Who can restore A/C vents

[JonH]

As the title says. Any recommendations on who restores vents?

[EV2RTSE]

Performance Car Graphics or Instrument Specialties should be able to help.

[JonH]

Thank You!

[anlauto]

If they're not all busted up, you should just be able to clean them up yourself...to replace the chrome trim, you could just use a Molotow Chrome paint pen    I'm not sure what these places that restore them would do different ?

[screamindriver]

Depends on the level of correctness you want to end up with..If you're looking to send your old pieces away and get a show quality set back then I recommend Gcar trim...Glenn does all the vacuum metalizing and detail work in house..Painting the surrounds just doesn't look correct and immediately throws the "cheapness flag" up for me with the whole vehicle...And as stated you can't go wrong with instrument specialties in RI. That's another place you can send your parts and get a no excuses process done...

[JonH]

Not looking for show quality, but they need refreshed. Instrument specialties quoted $275 per unit or $85 per if I took them apart. (I assume a unit is 1 vent) If I could get them apart I would do it myself. Not gonna spend $600 on them. Used on ebay are ridiculous. I will look at them a little more and see if I can get them apart. Any help with that would be appreciated as well...

[EV2RTSE]

I've used modeler's foil to imitate the plastic chrome or I guess I should say, vacuum chrome process they used originally. The vents come out of the housings by carefully prying out the small rivet pins on the sides. There will be a tensioning clip that keeps the vent from flopping up & down, wedged in on one side of each vent. Sometimes these are rusty and brittle, if so you can fab up a replacement with some thin gauge sheetmetal or even a soda can.

[EV2RTSE]

Here is an excellent post for anyone needing to repair any broken vanes, damaged housings, etc. He was working with B-Body Charger but E-body is similar.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=86578.0

[JonH]

Here is an excellent post for anyone needing to repair any broken vanes, damaged housings, etc. He was working with B-Body Charger but E-body is similar.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=86578.0

Thank you for this! Now I will have to decide if I have the patience and skill...

[screamindriver]

Wow, the modeler's foil looks pretty darn convincing...I was a big modeler in my youth but I never had the opportunity to use that stuff.. Is it durable ?? Do you have to coat it after application ?? Gcar is very reasonable with the true vacuuming process but I'm always looking at different solutions..

[EV2RTSE]

It's not the most durable stuff in the world, but the original vacuum chromed parts weren't either I guess. For these a/c vents where they are recessed into the dash and not really subject to a whole lot of wear & tear i believe it's good enough. And it does really look like the original finish. I have a photo of a NOS vent somewhere and it's almost a perfect match to that. Although the instructions don't call for it, probably because no one is handling a built model car day to day, maybe a light coat of spray adhesive before applying the foil would give it a little more durability for the long term, I didn't think of that at the time. Or maybe a top coat of clear or something would also help.