de-chroming

There is a paint that is made and used in the automotive re-paint industry for blacking out chromed and stainless trim. It is a flat black. It may be made in satin as well but I haven't seen it.
It is self priming.
You just need to degrease the chrome and spray it. Just tape off everything that you don't want done.
From memory I think the gills have no retaining nuts on them. They have cast in studs that mount into plastic push-in plugs.
The plugs are very firm. They are not soft and flexable.

Well there's the technical way of dechroming which I think is more then what you want to do. You could send it to a chromer and they could de-chrome it; basically the same process as plating in reverse. Or you could buy a set up from Caswell and dechrome it yourself which I also think is more then you want ot do

OR you could sand it or sand blast it. Not really sand . I would try some of the fine glass. Harbor freight actually has it. I would try it on a small piece to make sure it is the finish you wnat.

These are some options anyway.

Gary

The chrome around the windshild comes out with the glass and rubber. Don't try to pry it out of the rubber . The side gills on my early pushbutton car have studs that go through the body and have nuts, mine had wingnuts on the backside ..You must take out the splash sheilds to get to them. I paint trim all the time and have had great success with a product from NAPA, it is made by Martin Seniour and they call it "Trim Black" You could scratch your trim with a red Schotch brite pad and spray this out of the can, the sun will not fade it and the bugs will not chip it off. It is thin coat. Use caution with any blast media near the car, the grit goes everywhere and will destroy glass, paint, and anything else. If you can remove a part and take it away from the car..that's OK. If I was to bead bast a part ..I think I would etch prime it befor trim paint. Blasting would remove the chrome...just paint over it. Personally I protect my chrome, once you scuff it ...you will have to keep it painted.

I might be mistaken, but I believe the window trim on the later cars is Stainless Steel, The early pushbutton cars were copper with chrome plating (help me out on this one Bill).

I went the opposite way with my trim, from black to polished, but if I were so inclined to paint it black again, I would use Wurth art# 0893-0190 trim satin black, over Speacialty Etch Prime Grey # sxa 1031 after scuffing with Red Scotch Bright.

Regards Mark 6808

Yes Mark, I know my windsheild is chrome over a soft metal...it is getting very thin and flaking a bit. My sides aroung the door glass is very nice, but I don't know what its made of. You paint procedure is much like mine. The etch primer should cover the red schotchpad scratches.

My windshield trim is stainless steel. The only way to stop it from flaking is scotch bright it down whether its on or off the car .. then you have to use 3M METAL PREP. primer or paint will not permananetly stick to SS .. no matter what you do ... thats why they call it stainless ... LOL

I found the can of paint in the shop. It is made by the Morton Paint Co. It is called "Black-out" 910-8. It is a 1 pint container.
It is "self-priming, satin black" for "chrome, stainless, aluminum".
I don't remember what it cost. I would say that it wears exactly how the blacked out trim wears on US production cars.
It starts to look a little flat after about five years of exposure to the elements.
It is certainly extemely easy to apply and it was not terrably expensive "as I remember".

BD,
Sounds like PanteraDoug has the best option.
This way you wouldn't destroy the original finish on the metal.

Josh

quote:

Originally posted by JK:
BD,
Sounds like PanteraDoug has the best option.
This way you wouldn't destroy the original finish on the metal.

Josh

Correct. You just degrease and spray it on.

Ok sorry it wasnt 3M it was a product if Dupont I use .. read it for yourself .. specifically designed for painting over metal and to etches into the metal to improve adhesion ..... then paint with the specific paint Doug recommended. DOUBLE protection you only have to do it once in a lifetime.
see the attachement

Ron

My gills had one stud each and a nut. As far as the trim goes. I blacked all mine out. I roughed the trim up with a red scotch brite pad, degreased with wax/grease remover and sprayed with a black epoxy. When dried, I sanded the epoxy smooth with the red pad again, degreased again and sprayed with SEMS trim black which is a satin black like most trim. Looks good and has lasted 2 years without any problems. The key is like anything...prep work.

I did the same thing! Used the SEMS self etching black primer and there trim satin black. Going on over 3 years! Still looks great! Like micks74 said, do the prep work.