Chrome paint Options

[partwerks]

I was thinking of painting the face of the fiberglass bumpers with some of this chrome paint, but was wondering if a pint would be sufficient to do the front and rear bumpers?
http://www.sprayonchrome.com/magicchrome.html

[SLITS]

I bought chrome paint from ACE Hardware. Cap on the rattle can looked really great. Part I painted looked like shit!!! and didn't shine or reflect light.

[Mike Bellis]

It looks real noce when done. You need to find somwhere that has the setup. It can go right over primer and bondo. The basic system is $7k if you want to buy your own.

[McMark]

I thought about buying a setup and doing it, but could get enough interest. I got a sample from one of the companies and it's not half bad. I would do it on a set of fiberglass bumpers and would expect to find the results sufficient.

[underthetire]

I bought some bling in a can from FLAPS, used on my old nasty looking foglight grills. Came out pretty decent really.

[partwerks]

You mean I have to take it to a body shop that has specialized equipment to spray it on with?? Is that it?

[Mike Bellis]

You mean I have to take it to a body shop that has specialized equipment to spray it on with?? Is that it?

Yes. It uses special water, Primer, Silver and electrolysis to make it look like chrome. The gun has a positive charge and the part a negative charge. Watch all the videos on thier web site and you will understand more.

[jmill]

Eastwood has chrome paint that others have used on FG bumpers. It actually looked decent. I plan on doing it myself. Someone out here has pics.


Here's the paint called "almost chrome." http://www.eastwood.com/almost-chrome-aerosol-paint.html

[partwerks]

It would be nice to see some actual pictures of the end result.

[Mike Bellis]

It would be nice to see some actual pictures of the end result.

On the web site you can send for a sample. They will send it with a DVD of the process. It looks like chrome. It's very nice but expensive to get started at $7k. But if you can find someone that is equipped already, then its cheap. They did a Mustang for SEMA that was spray chromed and then sealed with a pink tinted clear coat. Looked cool for a pink car. You could use this process to chrome your entire car.

[ellisor3]

I recently saw an episode of Inside West Coast Customs in which they did an Audi R8 for the movie Tron completely in chrome, it looked fantastic. I do not remember them mentioning special equipment, but at the cost of doing this car, $7k is a drop:

http://www.rides-mag.com/news/2011/01/a-tron-worthy-audi-r8/

[ArtechnikA]

I used a can of PlastiKote '915 Bumper Chrome' to paint the little faux bumperettes on my fiberglass 911RS rear bumper. Got it at the FLAPS in the rattle-can section. I was quite surprised and satisfied with the result - BUT - the shiny chrome-look high luster faded to dull then matte pretty quickly, and the coating itself is fairly fragile. I didn't wash that area very often nor aggressively but it was wearing through on the high spots a bit anyway.

But my recollection is that I wasn't going for show-finish, just 'barely-adequate-coverage'. It likes several very thin coats rather than one thick one, so make sure your surface is a smooth as you want, because chrome shows surface imperfections even more than black...

When I do this again (this time, with an RSR bumper...) I'll hit it with a clear coat to minimise the fade-to-matte.

But give it a shot - you may be pleasantly surprised.

(I can't help you with anything that comes in pints - my experience in this matter is just with the rattle-can stuff...)

[gothspeed]

Looks like a decent alternative for bumpers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[scotty b]

2 options for REALISTIC chrome paint. One is the sytem mentioned aboive. Very expensive, and I have heard mixed results on it. The second option, and whjat I suspect the Audi above and other chrome motorcycles and cars are done with is a chrome paint manufactured by a couple different companies. The issue with that is it is pretty expensive at 90.00 for an 8 ounce bottle, and is very time consuming. The part to be chromed has to be painted out in gloss black, wet sanded and buffed, THEN the chrome is applied, then the part is recleared. I have 2 bottled I got in a deal from Alsa ( one of the better manufacturers) One of these days I will find the time to spray it out and will post pics. The appplication is also VERY precise. You actually use very little of the chrome paint, apply too much and you'll be sanding it all off and starting over. Too much dulls it out. I would guess that if a bumper were brought to me ready to paint you would be looking at 10-15 hours to get it " chromed" Multiply that by your shops rate and you will see it sti;ll won;t be cheap.

Bad video quality but it shows the application. It actually looks alot better in erson than the video shows


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnuir-XlHws

[partwerks]

The pics I was thinking of was the Almost chome. That sounds more practical.

I did email the company that sells the equipment to do the hob snob chrome job, to see if anyone in my local has the equipment to do it. Otherwise, I guess I can go with the next best thing.

[partwerks]

I did come across this: http://www.innate.com/Paint/Chrome/Chrome_Sampler.htm
I wonder how favorable this one would be? Price is more realistic.

[scotty b]

I did come across this: http://www.innate.com/Paint/Chrome/Chrome_Sampler.htm
I wonder how favorable this one would be? Price is more realistic.

I've not tried their Chrome, But I have bought from Innate before and was very happy with the product. Process will still be the same though. The trick to the chrome look, is having the gloss black show through. the need to wet sand and buff is to get rid of any orange peel whch would create a textured surface that would throw off the look of the chrome

[whatabout1]

Yep, the secret is to do a nice gloss black first.

Then chrome. It doesn't take much, the black has to show thru.
Then clear, buff, wax.

I have had some good results but nothing even half as large as a bumper

[partwerks]

http://www.alsacorp.com/products/killercan...illerchrome.htm

[jmill]

Found some pics and the original thread.


http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...c=96208&hl=

http://alsacorp.com/