Technical Will these bezels work?

These are the stock tail light bezels for my 54 ford victoria.
My plan was to french them, but after taking a closer look, I'm worried that some of that pitting may cause trouble down the road. Do you think sandblasting them first would take care of that? Or will they be fine as is? Any advice is appreciated.
And also, I'm guessing that copper color is just the base from the original chrome? Its not coming off with a wire wheel.

 

just so you know they are probably 53 not 54

 

I'm thinking they are pot metal. Once it starts gassing it continues to gas? I think you will have a problem down the road. I feel sure they have been used to French many times. That's my opinion.

 

Your right, I miss typed. 54's have little indentations all around that were painted black.

If these are pot metal, it is really thin pot metal. I've never seen pot metal this thin before. Would getting a nicer pair of bezels be the best option? Or would a coating of self etching primer stop any future pitting?

 

if it were me I would opt for another pair the time you spend filling those pits may not be a cost saving thing.if you have the time I would clean every speck of rust out of the pits(time consuming)then use solder to fill them.if you can find 50/50 solder not the new lead free shit.main thing is complete rust removal.muriatic acid will work for those small pieces in a plastic container.just be careful and use it outside the fumes are deadly if you breath them.if you do that then neutralize with a strong baking soda bath.read the label concerning adding water to the acid.

 

Don't look like pot metal to me. I'd try the method suggested by 54vicky above.

 

That's good advice. Thanks. I looked around and found some new bezels for $40 each online. I might end up going that route.
But this project might be put on hold for a while. When I came out to the garage this morning, my steering box leaked all of its fluid all over the ground.

 

I have been following your build but I do not think you mentioned what you are running for a box.what are you running?not sure I will be able to help but I am sure someone will.

 

would these work??http://shop.kustomcarparts.com/1950-Pontiac-Tail-Light-Frenching-Buckets-pair-french-50p-tl.htm

 

would these work? http://shop.kustomcarparts.com/1950...-light-Assembly-each-T-L-asmbly-bd-50pont.htm

 

Thanks. No I don't think I mentioned it. It's the stock gear box. I read somewhere that using an 85-140 wt oil might be thick enough so that it won't run through. At least until I replace or rebuild the box.

 

Thank you. I saw those actually. I want to keep the olds lights that I'm using. I think the easiest way would be getting some new bezels.

 

Many parts from 1953 had the infamous "Korean War chrome". Parts were copper plated and given a flash chrome for color. Without the nickel there was limited durability. Those tail lights are steel & I would treat them like any other rusty steel parts. Media blast & epoxy primer, then a coat of high fill primer & the pits will be covered.

 

as to leak it is probably the seal at bottom above pitman arm.you will need a pitman arm puller.I did mine over the winter it was fun it bent the jaw on puller.I ended up pulling the box out as the shaft does not have a rag joint as the newer ones had.I took the 2 piece panel at floor that steering goes through pulled into car.I had the seat out which made it easier then removed the 4 bolts on top of box and removed shaft.you already have the outer shaft cover off I believe by shifter pic's you posted.the next step required my 50 ton press using 3/4 steel plates under arm against splined shaft hard to explain and using a 1"aluminium block to protect threads should have taken pic's.this is where it got scary while pumping on short stroke position gauge climbed to 30 tons nothing then 35 still nothing but groans from me and press just past 45 ton mark if finally popped.went in changed my shorts.I have changed a few but never one that tight I was using a 3/4"socket set with a 4 foot bar when I bent the puller.I had leak from that seal and was rebuilding box so it needed to come off.I think I posted pic's on a local site I am on.I might have been able to heat but with the leak I was not about to have grease fire laying under car.

 

That sounds exactly like what is on these pieces. Thanks for the advice. I think I'll try media blasting it.

Damn! I hope mine isn't that hard to get off. I don't have a press, but a buddy of mine does. I think I may have read your thread about your rebuild. Did you rebuild it because it had a "dead spot" due to some busted teeth? I've got a small dead spot. I just tightened up the adjustment screw, added the fluid and it seemed to have gone away. But, now that all the fluid is gone, I don't know if it will come back.

 

the box had a lot of play along with the leak.changed the worm gear along with sector gear and bearing and races now much better.if your worm gear is worn you will need your friends press to change.I changed the one on my spare box as well.if his press is like mine I needed to raise the table? to the very top then chain a steel plate to cross brace on bottom(it bent a little the cross brace that is)if his is bolted to floor you will not need to do this.then took a piece of pipe and slipped it over shaft to keep it from bending second went easy after doing first.I am sure if you google rebuilding the box something will come up it is not as simple as tightening the adjustment screw.I do not have scales that they use but went by feel.once you find the articles you will understand what I mean.but do yourself a favour and read up on it or you may lose you steering one day just tightening the screw.I dumped the articles after I was done or I could have sent them to you.as to bezels as Redo32 said they were not the best quality chrome when new.I find acid better than blasting as I do not have blasting cabinet it will change the colour on copper but that will wipe off with steel wool.one thing I should mention keep the bolts above the acid as if they are rusty the acid may remove the threads.just set them in the acid with bolts above the acid.I will try to find the articles for you.

 

I sent you a couple of conversation messages hope they work

 

Just got them. thank you.
I'll be going to home depot for some muriatic acid today. Thanks for the advice. I don't have a blast cabinet either, so if that works, it would save me some time and money having a shop do it.