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Surface of Dash Panel and Glovebox door on 59

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  • elijahbird7
    Experienced
    • Nov 12 2013
    • 101

    Surface of Dash Panel and Glovebox door on 59

    I have seen several photos of 58 and 59's that have a "polished" look to these surfaces. Mine has a "flat" silver surface. Just wondering if these I have seen were really 60's put in place, or were the others polished originals to 58 and 59? If these were polished originals, what was used to polish them?
  • jopizz
    Super-Experienced


    • Nov 23 2009
    • 8308

    #2
    All squarebird instrument panels, radio bezels and glove box doors had a flat finish from the factory. Some owners have removed the flat finish with polish to make them shinier.

    John
    John Pizzi - Squarebirds Administrator

    Thunderbird Registry #36223
    jopizz@squarebirds.org 856-779-9695

    https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm

    Comment

    • Tbird1044
      Super-Experienced
      • Jul 31 2012
      • 1346

      #3
      Wow, I always thought that the grooves or lower areas of the dash panel, glove box etc., were painted with argent silver, or anodized, and the high spots or lines were the polished chrome. Hard to believe that Ford would chrome something and then paint it or put an anodized coating on it. Maybe the chrome was needed as a base for the final finish.
      Nyles

      Comment

      • jopizz
        Super-Experienced


        • Nov 23 2009
        • 8308

        #4
        My feeling is that all the pieces were designed to be chromed but they later realized how much glare was generated and they then painted them to tone it down.

        John
        John Pizzi - Squarebirds Administrator

        Thunderbird Registry #36223
        jopizz@squarebirds.org 856-779-9695

        https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm

        Comment

        • Tbird1044
          Super-Experienced
          • Jul 31 2012
          • 1346

          #5
          I think you just saved me some more money. ;-)
          Nyles

          Comment

          • tmjsong1aolcom
            Experienced
            • Mar 31 2004
            • 329

            #6
            Remember that only the center areas were painted and the outter edges were left chrome. If you need exactly what was painted you can refer to the current VTCI rules.

            All three years were the same. Note the rules call for argent solver but I am still of the opinion the it was a matte finish clear coat oor maybe slightly tinted silver color.

            No way to prove or disprove either theory except the entire pieces were chromed initially.

            Good Luck
            Fuz
            58's&64's
            Sun Prairie, Wi
            tmjsong1@aol.com

            Comment

            • toddgilroy
              Experienced
              • Aug 30 2014
              • 411

              #7
              I used silver argent wheel paint and had good results. Has anyone touched up the gold script on the glovebox door? What did you use?

              Thanks
              Todd Gilroy
              1960 Tbird Convertible
              Thunderbird Registry #54651

              Comment

              • elijahbird7
                Experienced
                • Nov 12 2013
                • 101

                #8
                I decided to polish mine out with fine steel wool. I know it's not technically "correct", but I really like the result. I guess a paint stripper would have worked as well??

                Comment

                • newbird59
                  Experienced
                  • Dec 27 2011
                  • 131

                  #9
                  I brought this topic up a while ago when I was painting the inside of my dash bezels and I came to the conclusion that it was "Argent Silver". The chrome instrument panel and glove box I got from eBay a while back was fully restored and had the correct paint on the fluted portions.

                  I have played with both rattle can paint (I think it was VHT wheel paint that was Argent Silver) and an airbrush to see which would give me the best results and, by far, the air brush method was the winner. I had much more control over the areas I was painting and it gave me the right amount of matte finish that I wanted (with lots of practice as I have never used an air brush before). I used an air brush with NOS Argent Silver model car paint and I loved the finish that the air brush gave me with this paint. Rattle can "Argent Silver" was too glossy for me (as tmjsong1aolcom stated) and It didn't match well with the chrome, in my opinion. It was also very messy and not uniform in the way the silver set in the part.

                  As for the script on the glove box: maybe someone on here knows of a way to remove it and install it back into place. That way you can paint it with gold and black (outline of the script is black). My "Thunderbird" script was removed and placed in a separate little bag and I since have never put it back because I'm not finished rebuilding my whole dash yet...that info would be helpful if anyone knows.


                  David
                  1960 Thunderbird
                  429 TJ
                  C6 Tranny
                  Under Construction

                  Comment

                  • toddgilroy
                    Experienced
                    • Aug 30 2014
                    • 411

                    #10
                    Do you have any pictures of the airbrushed dash or glovebox door? I used Dupli-Color argent silver wheel paint then topped it with matte finish clear coat to take some of the gloss off.
                    Todd Gilroy
                    1960 Tbird Convertible
                    Thunderbird Registry #54651

                    Comment

                    • newbird59
                      Experienced
                      • Dec 27 2011
                      • 131

                      #11
                      Let me get you a photo of that tonight. I have the glovebox door out on my carpet at home. Stay tuned

                      -David
                      1960 Thunderbird
                      429 TJ
                      C6 Tranny
                      Under Construction

                      Comment

                      • toddgilroy
                        Experienced
                        • Aug 30 2014
                        • 411

                        #12
                        I haven't touched up the script or polished the chrome edge yet, but here's the result with Argent Silver wheel paint and clear matte topcoat. I have never seen what the original looked like so I would welcome any feedback.

                        Thanks!
                        Attached Files
                        Todd Gilroy
                        1960 Tbird Convertible
                        Thunderbird Registry #54651

                        Comment

                        • newbird59
                          Experienced
                          • Dec 27 2011
                          • 131

                          #13
                          Looks great!! Awesome job. Here is mine...sorry for posting so late



                          1960 Thunderbird
                          429 TJ
                          C6 Tranny
                          Under Construction

                          Comment

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