Steering Wheel Shroud

[TooManyReels]

Man am I ticked off...I just bought and installed a new GM OER steering wheel shroud and the silver trim is coming off..Am I to assume that they came this was from the factory painted silver not coated somehow, or is this just what we are getting these days with OER parts....If I need to paint it what color and type of paint would you recommend for repainting the silver stripping on the shroud....

Eddie

[Gramps69Z]

Eddie, I heard of some people using silver tape instead of paint.  I believe it's posted here somewhere.

[IZRSSS]

I am very curious to learn more about the silver tape. I too have a few places where this application sounds like the ticket. Any idea where this post is John? I did a search and came up empty.

Eddy if you are looking for a quick fix this sounds like a good alternative. However, if you are not in a hurry I'd send the D%#@ thing back...

[tmodel66]

Hobby Lobby has silver paint pens that work well also. A friend told me about them and he swears by it.

[IZRSSS]

Sweet... .

[Gramps69Z]

I did a search and couldn't find the posting either.   My have been on another site.  Sounds like the silver pen would work.

[IZRSSS]

Thanks for looking...I don't know about this Daniel. One of these days we'll get all those tricks out of his sleeve...

[TooManyReels]

I looked too and could not find anything..One of your comments led me to think about if the site Administrators would consider adding a section that could be  "Tricks of The Trade" or "The Watch Out"......This would be a great addition to the site where people could go an post or find out things that others have developed or run into for solving some stubborn problems..
Had I know this was painted I would have never attempted to clean it...

Eddie

[IZRSSS]

I gave the Hobby Lobby stuff a try and your friend was right Daniel...Thanks!

I picked up a "Calligraphy" 3.66mm" felt tip metallic paint pen. It is very easy to use (instead of the brush pen they sell) for us old guys with shaky hands. although it might be hard to tell from the pics...it is pretty much dead on...

[IZRSSS]

More pics...before & after.

[tmodel66]

That's dead on ain't it? Any way it looks real good in the pic. Marty does it look that good up close? He tried to get me to restore my cluster and I was but I found an NOS GM piece.

[IZRSSS]

All I can say is that I have looked at it real close and in different light and I don't think there is anything out there that will work better than this stuff. Its a dead on match.

[Gramps69Z]

Marty, big difference in the before and after pictures. 

[sdkar]

Instead of using the silver paint, which looks nothing like the original chrome look here is what I did and it came out very nice.  You can use a silver mylar tape or metalized insulation tape.  Call it Hillbilly chrome but it does work.  This is the chrome metal tape used to put fiberglass ductwork together.  If there is printing on the chrome side of the tape, it comes off with lacquer thinner and leaves you with just the chrome looking metal tape.  Either tape will work.  There are two ways to do this.  You can either cut the strips to the exact size you need and then install them on the raised area or do like I did it and cut small strips that are slightly wider than needed, stick them on the raised area of the shroud and carefully trim the edges with an exacto knife.  It will certainly take some time and you have to be careful, but with patience, will look way better than silver paint or the OER junk.  The best part is it costs about $10 - $15  Plus, once you buy the roll, you have more than enough tape to do the gauge lens, the grooves in the shifter, custom chrome stripes on your car, and lots of other parts.  Just don't get too carried away.

Hope this solves your problem. 
Here are samples of the tape:

http://www.amazon.com/CS-Hyde-Metalized-Acrylic-Adhesive/dp/B003HKRFA8

http://www.amazon.com/JVCC-MPF-01-Metalized-Polyester-Reflective/dp/B00424T6J6/ref=pd_sbs_indust_2

http://www.amazon.com/EcoFoil-Foil-Adhesive-Insulation-Tape/dp/B003XFO0NM/ref=pd_sbs_indust_5

[IZRSSS]

Marty, big difference in the before and after pictures.  

Well...I was sending you a message to tell you how good it looks until as they say...I was tree'd. I was also going to tell you that it really came in handy to touch up the "LIGHTS & WASHER WIPER" raised letters. And...I was also going to say that it matched all of my trim for the exception of the A/C / Astro vents that appear to be chrome. So I guess I won't. Oh well...I still think this "junk" looks good, at least for now...

Any way...this might be the tape you had mentioned earlier?

Thanks John