C3 General General C3 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

1981 appearance change

Old 12-14-2013, 10:26 PM
  #1  
namvet6869
Racer

Support Corvetteforum!
Thread Starter
 
namvet6869's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: Chester Illinois
Posts: 397
Received 16 Likes on 13 Posts

Default 1981 appearance change

81's are dressed out with black trim. thought I would try something different. bought chrome vents and stripped paint off bottom rock guards and they were stainless so I polished them and they come out pretty good. thinking about trying to strip all trim and polishing it up. I know most will say to leave it stock but this might look good. what do you all think!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Attached Images   
Old 12-15-2013, 12:08 AM
  #2  
Will's'74VetteL-82
Pro
 
Will's'74VetteL-82's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2010
Location: Pennington NJ
Posts: 737
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default



I think it looks good! BTW that's a really clean 81 you have!

Will
Old 12-15-2013, 12:31 AM
  #3  
Frank_Nesta
Racer
 
Frank_Nesta's Avatar
 
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles CA
Posts: 478
Received 42 Likes on 33 Posts

Default

I like it.
Old 12-15-2013, 01:39 AM
  #4  
3JsVette
Race Director
 
3JsVette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2007
Location: NYC NY
Posts: 13,378
Received 2,466 Likes on 1,641 Posts

Default

I think it's matter of personal taste. It does look good but.......I also think only a real Corvette person would notice the difference.
That's a very clean car you have there. Nice!
Old 12-15-2013, 01:47 AM
  #5  
Amorget
Pro
 
Amorget's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2008
Posts: 652
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Originally Posted by 3JsVette
I think it's matter of personal taste. It does look good but.......I also think only a real Corvette person would notice the difference.
That's a very clean car you have there. Nice!
Those are the best mods, ones that 99% of people walking by think that GM did it that way.
Old 12-15-2013, 02:50 AM
  #6  
bebezote
Pro
 
bebezote's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2013
Posts: 653
Received 36 Likes on 29 Posts
Default

i like it as well... for me..the 1 direction is the best... either all accents chrome...or... satin silver, or matte black... but all done 1 direction...

nice, very clean vette !! my favorite body style !
Old 12-15-2013, 11:02 AM
  #7  
namvet6869
Racer

Support Corvetteforum!
Thread Starter
 
namvet6869's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: Chester Illinois
Posts: 397
Received 16 Likes on 13 Posts

Default

Thanks for the replies. Going to try strip it next spring when things warm up. Will post new pics then.
Old 12-17-2013, 12:05 AM
  #8  
RedRedRed
Racer
 
RedRedRed's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2009
Location: Freeport, Illinois
Posts: 291
Received 56 Likes on 45 Posts

Default

I like what you've done, it looks great. I emphasizes how low the car is. I would leave the window trim black, though, especially with the black interior and glass tops. To me, polished window trim would look out of place. Just my $.02.
Old 12-17-2013, 09:27 PM
  #9  
persuader
Drifting
 
persuader's Avatar
 
Member Since: Aug 2013
Location: Easton Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,453
Received 88 Likes on 51 Posts

Default

Looks good but the rocker needs the black stripe to break it up.
Old 12-17-2013, 09:49 PM
  #10  
maxmachz
Racer
 
maxmachz's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2011
Location: South Chase WI
Posts: 315
Received 12 Likes on 10 Posts

Default

All my black trim paint was falling off....took ultra fine steel wool and cleaned it all off, was really easy! I was going to take pics of it that way, but forgot. Repainted it all black.

Old 12-18-2013, 06:30 AM
  #11  
demoke
Racer
 
demoke's Avatar
 
Member Since: Dec 2008
Location: Matthews North Carolina
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts

Default

Nice work. Thought about doing something similar to my 80. Thanks for the ideas.
Old 12-19-2013, 12:17 AM
  #12  
doorgunner
Nam Labrat

Support Corvetteforum!
 
doorgunner's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2013
Location: New Orleans Loo-z-anna
Posts: 33,881
Received 4,153 Likes on 2,726 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by RedRedRed
I like what you've done, it looks great. I emphasizes how low the car is. I would leave the window trim black, though, especially with the black interior and glass tops. To me, polished window trim would look out of place. Just my $.02.

What he said!

Old 12-19-2013, 05:53 PM
  #13  
pokey1
Advanced
 
pokey1's Avatar
 
Member Since: Dec 2012
Location: newaygo michigan
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I never figured out how to post pics but I stripped and polished all of the trim on my 81 last winter and I would never paint it again. Every place I took it this summer people commented on how good it looks. Go for it. You wont regret it.
Old 12-19-2013, 08:22 PM
  #14  
LannyL81
Melting Slicks
 
LannyL81's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2005
Location: Green Valley Arizona
Posts: 3,185
Likes: 0
Received 106 Likes on 71 Posts

Default

Glad I found this thread; I will be getting my car back from the paint shop tomorrow (12/20) and it is now a gloss black and I was thinking the black trim was not going to work.

I began to wire brush off what was left of the black paint and now I too am thinking about going all polished...perhaps put a coat of clear on the shiny metal trim.

Have to find-out how to get the powder coating off the rockers though...anyone happen to know what to do?
Old 12-19-2013, 09:16 PM
  #15  
diehrd
Safety Car
 
diehrd's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 4,000
Received 293 Likes on 189 Posts

Default

Use airplane stripper it falls right off with no effort at all aside from a paint brush.
Old 12-19-2013, 11:49 PM
  #16  
namvet6869
Racer

Support Corvetteforum!
Thread Starter
 
namvet6869's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: Chester Illinois
Posts: 397
Received 16 Likes on 13 Posts

Default

Don't use a wire brush. I used paint stripper and 00 grade steel wool. Then good chrome and wheel polish and buff.
Old 12-20-2013, 09:01 AM
  #17  
LannyL81
Melting Slicks
 
LannyL81's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2005
Location: Green Valley Arizona
Posts: 3,185
Likes: 0
Received 106 Likes on 71 Posts

Default

I have aircraft paint stripper left over from removing the paint off of the body, so I will try it on the trim.

Get notified of new replies

To 1981 appearance change



Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: 1981 appearance change



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:02 AM.