chrome painting?

[jsbihn]

Hey all,
So I was thinking about something...
What would it take to paint the chrome on the truck?
I dont have a lot (grill and handles) but I was thinking that I dont want to color match them and I dont want to do all black..... So I was thinking of night shades and doing like a blackened chrome look...
Any ideas on how to do this right?
Last time I had chrome painted was by a professional shop on my Tundra and it chipped off..... But given that was also color matched paint (and what I am thinking is using night shade by vht)

Thoughts? Comments?

[LoJac963]

Dupli Color sells a black chrome kit that I used for the first time a few months ago. My wife bought a Jeep Liberty Jet Edition but didn't like all the chrome. I ended up buying chrome handle covers but using that kit on them. It actually turned out very nice and I was surprised. The kit comes with the transparent black paint then a pretty heavy clear. You don't scuff anything because the scratches will show through. Just clean very well, spray, clear, done.

You can put multiple coats of black if you choose to but IMO it just looks like gloss black if you do more than one good coat.

[jsbihn]

Have you used that on the grill?
The color matched chrome piece I had done for my Tundra was on the front of the truck and it didnt take much for the paint to chip off.
Just wanna make sure this stuff stays in place.

[LoJac963]

It's only her door handles so they aren't subjected to road abuse like a front grill would be. I think no matter what you do on a front grill you'd have to worry about chips. Although the H2's being so high I don't really see the amount of chips and hits like I have with other vehicles.

You could always take it to get Line-X'ed!

[KTM640Dakar]

Line x will flake off too. Chrome needs sanded hard.

[jsbihn]

So you think that the chrome could be stripped off the front?
I tend to be a little old school and know that chrome on metal can be done and stripped and reworked.... just wondering if the same could be done on our grill (which appears to be moulded plastic)

[PaHumBug]

Someone on here once said you can de-chrome plastic before painting. I have a machine shop and deal with platers all the time. I asked them and they didn't think it was possible to strip. Sand blast or sand paper is probably your best bet.

[LoJac963]

You can dechrome plastic, some have said oven cleaner with work among many other products. Search around online a bit, I know there's plenty of info out there. I think it would be easier to scuff the hell out of it.

[jsbihn]

LJ,
did I read that right?
You think it would be easier to scuff it then to strip it?
and that stuff you told me about.... if the grill is scuffed up wouldnt that make for bad results (since it was said that if you scuffed it you could see the scuffing in the "blackened chrome"?

[LoJac963]

I'm just saying I would personally scuff the hell out of it vs trying to dechrome it. I've read horror stories of people trying to dechrome plastic. It's possible but not a walk in the park.

As for the Dupli Color Black Chrome kit you DO NOT scuff anything. The instructions say that because the scratches would show through the finish since the finish is transparent.

I can take some pics of the handles I did so you can get a better idea how it would look. It's storming like crazy here so hopefully tomorrow!

[jmudler]

I did my grill 9 months ago. I used a scotchbrite pad and scoffed it up pretty good. I did not remove the chrome just scratched the hell out of it. Cleaned it well to get rid of the dust.

I then used duplicolor (color matched the rest of the H2). I used two big cans of each paint and clear coat (total 4 cans). It has held up GREAT!

Dont forget to the back side too. If you dont, when you are walking from the back to the front you will see chrome "line" across the hood and sides which is the thickness of the grill. Hope that makes sense.

[jsbihn]

Thanks JM,
Yeah I am just trying to think of a way to change it up where the front isnt so BLING yet not have a big white snow mobile either. Thats why I was thinking about having the chrome tinted darker
Thanks for the advice though, it all makes sense and is encouraging to know that if I did go that route, it would hold up