Plastic/Chrome

[packman]

Ya know that chrome-like plating on our plastic trim? Does anybody know how to get that stuff off when it's still somewhat clinging to the plastic? I might try paint thinner first, but I thought I'd ask before doing so. I think I had a thread like this before, but again, it's lost in the void; or at least I can't resurrect it.



Packman

[Ghorneck]

Almost impossible. The plating system is hard to dissolve. I found a place in Florida, that chromes plastic, and they will strip the chrome off my grille for $275. They explained the system to chrome plastic, and its almost identical to any other chrome process. Its the copper underneath the chrome, that conducts the electricity, that will not come off. They have to reverse the process and it takes 2 days.

[packman]

Perhaps I will just paint over it; maybe smooth it out with sandpaper or something. I tried this with my Malibu and it started flaking off underneath the spray paint. I want to paint the headlight bezels and the grill in metallic blue.


Packman

[1987cp]

Don't suppose you can get access to a glassbead cabinet wherever it is you'll be burning out your bushings? I figure some low-pressure glassbeading can at least provide a sound substrate to paint over.

[neums]

Try soaking it in Pinesol cleaning liquid.

[Brown_Muscle]

30 years of direct sunlight takes if off nicely... I sanded mine off of my old grille, underneath is nickel and underneath that is the copper...will give it a...well, nickel finish.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish by taking it off??

[packman]

I'm attempting to paint the grille and headlight bezels. I blacked out the grille on my mom's car a couple years ago. I recently found some metallic blue paint that looks like the anodized aluminum used on the -AN fittings. I would like to find another box grille and try to paint that proper.



Packman

[Ghorneck]

I ended up using - http://duplicolor.com/products/shadow/

It has held up ok. When the grille does take a rock chip, I fill the ding with a permanent marker and its hard to see where the nick was. I went through two jy grilles trying to figure out a way to get a good tooth for the paint to stick to the chrome. No luck.

[packman]

I'm hoping a decent primer will help things out. I got the primer that goes with the metallic blue paint that I got; we'll see how I fare with that. I gotta go to the JY this weekend anyways for some rear trailing arms.



Packman

[87_crown_vic]

i have scuffed the chrome with a sandpaper, etching primer and then paint...

[packman]

Since I'm not going anywhere this weekend, I might try to paint the headlight bezels. I will use sandpaper to smooth out any flaking or rough areas. Then I will apply some MetalReady to get some tooth. After that primer and then finally the paint. I may spray some clear coat on top of the paint.



Packman