KC John

I've searched all over for the elusive Krylon 1613 satin black for the dash cluster. I went to Krylon's site and the best I could find is this.



Is this the number everyone is referring to?

IMSA GTO

I get mine from Travers Supply, but most of the industrial supply houses carry it.

http://www.travers.com/interiorexter.../p/81-010-126/

65 vette dude

SEM Trim Black is a good substitute. It's formulated to stick to bear metal, without a primer. It's very thin which helps keep the original grain detail. I stripped my cluster, and put 3 light coats, and it came out awesome.

Rob Magnano

I had really good luck with
Clocks by Roger
731-664-6120
He sent me 3 cans for my console glove box door and gauge cluster. It went in very easy and matched great.
Good luck.

karkrafter

The one thing to watch with anything Krylon is that often it is recoat sensitive...meaning if you try to repaint it down the road, it lifts..SEM doesn't

KC John

Thanks guys.

jimh_1962

You can get a case from global industries.

mudbone64

I believe I did mine in SEM trim black:

Fast58

The can pictured above is not what you want. The 1613 is acrylic lacquer and is sold through their industrial line in cases of 6 cans. It is called semi-flat black. I just got 2 cases online from Global Industries. Do a Google search for Krylon 1613. Many places sell it, but I have not seen it in stores.

Critter1

Yup, lacquer it is. That's what AC Delco used when the housings were new.

Decades ago, I had the Delco part number for the paint but it's long since discontinued.

Most spray cans contain enamel and that coating would be so thick that the character/grain in the cluster housing would loose that original crisp appearance.

Frankie the Fink

Yes, that Krylon 'INDUSTRIAL' labeling seems trivial but its a different paint formulation with a subtle 'laydown' that makes it closer to a factory finish. You have to be very cautious and only use several light coats on a C2 cluster so you don't fill in the grain on the piece's "camera case" finish. Its not hard to overdue it and ruin the whole look of the cluster. I shake the snot out of the can after letting it sit in a bucket of warm water for 10 minutes or so then do very light passes and try to keep those at two - three only if necessary.

71scgc

Go to MSC industrial supply for Krylon 1613. They have a CF discount that almost cuts the price in half. Super-fast delivery.

Carter

IMSA GTO

Is there a CF discount code or do you need to phone your order in and verbally request? I have used MSC over the years for machine tool supplies, and they have always had great prices and service.

Dave Cunningham

I've seen a million posts on this subject, and thought I would add another option. I know a lot of people don't have a full spray system at there house and prefer to use rattle cans , but if you do have a compressor and spray equipment like I do, I think this is a far superior way to go. I own an illuminated sign shop, and all across North America there is pretty well one preferred paint system for our type of business, it is a specialized line of two stage polyurethane, called Mathews , which is a division of PPG. The whole system is designed to come out satin, and the black is pretty well a perfect match to SEM trim black . I use it on everything that requires that finish, it is beautiful paint to work with and is literally dries to the point you can handle it within about fifteen minutes, with a full cure in a couple of hours. The stuff is bulletproof, close to the strength of powder coating.
If you had a bigger sign company in your area, they probably would be glad to sell you some, it is a four to one to one system, four parts paint, one part activator ( and this can be any polyurethane activator) and one part reducer. Too easy, and it comes out the same every single time.
So there you go.

ry57pont

If you use krlon, it HAS to be the industrial "1613" the big box stores "1613" is not the same, too shiny. I would also use a SEM self etching primer because you are painting on chrome.

71scgc

IMSA,

I've always called and requested the CF discount. It cuts the price almost in half. If you call in the am, you'll have your order the next pm. It's been like that every time I've ordered from them, and I live in a rural route delivery area.

Again, I'm not saying it's the perfect paint for a gauge cluster, but it is great for many other areas of these cars. I have used it on interior parts on my '71 coupe (Gauge cluster, e-brake cover) with excellent results.

Carter

BK N 66

[QUOTE=65 vette dude;1591321716]SEM Trim Black is a good substitute. It's formulated to stick to bear metal, without a primer. It's very thin which helps keep the original grain detail. I stripped my cluster, and put 3 light coats, and it came out awesome.[/QUOTwE]


hey vette dude

what did u use to strip off the old paint? did u remove your cluster
from the car? how did u mask off all the glass on the gauges?

i would like to do my cluster but i dont want to remove the cluster.

any suggestions 0r pointers? can u show me a picture of y0ur
completed job. thanks

Hitch

[QUOTE=BK N 66;1591345047]Never thought to leave it in the car to paint a cluster. I guess it's possible but why not pull it out and clean the back side of the lens and the gauge faces?

Hitch

IMSA GTO

Thanks Carter, I will give them a call on my next order. I agree on the crazy fast service from MSC. I have bought cutting tools and other machine tool supplies from them over many years and they have always been very competitive and consistent. Appreciate the heads up on the CF discount.

Frankie the Fink

I've painted a lot of parts with them still installed in the car, but I think doing that with a gauge cluster would be a nightmare. The work to tape off the gauge faces/trim rings/***** and then protecting the rest of the interior from overspray would be more trouble than pulling the cluster and doing it right. You'd still prob have to pull the steering wheel off as well.