Ordered and recieved a new set of convertible header pieces for my 69 Pace Car - they are CHQ stamped as I understand they all are. The finish on them is supposed to be non glare unlike the 67/68 pieces and they are but they look like they are painted and not the rough looking finish up top like the originals. Also they are fully finished that way (with the exception of a very short section where the windshield pillar meets it) and I thought the edge where it joins the upper windshield molding meets the header was supposed to be highly polished. If they aren't correct, I don't know if there are any options since this is the only place that makes them. Guess I could get the 67/68s and dull them somehow. Thoughts?

That is how they are now. Even GM nos parts I bought in 83 were done that way, painted on top with just the downleg masked and chromed. The flat chrome finish is only on factory production parts :(

Kevin is correct, unfortunately. I have been looking for a good set of originals for years to put on my 69. I almost pulled the trigger on a set of NOS moldings several years ago, until I looked closely at the picture and saw that they had a painted finish just like the aftermarket. To be honest, I would consider just repainting the ones that are on the car without even removing them before I would go to the trouble of installing a set of painted aftermarket ones. You get the same effect after a few years of the top weatherstrip rubbing on them.

I have called a number of chrome shops to see if anyone can figure out how to duplicate the factory finish. No one seems to know how it was done. Looking at my originals, it appears to be some kind of chemical etching to me. You cannot really feel a parting line where the chrome transitions into the dull finish, so it is not some type of paint or coating over the chrome.

Also, most of the 68 model year cars had the dull finish over approximately half of the molding. At some point, they transitioned to almost all of the molding having the dull finish, except for the little tab as you described. My 69 was built in Sept of 68 (early car), so this transition was apparently in place for all of the 69 model year.

If you happen to find someone who can correctly duplicate this finish, please let all of us know about it!

Tom, I spoke to a couple chrome gurus and the thinking is the the copper base coat was roughend (like glass beading) and not polished prior to the nickel coat. That is my .02

Tom, I spoke to a couple chrome gurus and the thinking is the the copper base coat was roughend (like glass beading) and not polished prior to the nickel coat. That is my .02

Kevin, that would seem to make sense. It would be nice if one of them would try it to see if the same result could be obtained. If I had a chrome shop, I would try it out on an old bumper or molding. I would think that there would be a market for this, but then again, the number of convertibles being restored is a small subset of all the other cars. I do know this was an industry-wide DOT requirement starting in 68, but the other manufacturers may have used different methods to matte their moldings. One would think that GM at least would be consistent across their product lines, however.

Anyone have a good picture of a factory original finish?

Anyone have a good picture of a factory original finish?

There's a picture of one in this thread, but it is hard to tell the difference in a photograph.

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=53556&page=2

I still have a factory set I pulled off Jinx, and the GM NOS set from 83. I should be able to get them out for a photo shoot in between getting ready for the hurricane :D as long as I have power of course

Batten down the hatches firs Kevin, I can wait till the storm passes for another picture of them! :beers:

Tom, I spoke to a couple chrome gurus and the thinking is the the copper base coat was roughend (like glass beading) and not polished prior to the nickel coat. That is my .02

Yeah I thought about that too

OK, they were easy to get to and I have most preparations done :) NOS in front, factory in rear.

http://www.fototime.com/5E49C94F6D4768B/standard.jpg

As you can see the factory one looks MUCH different from the NOS. I saved the factory ones to try to have them rechromed in the far future.

Looks like you would be able to feel the texture in the original ones?

Yes you can :) but it is a very small texture