Allegro Club International

[Richard Howe]

The S3 Aggro restyle, much like the majority of car (re)styles produced for the masses in the 80s, suffered from what I consider one of the biggest styling faux-pas of the period: suddenly all chrome was considered "tacky", and matt black paint was "cool". As such, what was brightwork around the windows on earlier cars got sprayed over.

The paint on Gonzo's brightwork is fading and wearing, and showing the chrome underneath. Now don't get me wrong, I'd much rather make things all shiny if it would suit the look, but with the S3 wing mirrors, chin spoiler, sill covers and girder-sized bumpers all looking resplendently dark grey/black, I'd rather keep his window trim in the style to which he has become accustomed.

So, to cut short what's already a long story: where might I be able to buy some paint to go over the chrome? Does "normal" paint work, either with or without some kind of priming? I ask this because in the 80s they sold "special" paint to disguise your terrible expensive chrome and make it look so much cheaper, tackier, and en vogue. I've tried checking eBay but my keyword-fu is failing me.
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...that's why Allegro will look as good 5 years from now as it does today.

[Colin T]

Hi Richard, I'm having the same problem.

When putting my car together I had several sets of window trim, some black, some 'chrome' (it is actually stainless steel). I used the best ones and so painted over some stainless pieces, and the black pieces, some of which had a couple of flaky spots, I stripped and then painted (the old paint was very difficult to remove despite having flaked in some places).

I keyed the stainless steel lightly, maybe with 800 grade paper and then painted over with Halfords Satin Black.

Unfortunately, some of it started flaking after less then a fortnight!!!!

After a few months a lot of it looked really awful, in some areas the paint would come off with your nails, in others it was very firmly attached.

I did some tests and found that a 'Tough Black' paint did not attach well, but an etch primer did, and was reasonably scratch-resistant. What I have now done is remove the trim, and then yesterday I stripped the Halfords paint off (it came off very easily with Nitromors, much more easily than the original factory black) and then keyed it firmly using 600 grade paper. I then painted over the top with etch primer (Bilt Hamber's Etchweld). When the weather is good I will paint the top coats in 'Tough Black', as this combination did work well in my earlier test.

I did try to find some stainless steel paint but could not find any that was Satin Black.
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Hell has frozen over...... the car formally known as 'Heap' is back on the road!

[Richard Howe]

All useful information, thanks a lot Colin. I look forward to hearing how your latest attempt works out.
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...that's why Allegro will look as good 5 years from now as it does today.

[brian]

hi there-
for what its worth, the 'black' paint on the trim under my windows is flaking- and its chrome underneath- BL just painted over the chrome. Maybe the same on the rest of the door trim too? I noticed this was also the case with Volvos, when they went to black window trim, they just painted over the chrome, and it can be removed carefully.

I also prefer chrome to black, and have a series 3 too. I was able to find some series 2 doors in the same colour that have the chrome trim. A series 2 grille fits as well, and adds a bit of sparkle to the front.

Bootlids are interchangable as well, if you can be bothered, and you can fit series 2 bumpers too, although I still have my big black ones, as they offer better protection to the bodywork.

[crippsacars]

Talking of painting over chrome - MG versions of the rover 75 (ZT) seem to have had the rover 75 chrome strip along the door bottoms painted - this seems to peel off sometimes as well.
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"If you think an allegro is intresting you are criminally insane" Said the man in the 12mpg Range Rover sport as it depreciated another £100 in the time it took to write this!

[Colin T]

I have had limited success.

I bought some more of the paint that stuck well, but the new cans of it don't stick as well. I had some left in the old can, and did an equal side-by-side comparison and the older paint sticks very well but the new paint doesn't - maybe the formulation has changed.

I will do some more tests and if this still is the case and there is nothing I can do to get the new paint to stick I will contact the supplier to query this.
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Hell has frozen over...... the car formally known as 'Heap' is back on the road!

[Richard Howe]

Thanks for the update Colin.
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...that's why Allegro will look as good 5 years from now as it does today.

[Laurence]

Hi Richard,

Have a look at the Frost RestorersEquipment catalogue www.frost.co.uk

Use Pre Paint Prep 10041 to clean off any wax/silicone/dirt etc

Self Etch Primer 16014 adheres to steel, aluminum, stainless & scuffed galvinised steel. So spray it to your prepped shiny bits, then spray over with Tough Black satin paint.

Perhaps you could use High Temp Coating Satin Black 10393, it's really durable, use Pre Paint Prep 10041 first, then spray on the 10393.

I've never tried the High Temp stuff before, so I don't know exactly how it will look, but I do like the Tough Black satin paint finish.