It was decided that the Squire trim would be finished and installed this weekend (Sept 9-10). My wife applied her project management skills and somehow all the shattered hunks of faux wood trim were repaired, refinished, new vinyl cut, applied, and wood trim installed, in just two afternoons worth of work.

Below is some of the repair work done on the "wood". This is the third visible repair on this piece in it's life. It was broken in four pieces. Glass cloth was the first repair sometime in the dim past, and remnants can be seen. Then, some kind of grey epoxy, and finally, my repair, ugly (yet strong) chopped glass mat. This was one of the breaks, another is just out of view by my index finger. Bondo filled the big dings and holes on the other side.

The corners were in bad shape too, but they turned out nice. These have been sprayed with a base color coat, prior to the woodlike finish application.

Below is the color and brand of the base coat.

My wife finished the wood with a combination stain and varathane mixture.

The stain mix is brushed on with a coarse bristle brush and then the brush is drawn down the length of the piece, simulating grain.

Below are finished pieces next to base coat pieces. 20 pieces total. Impossible stuff to find in good shape.

While my wife was staining, I applied the vinyl. This is the first sheet. Tape, trace, cut. Eight more times. The wet method of application is the only way to apply vinyl sheets this big. 32oz water + 3 drops baby shampoo in a spray bottle, and you're set to go. Bondo spreaders work best for burnishing down the vinyl. I pulled the car onto the lawn to save my rear. It also had the added bonus of annoying the hell out of the neighbors. Don't try to apply vinyl in the sun, it gets hot and stretchy, making burnishing no fun. In the pic below the sun is not actually shining on the vinyl, it's shining in my face, the vinyl is in the cool shade.

Several hours later, the vinyl is done. My thumbs will never be the same. Pulling the vinyl around the tail light coving was a true bitch.

The newly restored wood trim is bolted on. Bizarre sized rubber well nuts are used. You have to order them from Greg Donahue, not a Home Depot item. No other emblems are on yet in the shot below. Several folks have checked out the car and thought that the light colored "wood" trim was actually -real- wood.

Finished "wood" trim , up close.

 

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