mirror refurb

jvandyke

jvandyke

True Classic
I got a decent passenger side mirror (through the glass variety--thanks again Abec). The finish was weird, a bit rough and veined. It doesn't look like it was repainted but hard to say. I sanded it very smooth (so I thought) and hit it with Dupli-color trim paint. I should know better than to hope for paint to hide defects. It didn't. I'm going to return to more sanding with progressively less grit but would it be wise to try a high build filler type primer on it as well? I'm not well versed in this sort of thing apparently.
My other thought was a textured paint, like a bedliner but it would have to be very very mild texture. The bottom of this mirror appears to have slight texture finish and I assume that's the factory finish?
I don't care if it's OEM looking or not, just "good looking".
Also, I did not remove the glass/cables, just disconnected (took two screws out of the bottom allowing the whole glass and cable assembly to wallow around in the shell), taped off and am able to work around it. I hesitate to open a can of worms by taking things apart that don't need to be. Anyone know if it's "easy" to extract the mirror guts or should I continue to work around it?
 
You've got the right idea...

But as you're finding prep is everything. The factory finish is a cast wrinkly matte plastic.

Sometimes that plastic can be slightly porous (voids below the surface) so even with lots of sanding you will need a filler-primer. Unless you paint with a black satin or matte finish, which helps hide the defects.

Don't forget to post pics, so we can learn from your mista— er, hard work. :innocent:
 
90% of the mirror's shell looked good when I was done, where I spent most of my time, but there's a few spots that still have the "veins' or wrinkles showing through. Especiallly near the maker's mark that I was trying to save. Not sure why I think that's important. I'll start over.:mallet:
 
It's really pretty easy to gut them, and it makes them *much* easier to work on. Wish I could tell you how, but that was months ago so I don't remember. I took apart a few of them and didn't have a problem with any of them. Also gave me a chance to seal around the holes where the cables pass through into the interior, which was leaking on at least one of mine.

I tried various means of refinishing them and didn't like the results. Even using that vinyl paint they sell for coating tool handles didn't hide the surface imperfections. On top of that, it didn't grip very well and was way too shiny.

I finally wound up glass beading a set of decent ones that didn't have much surface erosion. That evened up the finish but left them matte gray, so I wound up turning 'em black again with a heat gun. The end result looked great and has lasted better than anything else I've tried so far.

For mirror housings that have really bad surface irregularities you'd need to use something more aggressive than glass to restore them. I'm thinking maybe garnet, or sand if garnet doesn't work. Might go back over them with glass afterward, just to even out the finish and make it look a little more like original.

///Mike
 
I didn't dare gut it. Just worked around the glass and gaskets all taped up. Dupli-color trim paint (good call Tony) over Dupli-color high build primer. The primer is awesome and the trim paint looks perfect. Looks really good now. Hopefully the finish will wear alright.

mirrorprimer.jpg


mirrordone.jpg
 
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Good work, good deal, and thanks...

... for the enforcement and confirmation.

I was truly AMAZED at how well Duplicolor products work the first time I used them. And how ACCURATE their colors and SHADES are.

The Trim paint and Fabric and Vinyl DYES are absolutely perfect and easy to apply, with professional results. I believe my re-dyed BLUE upholstery is proof of that. I even had Bob Brown scratching his head over them. He still won't use it, but still can't get over them. I think I could have told him I re-upholstered them and he woulda never known!

Secondly... I once repaired a scraped up wheel cover on my old Honda Civic and pulled all the caps to repaint them with one of Duplicolor's Silver Wheel paints... and when I half completed ONE cover, I almost couldn't tell where I started and stopped spraying! Amazing!

HA... I'll stop now... I guess I'm a fan, huh? Glad you had equal success!
 
This is awesome!

jvandyke said:
I didn't dare gut it. Just worked around the glass and gaskets all taped up. Dupli-color trim paint (good call Tony) over Dupli-color high build primer. The primer is awesome and the trim paint looks perfect. Looks really good now. Hopefully the finish will wear alright.

mirrorprimer.jpg


mirrordone.jpg
Click to expand...

thanks for posting, I'll follow your procedure I like it! :thumbsup:
 
If I had to do another (and I probably will have to do the driver's side now that it will look crappy in comparison).
I would not even loosen the glass. I would tape up the mirror face, tape off the rubber boot and such, sand the heck out of it, high build primer, light sand, another coat of primer, light sanding, Dupli-color Trim Paint, three or four coates.
I scratched up the rim as I tried to get the mirror re-mounted. It was fiddly to get the guts back in and I never did get them off, just loosened. Just my two cents. I just recoated after final assembly and it looks amazing. I just question the durability. (but a touch up respray while on the car should be simple). Hopefully I can mount it tomorrow.
Or maybe consider power coating?
 
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Durability?

Welp... its crap!

After ten short years my elephant ears are now starting to flake... Looks like I'll have spend another 10 minutes of my life cleaning them with lacquer thinner and respraying them with Trim paint...

(Whoops... I once used flat-black Fab spray by mistake and couldn't tell the difference!)
 
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