Interior Dark Charcoal Metallic - again...

[Cantedvalve 128]

So I am getting ready to paint my lower dash and headliner strip.  I had originally settled on a satin black, but last night I took the glove box off and finally, after 25 years of ownership, noticed the dark charcoal metallic under the glove box bucket... and even then it only showed up because the part was wet while washing it.  Two questions:

• how noticeable should the metallic be?  I can't remember ever seeing a dash glitter because of it... so I don't want to get too crazy with it.
• Lower dash including glove box door, steering column, headliner front trim... what else?  Lower dash panel trim pieces?  Shifter bezel (auto)?  Radio bezel?

I've already painted everything except the lower dash satin black, which shouldn't hurt anything, as I can paint over it.

[69ShelbyGT350H 61]

I noticed my steering column had a bit of sparkle to it when I worked on it years ago. Over at Concours Mustang Forum I've read that everything black in the car was painted with that, but I do not believe the rear seat quarters and other trim were, least I've not seen evidence of it on the 4 69/70 fastbacks I've owned. Definitely the metal dash, steering column, maybe the plastic dash parts, maybe the center console. For a more definite answer I'd have to go back to the Concours Mustang Forum and do a search on this topic.

[Cantedvalve 128]

I went down to the local big box and picked up 2 paints... a "Univeral Black Metallic" and something called "Carbon Mist Metallic."  Both Rustoleum.  I have my headliner trim clad in black satin, so I tried both on that... and thus the results attached.

The first one is the one I am going with (it's the Carbon Mist Metallic).  The second one looks like an explosion of glitter.  It looks good... just too much metallic.

[69ShelbyGT350H 61]

Oh, my repro auto shifter bezel is chrome with black, and repro radio bezel is brown with a chromed trim and a woodgrain sticker over the brown? I'll have to check that brown thing. Make sure you use a Laquer spray for the dark metallic charcoal such as NPD has. https://www.npdlink.com/store/products/mustang_interior_paint_spray_lacquer-107611-2978.html

[Cantedvalve 128]

I went a little heavy on the Carbon Mist for the headliner trim.  Oh well.  I did the glove box door next.  I went lighter on the Carbon Mist Metallic and used semi-flat black.  I used the semi-flat black just enough to get full coverage, and after it was done, I hit it with a dusting of the Carbon Mist.

[Cantedvalve 128]

Why lacquer?  I went with enamel.  I can't see a reason for going lacquer.  Enamels will go over either, seem to be more durable, and more plentiful.  Lacquers seem like just asking for trouble.

I tried some lacquer from NPD awhile back.  Was not happy with it.

[69ShelbyGT350H 61]

Laquer goes on thinner and does not fill in the texturing of the dash as much as the Enamels. Ford used Laquer, and that lasted a long time!

[mustangstofear 608]

I have  an original 69 Mach 1 Cobra jet, all metal and ABS is mettalic.

[Cantedvalve 128]

How would that differ on a 1970 though?  Didn't they dial back on the bedazzling a bit for their pinnacle year? ;-)

[Cantedvalve 128]

So I didn't paint the hinge.  I did set them next to each other and compare.  I thought my solution would be lighter than the original.  Ends up...  well look for yourself.  I think it came out maybe a shade darker, but no complaints

[Cantedvalve 128]

So I stayed home from work today (vacation) to get the carpets cleaned in the basement, and to paint the lower dash.  Something I have dreaded for fear of messing it up... ended up being a pretty sweet job!  I cleaned the dash with steel wool and soapy water.  I then dried it with a lint free rag and a hair dryer.  I used the hair dryer to dry it obviously, but also to warm the metal up.  It's only 50F in the shop, so the paint needed a little help.  I then burned through the Sunday newspaper masking stuff off (I seriously overdid it), and warmed the metal up some more while the paint was warming up in a bucket of warm water.  I did the exact same as my glove compartment... just enough semi flat black to get good coverage, and then 2 very light coats of the metallic.  Not sure you can see from the pictures, but here they are.

i liked it so much I went back and did all the trim with a dusting of metallic.  I also did the kickpanela (which were not painted metallic, rather the metallic was in the plastic, or at least it appears).

now to decide if I want to do the gauge panel and the passenger panel... and the radio bezel... and the steering column plastic collar...

[Cantedvalve 128]

Was the dash pad black metallic too?  Or just black?

[69ShelbyGT350H 61]

Just black, mostly flat until you Armor-all'ed it. 

[Cantedvalve 128]

Mine is satin black now.  I put a dash topper on it.  Those things actually look pretty good if done right.  I gave it a coat of satin black ENAMEL ;-)

Why cant I use forum smileys from my iPad?

[69RavenConv 305]

 

21 minutes ago, Cantedvalve said:

Why cant I use forum smileys from my iPad?

No native emoji's on the forum.

[Cantedvalve 128]

Here is the dash this morning.  I think it looks awesome.  Now I need to decide whether I want/need the gauge bezel to be metallic as well...

[RPM 1,247]

On 11/13/2017 at 5:00 PM, Cantedvalve said:

 Something I have dreaded for fear of messing it up... ended up being a pretty sweet job!

I feel your pain. Any project a dread doing ends up better and easier than I thought. But i continue to dread them...

You're doing a great job!

[Cantedvalve 128]

I'm having fun... that's what is most important.

that and driving it when it is done!

[Raven R code 281]

On 11/13/2017 at 8:02 PM, Cantedvalve said:

Was the dash pad black metallic too?  Or just black?

Lower dash and steering column are dark charcoal metallic and the dash and the lower dash “corners” trims are black.

[69ShelbyGT350H 61]

I do not agree with Jeff on this one subject, over on the Concours Mustang forum he claims "anything that gets painted is painted Dark Charcoal Metallic" and this includes the back seat 1/4's

http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=5160.msg28864#msg28864

I know my rear interior 1/4 parts were old and faded, but I have never seen a hint of metallic even under that parts that overlapped the other parts preserving them from the sun and wear.

[skidmarky 50]

I converted my car to a fold down seat and used the Dark Charcoal Metallic from NPD. Looks great!

[Cantedvalve 128]

Eh... had to strip the glove box door and redo it.  Something fell on it last night and gouged the paint (and metal... let's call it patina). I tried to fix it, but I was just laying too much paint on it. Easy enough to strip.  I used a stiff wire bristle brush and was able to get the original paint out of the pattern as well.  I've got it coated in semi-flat at the moment.  Need to get more metallic tomorrow.

Should end up for the better... got the pattern cleaned out better this time.