Rear deflector restore

[WagonMan]

I bought a rust free 89 Florida Colony Park. Paint and woodgrain need attention. The rear deflector was the worst. No color left to the wood grain and cracked to death. I went to a friends body shop and went through his stock of woodgrain but didn't find any close to the dark color of the wagon. While shopping at the dollar store,(yes I'm cheap!), I came across a roll of shelf paper that looked real close to the wagon. For a dollar I thought, why not take a chance. I used a heat gun to remove the old grain and with Windex and a Bondo sqeegee, I applied the shelf paper. Came out MINT! I taped of the chrome and sprayed a couple coats of dull clear on the grain. It rained a couple times since I installed it and it still looks great! Time will tell if it holds up. WagonMan

[EaOutlaw1969]

Nice project, what a way to save some bucks.

[87gtVIC]

The clear may give it a fighting chance. I dont know how contact paper will hold up to moisture. Looks nice.

[Mainemantom]

Looks good WagonMan. I think hot weather will tell if it lasts.

Back in the 80s I did the heavy contact paper with clear coat on the sides of a 71 Mercury Montego woody wagon. It turned out good. I did not bother to remove the old factory woody looking stuff. How long it lasted, I don't know. I traded or sold the car pretty quick.

[Tiggie]

I have thought of doing the same to the sides of my 90 as a temporary fix. It has a good side and a bad side due to a lifetime of carport life. Keep us posted on durability.

[jaywish]

Pete had given me some shelf paper some years back to fix a bad spot on a door he sold me. With clear over it it lasted a few years and was still good when the vinyl was removed.