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TR2/3/3A TR3 dashboard knobs

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mrv8q

mrv8q

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Hello, listers, I'm currently refreshing the interior of my TR3. I pulled the dashboard knobs, and tossed them into soapy water to clean them up. With a little scrubbing, they look nearly new, but now I want to touch up the white lettering, (now gone). I'm thinking a dab of white paint on the lettering, then a quick swipe of the knob face w/ turpentine. Any other ideas?
On a related note, I used a product called Vinylex, from Lexol. Although twice as expensive as similiar pruducts at Pep Boys, it's really impressed me as to how well it cleans, and the nice look it leaves. After first cleaning w/ mild soap and water, the Vinylex shocked me as to the extra dirt it pulled from the dash. Now, if I could get good results from the black wrinkle paint, I'd be on my way! 2 attempts already, now on to take 3!

Best, Kevin Browne
'59 TR3A, #58370
 
I am a die-hard vinylex fan too, a product of Lexol which is my also favorite leather preservative. When I cleaned my TR3 knobs, I used a pin-point white-out product for correcting typos. It has a very fine metal tube which you can use to fill in the recesses in the knobs.

I then stretch a smooth cotton rag on a flat piece of wood and polish off the excess white from the face of the knob by holding the knob and swirling it around on the cotton. After it dries, another coat of Vinylex and you're done.
 
I sanded the instrument panel to bare metal and primed it. the I applied about 3 caots of wrinkle paint, the first coat very light and the last 2 more heavy. after a few minutes I used a hair dryer and then used again after a few more minutes. The second time it came out very good. The first effort was not acceptable. On the knobs, I believe they were original. I replaced them but still have them. I will try your restoration method.
Gary
 
I just brushed on Testors White model paint. Then wiped them off with a soft rag. If there was any left I used a little brush cleaner (turpentine) in the rag to get the last bit. They came out nice.
 
I used some white artist's acrylic paint. Daubed into the recesses and then wiped. When I wrinkle painted the center section, I put it in a 200 deg oven...my wife's good about this kind of stuff. I had it laying on a small box so it would lay flat and it made it easier to put in and take out of the oven.
 
As Gary said, using a heat gun or hair dryer is a must for wrinkle finish to wrinkle. Make sure that the heat is spread evenly across the surface as you work. After the final coat, heat until the wrinkles form, and chase the wrinkles around the surface until you have 100% coverage.

Also use 3 heavy coats waiting 10-15 munutes between coats, but not heavy enough to puddle or run. I use heat after spraying coats 2 and 3 and have had success every time.
 
I found that the wrinkle paint wants to sag if the piece is not laid flat. What I did was place the dash piece on a couple of blocks so it would lay flat. Next, I put on two kinda heavy coats about ten minutes apart then put it in the oven at 200 degrees for and hour. On the knobs, I am more of a patina guy and like the rustic look off the aged bakelite knobs. Gary if you want to sell your old knobs let me know.
sp53
 
FWIW, I used to clean mine up and rub a white crayon into the letters, then wipe them off with a clean rag. It was easy to touch them up (not that I EVER had greasy hands driving a TR-3 day in and day out) and they held up pretty well for a few years at a time then I did it all over again.

Cheap and easy.
 
Thank you, listers, for your advice. Don P's suggestion with the Crayon was perfect. Sharing my house with the world's cutest 6.5 year-old, I had lots of white Crayons to choose from, and it worked perfectly! Also the advice of the hair dryer was right on, as well. I had been "baking" the panel under 2 floodlights, about an inch away, but the hair dryer cured the paint to perfection. Thanks to all! Now on to assembly...

Best, Kevin Browne
'59 TR3A #58370
 
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