The louvers are painted black from the factory, underneath they are white.
The louvers are painted black from the factory, underneath they are white.
Posts: 255
There was a post on Facebook about the louvres and someone used a textured paint prior to painting them with SEM trim black to mimic the original texture of them? Every car I've seen had a smooth surface on the louvres, not textured. Were they textured from the factory and over time, lost the texture?
Probably talking about my car. David sprayed a texturizer on the louvers first before spraying SEM trim black in a paint booth. The texture is very subtle and shallow, not enough to catch on your fingernail or create lint specks from a total. I had my louvers refinished once with no texture about 20 years ago but I actually like the texture instead. I used to always feel the need to spray tire shine or something on them when it was flat. With this finish I just wipe them clean with my drying towel and don't need to put anything on them for a good look.
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Andy Lien
VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023
Photography and Backpacking is life.
Was Fargo, ND
Now Kansas City
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif.
Posts: 2,083
My VIN: 0934
Club(s): (NCDMC) (DCUK)
And my louver is also original but DOES have a texture.
- Not a lot of texture but def not smooth
- The car is an early VIN unit
The questions are what the DMC louver finish specs were and whether the specs changed during the factory run. The answers may lie in the specs/drawings/records DMC Classic holds. The DeLorean Millenium Concours pdf. says only that it must be a uniform black color.
Based on seeing Ds over the years with either a smooth or lightly textured black finish a guess is that the louver supplier made them with varying texture whether it was specified or not.
March '81, 5-speed, black interior
Andy Lien
VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023
Photography and Backpacking is life.
Was Fargo, ND
Now Kansas City
Location: Renton, WA
Posts: 342
My VIN: 02261
Club(s): (PNDC)
I agree with ssdelorean Shannon Y that it will be better to apply a clear coat SEM Satin Clear Color Coat on top of the SEM Trim black. The black paint on the fiberglass louvers and the black paint on the fiberglass engine cover will last much longer with a clear coat.
I tried SEM Trim black on the three metal trim pieces that surround the windshield. Tiny rocks thrown in the air from vehicles in front of me chipped away at the paint. Later I removed the metal trim pieces and had all three powder coated semi-gloss black. The powder coat is now over ten years old and still looks fine with no defects.
Mark Vanyo
Links to DeLorean related web sites!
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?19...s-Part-I-of-II.
~LXA~
Dunmurry | Stuttgart | Leipzig | Munich | Tochigi | Fremont | Bratislava | Sindelfingen | Kansas City | Oakville | Coventry
I had my windshield side strips and header powder coated like 20 years ago, still looks great with no chips. I have read from reputable vendors that powder coating the top strip can be an issue causing irreversible warpage during the baking process. I did not experience that myself, but they say they have seen it. So perhaps some caution is needed to keep the temp low in the oven, if that is possible. I don't know enough about the process to comment any further.
Andy Lien
VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023
Photography and Backpacking is life.
Was Fargo, ND
Now Kansas City