Testors has a good line of metal-simulating paint called the "Metallizer" series. I used the "Aluminum Plate" color. They also have Titanium, Steel, Bronze, etc. Lots of possibilities. Comes in a spray can or bottle. I used the spray bomb.
The cool thing is once you apply the paint, you can buff it using a mild polish, which makes it look very realistic. You can either leave it as is, which gives you an A4/3-series "dull aluminum" look. Or you can buff it, which results in a more polished/metallic look.
I used Ford's interior spray paint for the upper vent panel. Just need to get your interior paint code off the door sticker, and any dealer should have it.
So, once you have all the trim pieces off, just rough them up with a Scotch Brite pad or fine sandpaper. Wipe down with diluted alcohol or any mild solvent to remove oil/fingerprints.
The lower panels are easy - no masking. Just spray a moderate covering coat, wait an hour or two, and apply a final coat. Let dry for at least 12 hours.
For the upper (vent) panel, I decided to mask off the vents and coin holder so they would remain black. You could, of course, paint them as well, but it would be tough to get paint in all the nooks & crannies. I just used regular masking tape and some newspaper. Not hard, just time-consuming. Attention to detail pays off here.
After everything has dried, decide if you want to go with the polished look. If so, lightly apply a mild automotive polish. Lightly polish until the whole piece is uniformly shiny. Keep in mind that it's not too hard to polish through the paint, so be gentle.
Testors makes a clear coat, which I didn't use. Since these panels aren't a high-use area, I didn't think it was necessary.
I almost forgot about the shift boot trim ring. This was probably the toughest part - you have to remove the boot, sand the texture off the ring, and mask the boot (the ring is permanently attached to the boot). Very time-consuming.
I'd be curious to see how the Titanium looks.
