So I've got this pair of original GM exterior door handles. They're nice and tight, no broken springs, good stuff. Only one problem, they've got some overspray on the undersides, and a few edges where the original black was buffed off.

Now normally, I'd just shoot em with my favorite semi-gloss black rattle can, but I figured I'd ask the hive what I should use.

 

SEM Trim Black...

John

 

Krylon Fusion

 

John Deere semi gloss rattle bomb paint......it's a damn near perfect match to the OEM door handle and t-top trim black, and lasts a long time.

SEM does make good stuff, too

 

I've used the John Deer paint color on the green headlight bezel clips and it is a perfect match to the original color.

 

I also have used SEM trim black for many years. If anything, it might be just a tiny bit flatter than original, but its so dang close, & has such a nice smooth finish. Even the rattle can version of it sprays nice.
Original color is much closer to a semi flat, than a semi gloss imo.

 

I had them powder coated. I figured the durability would be better then paint.

 

Works great on door handles, locks and headlight bezels. Looks factory and last.

 

Another vote for Trim Black, although I think I used Duplicolor's version for mine as no parts stores near me carry SEM.

 

Both SEM and Duplicolor Trim Black are great.

 

'Nother vote for SEM. They have satin and flat. Flat is pretty flat.....might go satin.

 

Hmm... Anyone else noticed the Duplicolor Trim Black tends to spray with a coarse texture? Might just be my cans have exceeded their shelf life.

I've used the Krylon Fusion on a few plastic pieces, like the Iroc grill. I like the finish the Satin black gives, but the recoat window seems a bit sensitive, and I had to change the nozzle supplied on the can with the blue cap from Duplicolor to get it to spray a fine coat.

Sounds like I need to track down the SEM. There's only one place in town with much in the way of body shop supplies, was just in there the other day looking for something else, they might carry it. Otherwise I'm not sure if I want to wait for an order to come in... I already had to pause and wait for a few bits, and I'm anxious to get the door panels back in the car before something happens to them. Hmm...

Thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming.

 

I've noticed that with Duplicolor Trim Black. Sometimes as smooth as can be, sometimes with a slight texture. SEM is probably better paint, anyway.

 

Roger that. I'm working back around to this topic and the power window switch topic I posted awhile ago. Don't want anyone to think I'm starting topics and then taking a fire and forget stance. I'm watching, I'm just getting clobbered by project eruption distracting me. The latest is trying to degrease a door latch. OE grease is hard as a rock, chips away like dried Titebond, everything that's been added since is caked on everything. At least the belt scraper weatherstrips are almost done, and the window bumper stops are changed, and the door panels are stuck back down, moisture guards are cut out, door lock cylinder covers are painted... So yeah, I didn't forget about this thread, just spread a little thin at the moment.

 

I like Rustoleum 2x paint and primer in one. It sticks to any thing. The flat black as a nice smooth finish that looks more to the satin side than flat. I sprayed my air filter box with it and it looks great, can;t tell it was painted.

I am using the Dark Gray Gloss for my door sills and it is just about a perfect color match, sticks great and looks really nice when dry. You just have to do one coat. My upper door sills, the black plastic looks good but i would be really curious if this stuff would work and not flake off.

 

VHT epoxy paint, SP652 satin blk.

 

Either Krylon Supermaxx, or powdercoat.

All the black door handles I've seen on thirdgens were gloss, not satin or flat...

 

These definitely have a bit of a shine to them, not quite a wet glassy gloss, but a subtle shine with a super-smooth texture. I'd probably hit them with semi-gloss Rustoleum, but I don't want them to be sticky for a century, and I'd like them to wear a bit better than I'd expect from Rustoleum.

Went out yesterday to the usual local places that would have the SEM in stock. One place closed at noon, the other didn't have anyone at the paint counter. Typical BS encountered trying to find anything locally. Not sure I want to have the door handles off the car for long enough to order in the SEM and wait for it to cure 48hrs. Suppose if I pull the driver's side door latch, and degrease it like the passenger's side I've been working on, it'd be here and cured before the rest of the door is ready to go back together.

 

Damn. Finally got the SEM Trim Black - 39143 today. It lays down beautiful, a nice matte black, but it's definitely too flat for the door handles. About right for hatch trim, and lock cylinder covers, but a bit flatter than I'd like for wipers, and weatherstrip channels. Probably would look great for headlight buckets, but not glossy enough for Iroc grills, hood louvers, etc.

Maybe the SEM Trim Black Euro Jet Satin - 41023 or SEM Trim Black Gloss Black - 39063 would be a closer match?

I also picked up a few fresh cans of Krylon Fusion Satin Black - 2421. Test samples seem to come a lot closer to my original door handles. Not sure how well it'll 'weather' or stick to the pot-metal door handles, but it's sure easier to come by, and a fraction of the cost. Roughly $6/can @ Ace Hardware vs $12+/can plus postage for the SEM. Locally the SEM is priced at $17/can, but sometimes the dude gives me the "student discount" which takes some of the sting out of the bite.

I used the Satin Black Fusion on my Iroc grill and like the result. Matches my hood louvers and most of the other trim well, though it doesn't spray out as nicely as the SEM products.

In other news... I modified a reproduction door latch for G-bodies to drop into the Camaro. Technically the repro latch is listed as a replacement for the 87 Camaro latch, but it didn't work without slight modification. I haven't gotten around to comparing the reproduction to the 89-92 latches, and I don't have an 88 latch around to compare, so I don't know yet if there is a door latch solution for later cars yet. More to come on this later after the door project is finished.

 

I used SEM trim black on the hatch surrounds, ttop center bars, ttop end trims, door triangles, wiper cowl screens and wiper arms on both my cars. Turned out beautiful! I bought new door handles (aftermarket) and locks and left them as is. The locks look pretty much look like SEM trim black out of the package. The door handles have just a bit of a shine to them, but not overly glossy. Was going to repaint the door handles trim black, but decided against it.

 

Sprayed a couple test pieces yesterday. Top handle in the pic is an original, there's a bit of a shadow from a stick on I removed, but otherwise it's a fairly well preserved piece of hardware. The bottom handle is the polar opposite that I scuffed with a scotchbrite, cleaned with wax and grease remover and sprayed fairly quickly with gloss black lacquer. It's a bit TOO glossy still, but after a bit of UV exposure it might not look too bad. I'll probably shoot a couple test pieces today with regular semi-gloss Rustoleum or Duplicolor Engine Enamel to see if I can get a bit closer to the right gloss I'm looking for.

This is why I have no less than 20 cans of "Black" spray paint.

 

Handle n the car is a factory original handle from 88,... the one on bottom was blasted and re-painted Duplicolor (engine paint ) low-gloss black. It's POSSIBLE that the restored handles got Duplicolor (ford) semi-gloss black finish; I use flat black on just about everything, but I did use a can or 2 of (ford) semi-flat on some parts a while back. The handles were restored a couple years ago so I just can't be positive. ( sure looks like the low gloss to me ! )







Since the original handles are 30 Y/O they are obviously faded pretty far from the original finish,.... So I'm betting the (ford) semi-gloss flat is going to be closer to what a "new" handles' finish would look like.

 

To follow up on this... I sprayed test pieces (empty soda cans) with the SEM Trim Black, Krylon Fusion Satin Black, Rustoleum Semi-Gloss Black, Duplicolor Semi-Gloss Black, and Rustoleum Lacquer Black.

By far the Rustoleum Semi-Gloss Black is the closest match to the unfaded parts of the door handles. Unfortunately, in typical Rustoleum fashion, it sprays heavy, and runs like a **** if you don't do everything just right. After spraying, waiting 48hrs for it to cure, wet sanding, spraying, waiting for it to cure, wet sanding, spraying... I gave up and tossed the handles in a tub of lacquer thinner and stripped away all the Rustoleum. It's a bummer, because like I said it's about a perfect match.

After stripping the handles back to the original finish, I opted to try the SEM Trim Black, mostly because it sprays out just beautifully. It strikes me as being very thin, and resistant to runs. The finish is a bit too flat, but it has some gloss to it, and I would imagine that with either a light buffing or a coat of wax they'll probably get closer to the original finish.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

 

Did you happen to look at the trim black euro? it has a bit more gloss, but its for sure a darker black when its next to the regular trim black.

 

I wish you would have tried the John Deere semi gloss black to do your comparison. It's actually made by VALSPAR, who owns House Of Kolor. It is absolutely awesome stuff. I use the SEM Trim Black all the time for stuff at work (body shop) so I can vouch for that being good stuff too

 

I wonder if you guys would like satin euro?

I don't have anything in the shop freshly sprayed, but if you look at the two cans with paint on them, it gives you an idea on the sheen & color.
Of course this is on the lablepaper that wrinkled, so the euro doesn't look smooth, but I can assure you it sprays the same as the regular trim black. very smooth

My only gripe is the Euro comes "ready to spray" in other words its twice the price of the trim black. Was not happy about that when I first bought it.....

 

As much as I'd have liked to try everything available, there are limitations to how long I'm willing to have the car torn apart while I dick with painting the door handles, and how much I'm willing to spend.

It's been over a month, and I've already bought 6 spray cans of paint, and a quart of SEM Trim Black. I don't have any more patience for the issue at this time to keep going for perfection. Good enough will do for now.

 

Only way to be sure... "Nuke it from orbit" OOPS sorry that was from Aliens...

NOS.

Not mine - but I did silly stuff like this for the past 5 years or so.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-CHEVY-C...QAAOSwVqlaLrwL

 

That does look about right. Thanks for the picture.

 

This paint is great. And the can actually sprays like a professional gun.

 

I don't know if I could trust a 1k product that claims to be epoxy.

 

Brutal. That kind of money and one of those isn't even NOS. Highway robbery.

Besides this is more of a nice driver than a collector car. Don't need them to be perfect. If I put NOS handles on the car, I might be inclined to leave the car in the garage instead of driving it.

 

I have paid $250 for entire 3rd gens!!! A few years back but wow!

 

...they mostly come at night.....mostly

I understand some of you guys truly go for perfect/original/factory correct, etc. etc., which is great. That being said, I've found that the SEM actually matches almost perfectly to repop factory parts that I've purchased. ....I wonder if you looked at NOS door handles from 1982 and 1992, if there would be any difference?

 

Like Drew has stated, the Gloss of the SEM is slightly flatter than the gloss of the original parts. One thing that I have always wondered is if that was due to wear, as you rub and touch and clean do the parts start to shine, or were they originally that way. I know for sure that the black trim was not Gloss Black, no-way-no-how.

 

The door handles in question had cheesy 1987 spec "Camaro" peel and stick inserts on them until last year. They were shiny underneath after I removed the decals. The handles on my beater cars have consistently been flatter. If anything, I think they probably get more chalky as they age. There might be a slight period between fresh from the showroom and lightly used when they can get naturally buffed and polished, but the shine was really too consistent to be from use. You'd think use would be localized, like the high traffic areas of a vinyl steering wheel getting the texture worn off while other spots retain the texture as produced.

 

I vote Black Gloss epoxy appliance paint just because door handle takes a lot of wear. Or you could go Satin if you don't want the shiny.

 

 

Drive to Michigan, pick up a few cans drive back...
John