'69/70 Gauge trim rings on Rallye dash. What should they look like?

[K9COP]

Guys, I've searched and searched, read through the 'cluster restoration guide' thread and others, but can't find a definitive answer to this one..

Should the gauges/switches have a 'chrome' trim around them on the black Rallye dash bezel? If so, how are they done? Painted? Trim rings?

Any advice/info would be gratefully accepted please.

Thanks,

K9

[Lennard]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,106300.0.html

[TexasStroker]

Assuming that is your Charger in the avatar, I would just suggest you go with a Silver Paint Pen.  You'll spend about an hour getting the pen and doing the trim and have around $10 with the pen and gas as an investment.  Lead times from most shops are crazy...not many doing this type of work anymore.

I used a silver paint pen when I restored my cluster and it came out great imo.  If you want more "chrome" you can look at model car paint etc.  Lots of very affordable options and it makes a for a satisfying project.

[K9COP]

Assuming that is your Charger in the avatar, I would just suggest you go with a Silver Paint Pen. 

Are you implying my old mongrel doesn't deserve real chrome? 

The linked thread is very useful, thanks Lennard, but I think my cluster must be missing some parts, that's why I asked the question. I'll post pics but mine doesn't have any molded lines that immediately lend themselves to 'paint pens' around the gauges.... From the pics on the thread, it looks like the trim rings pop in to what I have left.....

K9

[Lennard]

Not sure what you mean... there are no separate trim rings. There is a cluster housing that the gauges itself are mounted in to and a bezel that goes over it. The bezel has (molded in) chrome rings around the holes where the gauges are when you put it on top of the cluster housing.

I would post some pics here if I could but it's easier to perform a brain surgery then to get a pic up on this website.

[K9COP]

OK, so here's what I have on mine:





So I can see the two concentric rings around each gauge, but there is nothing there that looks conducive to 'silver pen treatment'.

Am I missing the trim rings?

K9

[bull]

The bezels are one piece, no "trim rings" attached. Vacuum plating or vacuum metalizing is a process where aluminum is evaporated onto the base coated plastic part inside a vacuum chamber which gives it the chrome look. Then the black top coat (or wood grain) is applied to everything except the portions that are supposed to be shiny silver such as the "rings" around the gauges.

[K9COP]

Got it, thank you. So now what do I do? LOL 

K9

[Lennard]

Send it out for restoration or buy a silver and white paint pen and do it yourself.

[TexasStroker]

Assuming that is your Charger in the avatar, I would just suggest you go with a Silver Paint Pen. 

Are you implying my old mongrel doesn't deserve real chrome? 

K9

Haha, no...not at all...I browse/post LATE at night so sometimes things come off wrong.  As a fan of modified Chargers, I was implying if that was your car (modified Charger) that you would be just as well off with the silver paint pen route as opposed to shelling out $$$ for a new bezel set, or taking the time necessary to line up someone to rechrome it.  I have a thread somewhere on here with pics of my cluster when I freshened it up....Unless you are going for a gold standard dash you should be pretty happy with the end result..and have money left over for gas and tires