I need some advice please.

The rear centre panel on my 91 Formula is a bit worse for wear - the lacquer has gone a bit cloudy.

I am after purchasing another one and have seen one for sale on ebay (here in the UK )

The one currently on the car is black with a red bird and the Pontiac is also red. The one I have seen for sale is silver.

My car is gunmetal grey and I need to know what colour the rear panel should be? She's not a concourse car, but I would like to replace with the correct one.

Thanks very much in advance.

 

The color change is year dependant. 91-92 at least are red, earlier cars are silver, but I'm sure the year it changed over. Usually the center piece will clean up. Treat it as clear plastic, cause the paint is on the inside. Hit it with a cleaner, and then polish. I use Zaino on my taillights, but I've also had good luck with Mothers plastic polish, and Meguires products. Give it a try you might be able to save your existing piece. You may also want to remove it, clean the backside and refinish it.

 

Thanks Drew - i will give it a go - the cloudyness seems to be on the inside in between the paint and the clear plastic - can you actually get into that bit?

 

Probably not, but you can probably get the outside clean, smooth, and shiny enough that it won't stand out. It's possible that the paint might be peeling on the inside. Does the cloudyness cross the red areas? or just the black? If it's only in the black area you could probably sand the damaged area smooth, and respray it from the back side. If the red area is damaged, you could have a vinyl shop make a stencil of the logo and Pontiac script. Then just sand the inside till it's clear, apply the stencil, paint the red first and then the black.