The original emblems for my GS 350 are nice. However, the red has been washed out of them. What is the best way to lay the red down? Paint the emblem then gently wipe the letters off with lacquer thinner and a Q tip/ rag??
What I usually do is paint the color of your choice & while still wet run your finger over the part you want high lighted. This way you have the choice of how much pressure you exhert with your finger to give the amount of paint removel. Some light coating of paint will still be seen but a light wipe with a rag & lacquer thinner will remove the haze.
I flood the recessed areas with paint from an overloaded brush...then clean up the spots on the letters or frame with a tight piece of cloth soaked in lacquer thinner.
I’ve found using chapstick to cover the areas you don’t want paint on works best. Wipe it off and your done.
All credit goes to the guys over at HAMB. Forums will forever be the best source of information. Below is my thread from last year using this method on my Edelbrock valve covers: https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/refinishing-finned-valve-covers.354890/
You could buy back the emblems in the pic above that you just sold me & be done w/it, lol. Can deliver to BG. The trick is not getting the paint on the sides of the letters or border like orig if one is worried about that. I suppose GM's supplier had a template that covered them. Idk if paint could be thinned enough to drip it in there and work around w/o getting on the letters. Also, what paint do you guys use &/or prep to get it to stick well to chrome?
a small needle and syringe works best. i have a customer who owns a company that still today does this for gm and ford.
I clean the emblem and then spray it with whatever color. Allow the paint to flash, then use piece of t-shirt stretched tightly over your index finger and dipped in lacquer, and gently wipe off the paint from the lettering that is to remain unpainted.
This is exactly what I was thinking & had mentioned to George when we were talking about it. Kind of surprised they do it that way in production but I could see a mask getting messy unless it was cleaned in between ea. emblem which would be impractical. Do you know (or would you mind asking?) what type paint they use &/or what (if any) provisions are made for the paint to adhere to the chromed surface?
I used to use DuPont Imron right on the slick Chome emblem surface using a torn off paper match stick end as a dobber brush. This was after after using 'Aircraft stripper' and a wooden tooth pick to remove the old paint. Lasted better than any others tried. We used it on our engines also as it was the only Buick red paint that would stay red and not burn off the heads exaust port surfaces and stay shiny. Its probably either too expensive or unobtainable now, check and see.
What I have done is use a toothpick to dab the paint where you want it and once it is completely dried, clean up any mistakes with super fine steel wool.
I have always used Rustoleum and wiped off excess when wet, Then steel wooled off the areas that need to be cleaned up once dry. Always looks great when finished.
i believe they use a polyurethane. they dont use anything to prep the surface other than to clean it with degreaser. i also think that they reduce the paint to help it flow better and level it out.
