hey all..
enjoyin the swapmeets? n e way, i got a chrome bumper and it came with foglight grilles, that were not cracked but were severly tarnished. I want them to look chrome again, what do i do?

I am cheap, so.....
spraypaint? sand all the green corrosion crap off? what?

someone should make some Fog light grilles out of metal- would hold up alot better n e one up to the challenge?

I used Dupli-Color brand "Chrome" paint on mine . Not a perfect match but better than the green look.

cool...thanks. How is it holding up? did you clear coat it?

Did not clear coat. Sold the car a week after I painted grills so can't say how it will hold up. After a few rock chips it would be pretty easy to spray again.

I used the same paint to paint my bug wheels while it sat in my dads parking garage. Only did it cause my dad didnt want a eye-sore downstairs.

I didnt sand 'em or nuthin... Held up for a couple years. Do NOT clearcoat.

They are actually REALLY easy to clean up. Takes time to do a good job, but then what doesn't. First thing to do is get a paint roller tray and fill it with a product called CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust) Remover. Soak the grills for a while (the worse they are, the longer the soak). Then pull them out, hose them off and with EXTREMELY fine steel wool (like #000) and Simple Green clean them up. Unless the chrome underneath is actually chipped, you will be AMAZED by the results. Mine sat outside for 14 years, and when I tackled this job it took me about 2 hours of solid work to get them looking good, but DAMN do they shine.

Best of luck to you. And unless you really have to, please don't paint them. Nothing goes better on a chrome bumper than chrome grills. The painted always looks a little . . . off

-Chris

Chris, are you talking about actual metal/chrome grills which came on the very early cars or the silver coated plastic grills? I painted the plastic type.

It was the same grill used from 70-74. It was a plastic grill with actual chrome over it. I forget the term used for the process but it involves putting the plastic grill in a small area where they vaporize the chroms and it depositis itself on the plastic. But from the factory every bumper that was chrome came with chrome grills. There was an option to get a painted bumper in which the grills were merely painted to match the bumper color. I just figured that since we were talking about a chrome bumper it must've been chromed grill. AFAIK the grills were never metal though, all of them plastic . . . but then again, what do I know . . .

-Chris

If in bad shape, spray them flat black.....I hate chrome....

Okay, i have some CLR in my garage. should they soak overnight? and, that stuff doesnt hurt plastic... right?

I think it would be cool for someone to do metal grilles. how many people would buy them? is it possible?

welded up in a jig? sand cast? ...hmmm
aluminum? stainless?

I don't think overnight is necessary. Maybe 30 minutes, and see how they are doing. It didn't hurt mine to soak. They are actually completely covered with chrome metal so being plastic shouldn't matter.

Dude....changed the avatar? Bummer....

I would buy a set made out of real metal!

I had to change my avitar, Brad made me. I guess people were complaining that when they were reading the BBS that they had to be leary of their wives or else they would get into trouble.

-Chris

P.S. I am on the lookout for a new one that is more "appropriate"

bummer. my wife liked it!

Dont worry, madd dogg, its been going somewhere else. For awhile now SSshhh. Dont tell you know who, from you know where...
Titties scroll down

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Outstanding