Painting chrome stuff

[Tomahawk715]

I swapped a 73 J truck Razor grille for one of the old style Gladiator jeep grilles. I've got the stock brush guard but still just cant get over the gapin hole in front of the radiator. Anyway I dont want the chrome (which would need to be redone anyway to look good). How do I get it prepped for paint.

I've done some searching on the net and seems to be two thoughts--acid dip--which I aint fond of the idea---Or sandblasting.

Thoughts----comments???

[snakeater]

blast it. small inexpensive hand held blaster, if you don't have one, can be bought from harbour freight. Prime it immediately with a heavy coat of sealing primer, then sand and paint. very easy. especially if the chromeis already flaking. snakeater

[fisherman]

What Snakeater said, is the proper way to do it. Acid dipping is costly and messy. I've painted quite a bit of chrome, sand blast, clean, prime and paint should be fine.

[Kaiserjeeps]

Not to say what snakeater said is bad but if you do blast it it better be soda only. It will prep the surface nicely and remove imperfections. You will still take a big risk of warping it though. The soda should work. I have two grades of media. Very fine glass bead and real coarse sand. The glass bead is really fine and it was hard on the grille. Just be careful. You pretty much need something for the primer to tack on to. I have used scotch brite or very fine sandpaper 220ish. I actually think sand paper cuts the chrome better than scotch brite and sticks better. I have turned several of those.
Many I straightened and left polished but once they are warped....
Once I spotted a rhino grille poking out of a box on a guys shelf who did not want it. NOS perfect, 20 bucks. The good ole days.

Let us know how it goes.

[jpsnblood]

I have to paint same part.
I have Musclecar episode #106 recorded
They cleaned part well
used red scotch bright to etch ( being careful not to go through chrome)
they used House of Kolor APO- 1 adhesion promoter ( 1 thin coat)
1 coat of PPG DP90 LF sealer
2 coats of paint
I don't think I will go that far.
Mine is kinda etched already, got 1 or 2 rust pits.
Think I'll clean it, scotch brite it . Probably use a little glazing putty on pits.
Etching primer. and then squirt some flat black on it.
hope yours turns out good

[snakeater]

two schools of thought on painting chrome. First,if it is already flaking off, whatever you do to it won't stay very long. Contaminant are already under the chrome and no amount of surface prep will make it stay. Blast it off and refinish. However, if it is still solid and not pitted too bad or flaking off, then scuff, prep and paint will last a good long while. If you do it with good 'ol flat black krylon then who cares, if it starts looking bad, spray it again. Snakeater

[jpsnblood]

Snakeater is exactly right
If what you paint over, isn't solid,it aint gonna last.
If we were working with new chrome it wouldn't be much of a challenge would it.
Thinner the metal the more careful the prep
When its clean, slightly etched and straight, spray it.

[Ronner]

I bought my Gladiator grill from Al here on the Zone a decade ago. Scotchbright pads and a self etching primer plus about 4 coats of autostore camo paint have held up for a decade. My truck isn't a show truck like some of these but it does look good. I've never had to re-paint the grill. Of course I don't live waaaay up north like you do where it gets a billion below zero Anyway, worked for me.

[dahoyle]

Well, if it is a really good grill, you might want to consider a swap. Most folks won't be interested in a bad one, but if the chrome is in good shape, I'm sure someone would swap for a painted one.

I have a painted one, which I restored(had a minor tweak in one of the slats), so I know they can be done fairly easily. On the other hand, a chrome one is pretty much only usable if it is straight, or it could be straightened and painted. It would be pretty hard to straighten without marring the finish, Unless you had a leather sandbag and some hardwood tools. Even working on a wooden table, with brass tools left marks, but in my case, it will be painted, so a non issue.

Ask over on IFSJA.

You may have just what someone is looking for, and someone might have what you are looking for.

Doesn't hurt to ask.

[Tomahawk715]

I traded with a guy from IFSJA to get this one. Yes I wouldnt ruin an original chrome one in good shape--they are getting way too hard to find. Worked out well as it was along a travel route for a trip-so saved on the shipping for both of us. Those Razor grilles are way too expensive to ship any more.

Grille is in "good" shape--he had to pound out the center bar a bit as it was bent--he already sanded/mild grinded up that area to smooth it out. Other than that it has scratches from 40 plus years of life but is not too bad. It has no major pitting or other imperfections. It would need a rechrome to be presentable in that way but that was never my intention. I wanted to paint or powdercoat anyway.

Might just try the scotchbrite-primer-paint route then. Guess I could always go back sandblast if it doesnt hold.

I'm curious why one should not sand thru the chrome?? whats the difference?? If your using an etching primer it should stick anyway no?