looks cool, not original but alot of bling. We were talking about offering different choices.
As far as vacuum metalizing The front marker lights are done that way as well.
We just thru ideas past the manufacturers to see what they would come up with. What we can & can not do & what wil be the best product.
This is why we put these threads up here is to get honest feed back. I'm about originality as well but with technology of the originals being 30+ years old if it can be improved upon to last longer or better then GM I would chose that route.
The person doing a 100 point restoration will search out NOS parts.
Re: New aftermarket Oldsmobile cutlass supreme bezels and gr
Agree that chroming the edge won't cut it on an exterior molding like the headlamps, even though the parking lamps are done that way. But then, those suck after a while too, and you really can't fix them. It would be nice if they held up, but I think to get it right it'd be more work and $$ than it's worth.
I've redone my 84 bezels before when they got worn. The chrome edge stays on, but minor rock chips, etc., lets the chrome start to show through after awhile. My point is, it's easier to redo the black and make it look decent than redo the chrome edge.
My suggestion is not to waste a bunch of time on the chrome bezels, just let the buyers mask, scuff and paint the innards (it isn't that difficult). And make the 83 H/Os totally in black ABS. I know I don't get a vote, but if'n I did, that's what I'd do.
The bigger question is, if you're going after better than GM, did you beef up the gussets on the grille mounting holes. Because if you didn't, there's going to be some broken aftermarket grilles down the road.
Agree that chroming the edge won't cut it on an exterior molding like the headlamps, even though the parking lamps are done that way. But then, those suck after a while too, and you really can't fix them. It would be nice if they held up, but I think to get it right it'd be more work and $$ than it's worth.
I've redone my 84 bezels before when they got worn. The chrome edge stays on, but minor rock chips, etc., lets the chrome start to show through after awhile. My point is, it's easier to redo the black and make it look decent than redo the chrome edge.
My suggestion is not to waste a bunch of time on the chrome bezels, just let the buyers mask, scuff and paint the innards (it isn't that difficult). And make the 83 H/Os totally in black ABS. I know I don't get a vote, but if'n I did, that's what I'd do.
The bigger question is, if you're going after better than GM, did you beef up the gussets on the grille mounting holes. Because if you didn't, there's going to be some broken aftermarket grilles down the road.
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