Painting Your Vent Bezels

sinabite

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Here is my attempt to bring a little more GO interior my dull interior. Overall this was another very simple mod.

What you will need
1 Can Expresspaint.com Primer
1 Can Expresspaint.com U3 Ford Valencia Paint (this stuff is amazing and pictures do it NO justice as to how great of a match it is)
1 Can Expresspaint.com Clearcoat
1 3m Fine grit sanding block
Sparks: As Needed

First you are going to grab hold of your vent registers and pull directly out. I didnt take a picture of the Instrument Cluster coming out but it takes the same amount of "skill" and is VERY simple.

out2.jpg


Next your going to find a screwdriver and pop up on these tabs and then set the vents off to the side.

tab.jpg


Now it's time to prep, this was a real PITA. I dont know if it was dash treatment or what but tape REFUSED to adhere to the inside of the dash looking in at the cluster. I used rubbing alcohol and it helped a LITTLE. With some time, sparks, and patience you will eventually get it in there.

rename.jpg


Next your going to hit the register bezels with the 3m pretty lightly, paint has NO problem sticking to these guys. The cluster is another story, you have really got to go to town on this thing, to include all of those HARD to reach places. I didnt do this and had some trouble which i will post pictures of at the bottom.

After everything is sanded down hit it with some rubbing alcohol to get all of that dirt and grit off. Then it's time to prime. Hit everything with 3-4 LIGHT coats of primer, allowing 10-15 mintues to flash inbetween coats.

primed.jpg


prime.jpg


15 Minutes after the final coat of primer (or until dry to touch) it's to go GO to town the GO paint. Hit with 3-5 (or until the perfect GO is matched) coats with 10-20 minutes to flash inbetween.

painted.jpg


paint.jpg


After you have gotten the perfect GO, allow 1-2 hours to let the paint completly dry and sit. Sparks help feel this void. After your time is up or your tired of drinking. Hit everything with 3-5 coats of Clearcoat with 15-20 minutes between coats.

cleareed-1.jpg


clear.jpg


After the final coat of clear, allow everything to sit for 2-3 hours. Next your going to take your time removing the tape!! This is the true test of finding out if you hit those places with the sanding block good or not. Also a test of your patience to see your hard earned work. CAREFULLY pull the tape, I can't stress this enough. Then pop everything back into your car.

final.jpg


Finally ENJOY your hard earned work!

finallls.jpg


finals.jpg


final2.jpg


Here are the places that I did not hit with the block very well, and im going to have to fix tommorro afternoon.......i'm thinking just gorilla glueing some GO welt around to cover it up. They are not terrible noticeable inside the car, but stick out like a sore eye to me. My fiance did not know what I was so upset about until I had her stick her head right up to the problems. But I'm a victim of CONSTANT attention to detail..............the the point of OCD.

touchup-1.jpg


touch.jpg
 

AustinGT

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Did this on my Wrangler and I love it. Nice job. Thought about painting the spokes on the steering wheel?
 

sinabite

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Yea im thinking about snatching up a 2012 premium steering wheel so i can do the same
 

LAStang1234

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I painted the vents black, but I didn't want to go over the top with the GO in the interior. I figured trim and the steering wheel spokes were good enough! The little man agrees too! Lol

408726_317647198276194_100000927497518_983640_1171039973_n.jpg
 

Barricade

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I recently did the vents (not the bezels) but after install I saw that you usually have them open and could see the interior very easily. So I had to pop em off and do the inside.

2012-02-18095930.jpg


and the smaller piece that connects them:
2012-02-18095806.jpg


Its a fun upgrade!
 

Ampire

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Just a warning, a few months ago I pulled on my vent bezel as shown in your picture and the tube that comes from the dash panel exploded. To fix it, I bought a replacement dash panel off ebay and cut the tube out from the back with a dremel, epoxied it to my dash. The grey silver plastic tube (shown fractured below) that the vent register sits in is not a replaceable part, its sold as a complete dash piece. The back of the tube is plastic-welded to the dash. I cut the plastic welds off a replacement panel from ebay and epoxied the piece onto my IUP center dash.

148k70m.jpg
 
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Barricade

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There are two hooks on the inside of the tube that must be released to prevent damage.
The best way is to remove them is to pull the dash panel.
That will allow you to access them from the other side.
Then you can release the tension on them by pushing them in and pulling the tube out.

You are indeed lucky if you pull them like that and dont damage them.

Also be very careful with the rings. The clips can break off very easily when prying on them.
 

Ampire

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There are two hooks on the inside of the tube that must be released to prevent damage.
The best way is to remove them is to pull the dash panel.
That will allow you to access them from the other side.
Then you can release the tension on them by pushing them in and pulling the tube out.

You are indeed lucky if you pull them like that and dont damage them.

Also be very careful with the rings. The clips can break off very easily when prying on them.

+1 Good info! I will post pics in a sec of the back part.

edit:

Here is backside of the dash panel showing how the tube piece is plastic welded to dash, i had to cut the plastic weld tabs off with a dremel
uDEzt.jpg


Here is the panel from the front side with the tube piece removed
9JfyD.jpg


Here is the piece finally removed
Ozgry.jpg


The gauge assembly slides into this piece but this piece cannot be sold separately.
 
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Cal26Stang

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Damn, that is extremely impressive, talk about stripe continuity throughout the car lol! Did you paint the dash yourself or have that done professionally
 
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