Reg Plate Restoration

[rsawatson]

I would like to repaint the reg plates on my car - the front one looks especially tired from years of having grit and other debris being thrown up off the road at it. There are lots of dots/bare patches in the black paint which reveal the metal below (presumably aluminium). The plates are the raised silver letter kind.

What's the best plan in terms of preparing the existing surface for repainting and what kind of paint I should use?

Cheers.

[chrisryder]

by raised letter, do you mean this?
[frame][/frame]
or this?
[frame][/frame]

If it's the former, you should be able to remove the letter from the backplate and paint them individually.

If it's the latter, the black area is can peel off (intentionally or unintentionally) and is infact how they are made. They press the digits in from behind and that process rips the black coating, which are then peeled off to reveal the digits in silver.

If you can peel the black backing off (or strip the paint, if it's paint), then rub it all down. You can then brush light grease onto the areas that you want to keep silver, and spray the whole thing black (with an aerosol from halfords for example). The paint won't stick to the grease, so when the paint is dry, just wipe it over and the grease will reveal the nice shiny aluminium.

[customjob]

Save yourself the hassle buy new ones I'd recomend jepsons No plates or there is designer plate on e bay both very reasonable prices.

[rsawatson]

Chris, the plates are like the ones in the first photo - the letters stand proud of the plate by about 10mm.

How do the letters come off the back-plate?

Thank you.

[chrisryder]

there should be round clips pushed onto pegs (the pegs being the back of the digits). Mine were superglued on... and not very well!

i didn't bother trying to take them apart, as has already been said, it was easier and quicker to just get some pressed ones made up!

[rsawatson]

Followed your advice and greased the letters before spraying. They are riveted to the back-plate, hence why I've left them on.

Thanks for your help.