66 Toro Eyebrows -- Black or Chrome?

[tera155]

Hello, I just joined the group last week and attended the Denver meet up which I found very helpful and enjoyable -- thank you Mike for arranging it.

It was during the Meet Up I was informed that the eyebrows on my 66 are not correct -- currently they are painted the same color as the entire car -- zz frost green.

So, my question is: what is the correct finish for a 66 eyebrow -- I have seen numerous examples on the web of both black and chrome versions. And any info on paint codes/colors for the black would be also appreciated.

Thanks for the feedback.

Rds,

Thad Dupper
396876M16031

[deaddds]

I've seen chrome ones on a # of cars but all mine including parts cars are painted body color. I also see quite a few black rear panels and the cars are a different color, Not sure why.

[Twilight Fenrir]

I'm not sure how they're supposed to be... I was always told they were supposed to be chrome..

I plan to paint the small ridge chrome, and the large black area in the middle matte black. so they'll look like vents from a distance.

Eventually, when I get a parts car, i'm going to tinker and see if I can't use the eyebrows for an actual cold-air intake. Ideally with their own throttle plates. But I'm not butchering mine untill I can tinker with scrap.

[janeg]

if you look at original marketing photos, it can be seen that the eyebrow panel is flat black surrounded by chrome on the raised edge. Unfortunately ours was painted over too during repaint. We put them back to black, but I would like that chrome edge.

[toro_mike]

Here's a great photo from an advertisement that really shows a great look at how it was done...



Hopefully that helps some more!

[tera155]

How difficult is it to has this single eyebrow piece have three finishes on it:
1) the body color around the edging
2) the chrome highlight
3) the mat black on the inner part of the eyebrow

I was fortunate to get a spare set of eyebrows on ebay -- they appear to be all chrome. So the question is -- what order is the correct order to finish these eyebrows correctly? Chrome the entire piece, then paint the trim color and finally add the mat black?

Thanks for the advice. Rds, Thad

[toro_mike]

How difficult is it to has this single eyebrow piece have three finishes on it:
1) the body color around the edging
2) the chrome highlight
3) the mat black on the inner part of the eyebrow

I was fortunate to get a spare set of eyebrows on ebay -- they appear to be all chrome. So the question is -- what order is the correct order to finish these eyebrows correctly? Chrome the entire piece, then paint the trim color and finally add the mat black?

Thanks for the advice. Rds, Thad

It really appears to be a difficult task. One that most seem not to tackle. I think your order makes sense and would work. Let us know if you go through this process as it would be very interesting for the rest of us!

[Twilight Fenrir]

How difficult is it to has this single eyebrow piece have three finishes on it:
1) the body color around the edging
2) the chrome highlight
3) the mat black on the inner part of the eyebrow

I was fortunate to get a spare set of eyebrows on ebay -- they appear to be all chrome. So the question is -- what order is the correct order to finish these eyebrows correctly? Chrome the entire piece, then paint the trim color and finally add the mat black?

Thanks for the advice. Rds, Thad

I admit to not having looked too closely at that particular area just yet... but isn't that portion plastic? I don't think it will really chrome-plate... They do have some pretty convincing chrome spraypaint now-adays though...

Also, i know a guy on another forum who would probably be willing to make some actual stainless pieces you could glue ontop of it, like on the tail-lights. He's got really reasonable pricing too...

[Toronado66]

The order can be either... the pieces are pot metal so finding good cores for plating...and getting a good plater are critical. Once the chrome is on, you need to roughen up the non-chrome parts and paint. Either center in black or outsides in body color can be done first. Personally I'd probably do the black first. Body color is hardest to do... if they overspray one can redo it. But if they don't...you don't have to risk the body color paint.

The center is more of a semi-gloss than a full flat black.

Body color for the outer part.

Darwin Falk
TOA#7

[MCKINLM]

Yes indeed, the eyebrows are a GREAT look but are pretty tedious to work with. From my experience the chrome I have seen on them has stood up pretty well and actually all that shows of it is that little bead around the black. So you may not really need to have them rechromed.

If the bead has been painted over with a previous paint job you can try chipping the paint off (carefully!!) with small tools. I did that to mine and it worked great. I then just got some black paint and carefully brushed it on....all of that done while still on the car. Did I mention tedious

I recently had the car repainted and they did a very nice job masking off the bead and centers of the eyebrows and respraying the rest body color.

BUT....the other trick is getting them ON/OFF the car. That is a real pain as the only way I found to do it is to remove the entire headlight bucket....and that was no fun at all. Doable...but wow, nerve racking and awkward.

Hope you are enjoying your car and getting her all spruced up!!

Mike