• About Us
    • Where did we come from?
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
  • Daily Pose Blog
  • Restorations
    • Gallery
      • GMC Motorcoach Projects
      • Airstream Projects
      • Vintage Motorcycles
    • Conversations
      • Why Do It
      • Is the GMC Motorhome a Good Choice for Young Families? 
      • What’s it Worth?
      • How to get a restoration going
    • Airstream
    • Mechanical Work
      • Mechanical Review
      • Mechanical Pitfalls
    • Interior work
    • Exterior work
  • Parts
    • Alternative Transportation
    • Fire Suppression
    • Electrical Parts
    • Mechanical parts
      • Frame & Suspension Parts
        • Quad Bag System
      • Engine & Drivetrain Parts
        • Custom Build Crate Motorhome Motors (455 & 403)
      • Brake parts
    • Interior Parts
      • Dash Parts
      • Seating
    • Exterior Parts
      • Windshield Replacement
  • Tips
    • How to Tow?
    • Mechanical Tips
    • Exterior Tips
    • Interior Tips
    • Electrical Systems
  • Archives
    • Stories
      • Stories from the Road
      • Non GMC Stories
    • The Sunshine Statesmen “Drag Race Rally”
    • Alcoa Rims Recall
  • Coaches for Sale
  • Video Blog
    • CMW Membership
      • Membership Login
  • Links
    • Dealer Locator

Cooperative Motor Works

Vintage RV & Motorhome restorations - "The GMC Coop"

You are here: Home / Memberships / CMW Member “Exterior” page / Refinish headlight bezels

Refinish headlight bezels

This is not rocket science but to come up with a pro look, you need to follow some basic guidelines.  Many people have color keyed the bezels and grill as well to the body color and I have no problem with that.  If you do want to keep the bezels matching the grill and the grill to look more original style, here is your procedure:

Scuff the bezels with scotch bright or fine sand paper to get off bugs, dirt and other stuff, wipe them down with a wax & grease remover solvent.  I am painting up a new set of bezels for the rectangular headlights but you also use the same procedure for original bezels.

If the bezels are cracked or broken, call me and I may have one that’s better than yours.  It really makes a difference to have good pieces to work with.  If they look too nasty, you may want to install the new rectangular headlight kit.  The bezels come white gel coat and really paint up nice, especially if you are repainting or updating the exterior look Front side.jpg (51017 bytes) (Sara has color keyed the bezels to the body but you get the idea).

The prepped bezels are then sprayed with a dull aluminum color lacquer stray paint Bezel silver.jpg (65344 bytes) you want a satin to flat finish to match the original grill (BTW, new original style grills pre painted are available for $200 plus shipping, you can’t pay someone to repair your old one that cheap and it is a perfect grill and that is a good thing!  I spray 3 coats giving each 5-10 min. to tack up.  Set the silver painted bezels aside for a hour or so (in the sun if you have it) to allow the silver to dry well.

For the next step you will need “1/2 in. blue fineline” mask tape.  It is a bendable vinyl mask tape that also make a good finished edge.  Tape off the center of the bezel covering the silver paint.  Bezel taped.jpg (62742 bytes)  This will cover the silver and now allow you to shoot the black.  Check to be sure there are no sharp edges on your taping, it all needs to flow together. Now, shake the SEM brand “trim black” paint 100 times as you needed to do on the dull aluminum, this will help make sure there are no thin areas or splotches.  This is a self etching laquer paint (really good stuff).  You should be able to find it at most any automotive paint supply house.  If you do not use this stuff, it will not come out nice!

Spray light coats (3) letting each dry for 5-10 min.  Bezel black.jpg (69553 bytes)  Wait @ 30 min. after the last coat then carefully pull the fineline tape.  Lay the bezels in the sun, this will allow the black paint edges to “flow” a bit giving you a nice smooth edge to the black.  Bezel complete.jpg (68765 bytes)
Vwa-la, let them sit around a couple of hours to dry well and put’em on.  Bezel done.jpg (62693 bytes)  I like the look of the new original painted grill with the black & silver
painted bezels, looks finished to me.  That’s not to say the color keyed approach is not nice too but this is also a good look.  Good luck and hope this helps.

Tags

Airstream Countertop Demolition Door Electrical Engine Exterior FiTech Generator Honda Intake Interior Kubota LED MacDaddy Mechanical Molds Parts Redman Ruby Senden Summit Texas Tux

Video blog

Support Cooperative Motor Works on Patreon!

Daily Pose Blog

  • The Co-op: Ruby spent the night out ending up in the penthouse……. February 20, 2019
  • The Co-op: “Its either certified Mercedes pre-owner or it’ s” February 18, 2019
  • The Co-op: Now the BIG guns turn to Ruby……..Oh, dont miss reading the “update” on yesterdays pose….i forgot the plot! February 18, 2019
  • The Co-op: To everything……..there is a season………(UPDATED) February 17, 2019
  • GMC Motorhome: Big Day….Delivery day for “Tail Gator”…….. February 14, 2019

GMC Land Speed Record

Search This Website

Hours & Info

6101 Anno Ave
Orlando, FL 32809
(407) 857-5777
9am - 5pm

Social

  • View cooperativemotorworks’s profile on Facebook
  • View gmccoopwebsite’s profile on Pinterest

Top Posts & Pages

  • The Co-op: Ruby spent the night out ending up in the penthouse.......
  • The Co-op: "Its either certified Mercedes pre-owner or it' s"
  • The Co-op: Now the BIG guns turn to Ruby........Oh, dont miss reading the "update" on yesterdays pose....i forgot the plot!
  • GMC Motorhome, finally drove the diesel!

Copyright © 2019 · Education Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in