80TPIVette

Hey all,
On the 1980 model rocker panels, are they supposed to have a flat black finish or a semi-gloss finish? They have a small 1/4 inch strip across the top that is polished aluminum, but the bottom is glossy black with runs right now...thanks to previous owner... :crazy:

gotchashawn

I'm gonna hafta vote : semi-gloss. :cool:

MN-Brent

I redid mine with a Gloss Black Epoxy spray paint. It is really more of a satin finish compared to the body paint and looks pretty good IMHO. Should wear much better than standard enamel paint also.

Brent...

Pauld

I think they are supposed to be gloss black :cheers:

mapman

semi-gloss black.

If you are interested in how your car looked when it was originally delivered, then you should get a copy of the NCRS 1980-1982 Corvette Technical Information Manual and Judging Guide.

redbeast

I thought is said flat black in the assembly manual but now I cant find it. I found the page that says the side louvers are flat black. That might be why I thought the rocker panels are flat too.


[Modified by redbeast, 12:52 PM 4/17/2004]

80TPIVette

Thanks for all the replies. I might even just finish emoving the paint and polish them out.

Vette-4-Life

I painted mine with POR 15 and then used a satin black top coat. Also as an experiment i sprayed one with a clear coat which was a mistake. That one is now turning white and will need to be polished out. The other one looks like it was just painted and its been 18 months.

UKPaul

I tried that :( What you'll find is that the black was applied over a clear anodised finish. The anodising looks good but is bound to be covered in scratches & marks. I ended up removing the anodising with wet-or-dry paper which took ages (it can be chemically removed). I then polished them up & got them black anodised. Finish looks excellent, will last a lot longer than paint, but isn't NCRS compliant :)
If you get them anodised then you'll have to ensure that all traces of the original anodising is removed as anodising can't be re-anodised & you'll end up with patches of silver showing through the black. The problem areas are theinside edges of the groove that runs the length of the panel. It's a real PITA rubbing the anodising out of those corners so I'd advise getting the original stuff chemically stripped (even then, make sure they know to remove all traces of the original anodising). If you do get them black anodised & there are some slivers of silver showing through in the groove (man) then a black permanent marker pen is ideal for touching them in (Bubba? Me?).
Here's a pic of mine (please ignore the paintwork - I try to :( )


:cheers:

Shark Racer

Every time you post that pic Paul, I drool. Your setup is clearly the way to go on the all black rocker panel cars. :smash:

UKPaul

Thanks :) 2 years later my fingerprints are nearly all back! When I said it was a PITA rubbing them down by hand I meant it. It's one of those jobs that once you start, you have to finish :( Get them chemically stripped :yesnod: The only problem with anodising is that the metal has to be good. Castings such as the alt mount can't be done with any guarantee of a good result.

I don't like posting that pic as it just reminds me of the paintwork! Whoever sprayed my car must have had bad knees, or didn't like bending down :lol: The top is really nice, but the lower edges have about a micron of paint on them. A quick rub with a fingernail will reveal the original color (maroon metallic).
:cheers:

Jim Martley2

Check on getting them powder coated. I stripped & painted my rocker panels on the 82 AT LEAST once a year due to them chipping. I had them powdercoated 2 years and 15,000 miles ago and they STILL look like new. Well worth the $70 I paid to have them coated.

LABulldog

I've done it both ways and personally I prefer the semi-gloss. My AIM does say that it should be a flat black. That's what I did the first time I refinished mine. Looked good until I made a mistake and tried to wax them. For some reason the wax wouldn't come off properly and left some streaks in the paint. A couple of weeks ago I couldn't take it anymore and repainted them. I did one side in the semi-gloss and really liked it, so in turn I did the other one too. Glad I did.

Either way, it's your car. Go with what looks good to YOU! Have fun. :)