Filling dash and knob letters - tips?

I missed a couple of details in my restoration - the letters on a few knobs.

The 'Brake Release', Rear Wiper/Washer knob, Cruise Control/Head Light wand (on the tree), etc.

I'm cleaning and scraping out the old, cracked, dirty stuff today, and then I'll wash them down with the SEMS plastic/vinyl cleaner or the bodyshop Degreaser/cleaner (metal ones).

I wondered if anyone had any tips about filling the letters with the paint.

I was thinking of using a bottle of Testors (model paint) and brushing it in, letting it dry and buffing off the excess.

I'm going to smooth out the ones that got knicked with 400-grit (satin surface), clean the dust off and then refinish. Unless others have some other methods...

 

Yah, I got a tip fer ya, just get the damn car back together.

 

Why don't you cut to the chase? Don't mess around with flowery language, get to the point, already!

Oh! You did!

I can't do much in this friggin' cold, so I'm doing the finer points, that I left for later (like now?).

 

Restore, Normand, restore like the wind...

 

Hey, that's my whip!

Actually, I found other sites that do this filling work, and it looks like I'm on the right path to get a good job done, with my approach, above.

I think what I'm gonna do to advance this project even in cold weather, is prepare all the hardware, tools and parts for ONE task of 30 minutes or less, every 3 hours during sunlight, until I can get the weather on-side. Like after the 15th. It just sucks!:banghead3:

 

Norm,

Although Andy wants you to get it done already I have a different view of things.

It'll be so nice you'll be AFRAID to expose it to others on the road. It will be too perfect. A museum piece. A show car. When you get your garage some day go ahead and put in wall to wall carpet for the Fairmont to sit on and look pretty. Then the homemade woody can keep it company.

Your a shoe in for the 2008 1900-1979 stock class.

 

Yeah, but it's for American cars, although Americus did discover the whole continent, didn't he? But I may enter the donor car in the Beater class, cause it got beaten to shreds.

Wonder what color that trophy looks like (rusty?)

Once it's plated, it goes to the Immobilizer installation shop. It ain't movin' until that's done.

 

I jacked my own thread again! When will I ever learn?!:banghead3:

 

Back to the thread. I saw a post somewhere about re-coloring dash lettering. If it's recessed somewhat in the panel you can use white laquer (spelling) and just paint. With a cloth with a little laquer thinner carefully wipe across and voi'la the letters remain and the excess is gone.

Consider the thread un-hijacked....

Since Testors is enamel the same can be said for that. Just use the appropriate thinner on a rag and carefully wipe across. The lettering remains.

If you and Andy work together he can take the half hour you're inside and alternate. You can get at least 5 half hours each during the 8.5 hours of daylight.

 

Great minds think alike. Exactly what I did and works like a charm! I used the really fine 3M scuff cloth (white) after the 400-grit and it buffs up perfectly!

 

TBird, have you got Cruise Control on yours?

Secondly, if so, is it on the steering wheel or the column?

The headlight dimmer runs off of it on this one from I6 donor car. I've got the entire system because it worked on the donor. Perfect for flat Prairie highways. I just wondered if there were any issues to address.

I've got the original parts website link, and all the circuitry diagrams and adjustments as well.

 

anyhoo...Tbird hit it!!..ive always used plain ol model paint and just wiped off the excess with thinners..!!
what he said

 

damn you guys beat me to the punch on the 3m cloth... you guys are quick for being so old!
MUHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

 

bite me!!..or i should say...Us!!

 

i might break the skin, we all know old folks have thin skin!