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Considering painting my antenna mast, not yet installed.

Started by 52Cadillac, April 28, 2013, 07:54:09 AM

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52Cadillac

Has anyone else done this.
1) Either in Black or a chrome type rattle can paint. I've used before on other stuff, and it looked decent. My concern is when mast is raised up and down it will wear off the paint on parts of the mast.
2) Paint just the part of the mast that sticks out permantly. It's about 10-12" that doesn't go all the way down. However, will look funky when mast extended all the way, and rest of its not painted. Std am radio probably won't be played a lot, unless I upgrade.
3) Send off to chromer to have chrome refinished. If they will accept a small inconvenient part such as the mast. Then the dollars to do so may be prohibitive.
4) Just put on as is, and hope nobody notices. Hehe, not an option.
Anyone else have any ideas, advice, or have done this type of restoration please chime in.
Thanks, Mike
SemperFiFund.org
(Helping combat injured Marines)

R Schroeder

My opinion is that paint is not going to stay on there. It may not even go down due to the thickness of the paint.
I would try and steel wool it to shine it up a bit, and then wax it.

Nice creeper .
Roy

52Cadillac

Roy, the creeper sucks after spending so long under the car with the flywheel problem.
When I look towards the top of mast. It looks like the chrome is worn completely off to like a brass finish. If I try to shine up with steel wool, I think it would look the same or take down to original metal? What is the original metal? The mast isn't stainless steel is it? What uniform finish will I achieve by shining with steel wool?
Thanks, Mike
SemperFiFund.org
(Helping combat injured Marines)

R Schroeder

If it has brass it probably is steel, and they chrome plated the sucker.
If there is rust on it, then the plating has come off. I don't think they are all solid brass.
You might have a problem there.....ha
Roy

R Schroeder

So, what's wrong with the creeper. I was thinking of buying one like that.
Roy

52Cadillac

Naw a problem has a solution just waiting to happen. I may just paint the top 12". It should look good until antenna is raised.
Nothing wrong with it. But I laid on it for to long. Ok im getting older and was stiff all over from the flywheel job. There ya go. It came in a bundle sears was selling with jack stands. The low profile one from Harbor freight sucks, used very little, and hard to roll around on. I use it for parts now. Craftsman much better roller.
Mike
SemperFiFund.org
(Helping combat injured Marines)

Louis Smith

Paint an antennae?  Never heard of it, or painting over any other chrome part.  What year is the car?  Is getting a new antennae, a cost effective option?

52Cadillac

It's a 52. New or nos antenna mast not avail.
Ok, for now ill only paint the part that is left out when the mast is in the down position. Ill post up a pic of the results when it meets my driver standard.
SemperFiFund.org
(Helping combat injured Marines)

52Cadillac

Well I didn't go down the road I thought I was going to take. When I started cleaning her up to paint I noticed a good bit of what appeared to be brass was showing up more. So I used my Drexel type tool to polish her up. I only did the top sections that don't collapse all the way down into vehicle fender.  I know its not chrome, but it reminds me of the Gold on a 52, and i think it may match alright.
How's it look?
Thanks, Mike
SemperFiFund.org
(Helping combat injured Marines)

J. Gomez

Mike,

Have you considered or look into the Caswell chrome kits? If the mast was chrome (which most of them are) you may be lucky using their brush chrome kit to redo the mast, just a though.

Good luck..!
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

gary griffin

  I had my vacuum actuated antenna rebuilt and that included a new mast so they must be available somewhere. Klaus Wojack rebuilt it but I think he is retired.

  I don't know if your car is a usual driver but it sounds like it is not a trailer queen.

  Antenna masts are often broken off so there must be a way to replace them easily.

Gary Griffin

1940 LaSalle 5029 4 door convertible sedan
1942 Cadillac 6719 restoration almost complete?
1957 Cadillac 60-special (Needs a little TLC)
2013 Cadillac XTS daily driver

52Cadillac

Gary maybe your right. I've not considered that. Klaus has retired. I've a couple of on its to work with to try to get going, but only one mast to work with.
Mike
SemperFiFund.org
(Helping combat injured Marines)

52Cadillac

Quote from: J. Gomez on April 30, 2013, 10:01:11 AM
Mike,

Have you considered or look into the Caswell chrome kits? If the mast was chrome (which most of them are) you may be lucky using their brush chrome kit to redo the mast, just a though.

Good luck..!
I missed your post entirely J. I will check it out. Thanks for the info.
Mike
SemperFiFund.org
(Helping combat injured Marines)

52Cadillac

Hey Gomez, those chrome kits look good. Have you tried any? A bit pricey for just a mast, but worth noting for future ref. Wow, even show chrome.
Thanks, Mike
SemperFiFund.org
(Helping combat injured Marines)

J. Gomez

Mike,

I have tried the brush kits with some mix results on my earlier trials. Using the wan to brushed the piece is tedious and requires patient and thus possible my results.  ;D

What I yet to try is submerging the parts instead of brushing them, but that is on the bottom of my to-do list.

These are the kits I was referring to- > http://www.caswellplating.com/plug-n-plate-brush-plating-kits.html?limit=all

Good luck..!
J. Gomez
CLC #23082