Painting Vent Register Bezels

[Charlie Sheen]

Vert + top down + chrome in your face = fail.

Remove the registers. Open the vents, stick your thumbs in there on opposite side and pull. They should pop right out.

1. Get a 320 grit sanding sponge...

2. A complete register.

3. Chrome ring removed. There are four tabs holding it on. Two small screwdrivers will release the ring at one end and you're in business.

4. Shows the "shine" knocked off with the sanding sponge. Wipe it down well with a lint free cloth.

5. Some twisty-ties from a bread wrapper work wonders. Construct them as shown and you now have a way to handle the ring while painting and a good place to hang it from a hook as it dries.

Don't go nuts with the rattle-can. I used two dust coats that were completely dry before I followed up with the coverage coats.

Allow to COMPLETELY dry and pop them back in.

 

[Steedman07]

That looks really good..Consider mine done

 

[cdutchess78]

That was one of the first things I did when I got mine. I hated that cheap chrome look.lol. I also did my dash above the wheel as well. It pops out the same way but with a little more finesse. Good write up.

 

[Boozshey]

Can't tell that well, but #4... Does that look more like a brushed look rather than a chrome look?

 

[Charlie Sheen]

...I also did my dash above the wheel as well. It pops out the same way but with a little more finesse. Good write up.

Thanks. That's my next step...

 

[alloy6ix]

bad ass! What kind of paint? Looks like a flat, semi-flat finish, or a satin finish.. Whatever it is, I want it.

 

[ZmanM3]

Nice, I'm thinking redfire metallic paint for my bezels.

 

[JimC]

Looks great Mr Roper - I recently did the same thing, only I had to change the color of my vents from the silver for the IUP to black

Left side is done and right side is waiting

I need to sand and repaint this insert, it wasn't quite dry I discovered after reassembling so I left a thumbprint in it

The gauge cluster is next. I used a flat clear to knock down the glare on mine.

 

[Preston951]

This is awesome! I didn't realize it was this easy to do.

I think I like the chrome ring, but I'd love to paint the vents flat black. Thanks for the tutorial!

 

[06Torch]

Love this look. Can you give us more details on both vents and rings?

Maybe brand of paint and color, prep work, materials, etc...
Thanks,

Gerardo

 

[DDTCM]

The flat black vents look amazing,think I will tackle that this weekend. I like the chrome rings but can't stand the silver dash panel,I've got the black carbonfiberish lookin one that came stock.

 

[JimC]

I don't know what Mr.Roper used, but I went to the local "Hobby Lobby" store and picked up some model car paint, figuring the parts were plastic after all:

As far as prep, I cleaned them up and scuffed the vents just a little with some fine sandpaper - not much at all, just pretty much rub it across and then clean them up again. Several light coats of the flat black, then had to reposition the vanes and hit it again. Once the front was dry I flipped it over and painted from back so that it wouldn't have the silver showing when the vent is open.

Three or so light coats of the flat clear on the chrome trim rings was enough for those.

 

[JimC]

I pulled the gauge cluster today and hit it with the flat clear and added white face gauge overlays at the same time. It comes out very easy - drop the steering wheel as far as you can and pull straight back just like the vent pods.

This is after putting the white face overlays in place and putting the cluster itself back in the dash

Then just taped off the areas I needed to protect from the flat clear - I did a VERY light sanding first, not as much as Mr. Roper shows on his vent.

 

[Charlie Sheen]

I used VHT Flat Black SP510.

 

[07torchgt]

wow, that flat silver looks great... i may have to attempt this

 

[06Torch]

Wow! This looks like the prototype cluster Ford makes on a concept vehicle that never makes production but everyone wants!!! It looks bad ass!!!

A few more questions please...

Do the white overlays allow the My Color lights to come through? I ask because certain icons are not visible until they light up like the airbag icon, check engine, etc... From the pic below, these appear to be covered up. Do you have pics of the cluster lit at night? Also, do you have a link to the company that sells said overlays?
Thanks,

Gerardo

 

[Rasmus]

+1 to the above.

All the painted bits look good, but I was also wondering how the white overlays functioned at night.

 

[JimC]

I only have one shot at night but will try to get some more tomorrow night. The My Color works - I have mine set to blue as you can see below. I did go a little brighter blue than before though because I thought it was more subdued after the white face was put on. The place I got the overlays from is www.whitegauges.net

At night they take on a "negative image" and the needles really glow. You can still see the icons on the tach side.

Without headlights on:

With headlights and blue my color

 

[gtothep123]

I really like the air vents painted black, but I think I would keep the chrome ring.

 

[06Torch]

Holy crap that's a good price! The whole thing could be done for about... $40???

FREE shipping thru USPS too!

Gerardo

2005-2007 Ford Mustang 140 mph V8 White Face Gauges



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