I'm getting ready to black out the chrome on my 73, anyone out there that wants to go back to chrome from black?
located in Phoenix AZ
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How are you going to do that? Stick on vinyl?
Thanks for the help
It's a lot of work to carefully remove the existing trim and reinstall old trim without damage. Most folks scuff up the stainless trim with an abrasive pad and paint with SEM black, but a vinyl could work if you want the option to revert at some future date.
Looks like vinyl is the way to go on the window trim.
Not that it hasn’t been done, but I am not aware of anybody who has changed all of their stainless trim to a black-out look by using vinyl.
I would be concerned about the vinyl edges remaining firmly attached; seems adhesion would certainly be a problem with the over the door drip-rail SS.
A word of caution regarding the windshield rubber gasket trim. Do not attempt to pull that trim out. It must be installed and removed as an assembled unit - Glass, gasket and trim - due to the method that the trim is anchored, using a J hook, into the rubber gasket.
Larry
@joules posted:It's a lot of work to carefully remove the existing trim and reinstall old trim without damage. Most folks scuff up the stainless trim with an abrasive pad and paint with SEM black, but a vinyl could work if you want the option to revert at some future date.
As Joules Said...this what I did about 18 years ago! I used SEM Satin Black! Two coats of SEM Black Primer and Two coats of SEM Satin Black! Tape off everything, Clean the Stainless Trim Well. Use the abrasive pad, then Clean Again! It wears Excellent. If You do get a nick touch up is Easy.
Curt
I assume you meant satin black as opposed to stain black?
@lf-tp2511 posted:Not that it hasn’t been done, but I am not aware of anybody who has changed all of their stainless trim to a black-out look by using vinyl.
I would be concerned about the vinyl edges remaining firmly attached; seems adhesion would certainly be a problem with the over the door drip-rail SS.
FWIW, a good friend had all the brightwork on his AMG Mercedes blacked out with vinyl wrap. The car lives outdoors and it still looks great after 6-7 years! He had it professionally done and has had no problems with edges peeling up.
Definitely the way to go in my opinion as opposed to ruining the beautiful stainless. The next owner/caretaker will thank you someday when they decide they want to return the car to it's original beauty. 
When I repainted my car, I removed the side trim by drilling out all the rivets. Scuffed it, primed it and used Krylon Satin Black. I think it provides one of the best satin black finishes. I used this on the emblems as well. The windshield trim being an early 71 was left on the car and painted in place. The door frames were painted while the doors were off the car but left in place. It has held up well and can be touched up easily with a small brush or toothpick.
I would suggest you buy a few "satin" blacks to try them. I found a few way too thin. The Krylon is a bit thicker. If you paint it on a warm day in the sun, it dries fast and provides a nice finish.
Don Byars used SEM satin black trim paint to black out my polished SS. Trim paint is more flexible than regular satin black and it still looks great after nearly 20 years. That being said, I recently discovered SprayMax 1K Trim Paint - Black Satin (368 0102) and I think it's better than the SEM.
If the trim has been removed and you want a really permanent black coating, check out Cerakote. It's tougher than powder coating and a fraction of the thickness. It started out as a firearms finish but they are slowly branching out into other areas. I recently had my front wiper grilles Cerakoted and I never dreamed they could look so good. I also had my ZF Cerakoted. Some versions of Cerakote don't have to be baked, so they are safe for items that tend to out-gas very badly, such as our OEM Campagnolo wheels.
I have blacked out 4pc windshield trim and L&R 1/4 window mouldings with gaskets from my 72. Got a used windshield and a brand new rubber seal too. Let me know. Getting all my "extras" together for sale.