Painting over chromed plastic?

Topic: Painting over chromed plastic? (Read 6131 times) previous topic - next topic

Painting over chromed plastic?

November 17, 2004, 06:18:58 PM

OK, I'm starting to get the itch to do cosmetic to the newer (dark blue) Bird, even though the clearcoat is trashed and there are millions of other things I could be doing. Since that paint is shot, as I've mentioned elsewhere in the forum, I am considering having it repainted (when I can afford it) in Deep Jewel Green w/ Pewter two-tone from the bumper strip down.

We-ell, I'm also considering painting the grille to match.. at least, I'd like to put the deep jewel green over the chromed parts, and maybe flat black on the insides of the holes. (or pewter, I don't know yet) I already have one friend telling me either I can't do it, or it'll come out py.. and he's pretty good at painting stuff like this, so I tend to give him credit when he says something like that. However, I sure would like to see how a bit of that color looks on the car..

So what gives? I see argent (right? the dull grayish) paint over the chrome on the headlight surrounds on my '86.. I painted over the argent with flat black.. but never on exposed chrome. (I know the argent is painted over some of the chrome because I accidentally rubbed off the argent around the edges and there was chrome underneath)

Can this grille be painted with this spray paint with just some standard sand-and-clean prep work? Is primer a necessity here? Should I try and strip the chrome off completely and paint on the plastic underneath, instead? I'm not terribly worried about ruining it, because I guess I can always find another grille in some junkyard somewhere.. but I'd like to try and do it pretty close to right the first time.

I did the body painting on the light blue Bird without much prep, and it came out pretty good.. but that's a different situation where I don't expect it to stay that way too long. The doors will have to be replaced due to the rust, and that's when I'll be looking to do it better. With this grille, if I do well this time around, I'll just leave it that way.. unless the Dupli-Color "color-matched" truck and SUV paint I have (the inspiration for all this) isn't really color-matched.. heh.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #1 – November 17, 2004, 08:00:38 PM

that chrome should sand right off id think. you should just about be able to se it off. if it turns out like sh@ then ive got a chrome grill in nice shape id hook ya up with. (i assume you mean to do this with an 87-88). i was thinking of doung a similar paint scheme with a silver or drey metallic lower and or maby some sort of "boss" mustang scheme. anyway this is the green i was going to use...

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #2 – November 17, 2004, 08:03:36 PM

if the chrome has no blotches, it woujld be hard to peel off.. however if you sand it enough to take the top layer off. paint should go on it pretty good. I did 2 grilles that way already and neither of them chipped.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #3 – November 17, 2004, 08:26:46 PM

How far should I go with sanding this? I have from 60 to 220 grit, and maybe some 400, 600, and 800 around here somewhere. Also have some scotch-brite pad clones, and 0000 steel wool. (mind you, one of my wrists is really screwed up right now.. this might get a little awkward if it gets really involved) Also have 120 and 240 for the Firestorm's sander attachment.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #4 – November 17, 2004, 09:27:36 PM

Well start out rough, and then work your way up to fine grit. 60 is good to start with, then the 220, and finer. I shouldn't take much effort. Just take your time.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #5 – November 17, 2004, 09:32:05 PM

I just did this last weekend (although used a fairly-reflective metallic silver) and so far the paint has no problems sticking. I just used what I had laying around - 60 grit and then 220 grit. Afterwards, used some primer to get the thing somewhat flat (the chrome bubbled in a couple spots) and sanded it. Sprayed the paint and it stuck without problems. It turned out good until SOMEONE decided to fertilize the lawn at the time I was waiting for the paint to dry and got some stuck in the paint. Due to weather, and the fact that it still looks better than the chrome finish it had beforehand since I was picking the little bits of fertilizer out of the paint, I've left it alone. I'm going to repaint it this weekend and then clearcoat it.

So yeah, somewhere around 150 grit or smoother would be a good roughness to paint over, primer or not. Just don't get ahead of yourself and keep loading it down with paint...drips set everything back. I'd recommend clearcoating over whatever you do, especially since its on the front of the car. It'll both make the paint look better, and you can sand/use rubbing compound over it without dulling the finish. Rock chips are easy to take care of too

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #6 – November 17, 2004, 10:27:43 PM

Just got done sanding it. Probably not the greatest job of sanding, but I'll see how the primer comes out.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #7 – November 17, 2004, 10:40:33 PM

Krap.. I would appear to be all out of primer.

Oh well, guess I'm due for another trip to Wally-World tomorrow.

I think I'm just going to try it painted all-green, and not mess around with colors inside the holes. I hated taping up the '86 'Bird's grille.. although, admittedly, that had a hell of a lot more holes to it. :p

I don't know what compels me to take on this stuff when I'm exhausted. Probably the same idiotic drive that would occasionally compel me to work until midnight for no extra money on a 9-6 job I once had. Wasn't asked to, I'd just stay and do stuff like give the bathroom a good cleaning. It's things like that that make me tend to avoid working for other people. If I'm going to go overboard, I'd rather do it for myself. :p

Anyway, back to the topic: There was a little bubbling of the chrome.. but it seems to have come out OK otherwise. I just used 60 and 150. If it looks rough after the primer tomorrow I might slap a 240 (or whatever it was) pad on the Firestorm and use that.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #8 – November 17, 2004, 10:48:30 PM

Shame302: Back of a Mustang, eh? Yeah, I like that color.. but I think Deep Jewel Green is a little darker than that. (or maybe it IS that color and I'm just a :wtf:.. lol) It was a mid-90s Ranger color, or so I've read.

This particular pewter paint seems to vary wildly depending on the light. Sometimes it looks pale gray, and sometimes it's almost gold.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #9 – November 18, 2004, 10:06:47 PM

OK, I painted it. Used the whole spray paint can, in fact. (it was about 80-90% full) No runs.. just a few imperfections.. but those look like they could be either grains of sand or tiny bubbles. I think it came out well.. but I'll have to wait until tomorrow to take pics of it. Can't get good enough light to take a good picture with my py digital camera.

Most of the imperfections are in the "only I will notice them" category, I think. Couple of them will be hidden by the Bird emblem.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #10 – November 19, 2004, 09:03:27 AM

how well did you wash it off when you sanded it? Did you clean it with any laquer thinner or anything? The imperfections could be from grease from hands or just like you said grains of sand.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #11 – November 19, 2004, 09:06:28 AM

I just wiped it off with a damp towel and a dry towel after sanding.

I'm pretty sure the imperfections are either grains of sand or bubbles. I was pretty good about not holding it on areas that were to be painted. I went kinda heavy with the paint.. not heavy enough to run, but close.

I'll try and take some pics before I have to leave this morning.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #12 – November 19, 2004, 09:14:44 AM

I just can't seem to get a good color shot with this camera.. but this'll give you some idea of how it looks. It's a little dusty.. it sat in the bedroom here overnight, so it was covered in dust and cat hair.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #13 – November 19, 2004, 12:47:29 PM

Looks good. Different, but good. Is it clearcoated?

Also, wiping the primer with denatured alcohol after sanding works well to get all the left over dust off. Just make sure the primer's completely dry or it'll tend to make the primer ball up.

Today's the day for me to repaint mine since it can sit inside to dry over the weekend. The paint I use takes longer to dry but has given me good results in the past (same slow drying paint I used on the flat blacks around the car - makes the finish really robust). I don't know of any slow drying clearcoat though...

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #14 – November 19, 2004, 01:44:02 PM

No, it isn't clearcoated yet.