Chrome Grille "Restoration"

[Brown_Muscle]

This is something I discovered and I dont believe it is posted, so I figured I'd share. Ok My Chrome grille was completely shot, and there is no way I can find another like it, or haven't been able to as of yet as it is unique and made only for the 1982 LTD-Ss'. So first I painted it, and It turned out crap, the chrome paint they sell isn't the greatest stuff, so, i decided to sand it off. When I did I also sanded off the old bad chrome finish, and underneath it was other metal, (obviously there is a way to electroplate chrome onto plastic but you need other metals on there) So with this i sanded and polished the entire grille, and gave it a brushed stainless steel look, that is still glossy, metalic, and far better then any paint. So if anyone has a grille in which the chrome is shot and they dont want it rechromed or repainted this is an option you can take. If anyones interested I can post pictures.

[Dave84]

thats nickle under the chrome,

[Brown_Muscle]

and under that is copper correct?

[Dave84]

nope it will just be the plastic under that, it probly wasent tripple plated, and if it was it would be nickle, then copper, then more nickle, then chrome

[Brown_Muscle]

ok well it must have been triple plated then cause i chipped off a bit of the nickel and underneath that is definitly a copper coating. Thanks for the info though im glad its nickel so i dont have to worry about rust

[Dave84]

np man, u got any pics? altho you will have to keep the grill clean and polished frequently beacuse the nickle will tarnish

[Brown_Muscle]

ahh yeah its not on the car yet so i will take pics then, any chance i could spray a clear lacquer over it to keep it from tarnishing? or is that not a good idea?

[Dave84]

yea that would probly work

[86GmLsCoupe]

IIRC Plastics are vacuum plated, so of course it can be redone. The plus is in the meantime it's not like the grille is going to rust away.

[boXman]

Those aren't '82 only, the LTD used that front end from '79-'82. Scott has a NOS grille, or he did anyway.

[Brown_Muscle]

the 82's have the unique ford symbol in the middle of the right panel just left of the light unique to the LTD-S model, I tried with scott his is not an 82 it is different



That is my grille from an 82



And that is a '79, with FORD written on the top of the grille, no blue FORD symbol...





OBTW how fast do you think it'll tarnish i dont want to have to polish this thing every week, haha, I keep it under a cover so it never sees rain

[Dave84]

i personally like the 79 grill better,

[Nathan in MI]

That car is just dead sexy, mang...

[79lincolnlover]

Keep it beautiful

[Brown_Muscle]

hey thanks mangs, and its only gonna get better.