Painting bumpers

[wes beem]

Been doing some digging, and pretty much nobody anywhere near me offers any type of chrome removal service. I cant afford the shipping costs to send them out somewhere that does, How would y'all recommend i prepare the rusty old chrome bumpers to get them decent enough to paint black? Can chrome even be painted?

 

[jos51700]

Been doing some digging, and pretty much nobody anywhere near me offers any type of chrome removal service. I cant afford the shipping costs to send them out somewhere that does, How would y'all recommend i prepare the rusty old chrome bumpers to get them decent enough to paint black? Can chrome even be painted?

Anybody can bead blast.

 

[33IMP]

Got painted chrome bumpers on two of my cars. (California chrome prices are insane)
Mine are just scuffed, primered and painted. If you have bad rust, sand blast or bead blast first.
(And I painted mine to match the body color.)

 

[wes beem]

Anybody can bead blast.

ive been told repeatedly by blasters that it wont remove the chrome.

 

[harrisonm]

I have painted bumpers successfully. First, I use a DA with 80 grit disks to scuff the surface up. Chrome is rather hard, so you will likely go through several disks. Then clean thoroughly. Then prime with a DTM (Direct to Metal) primer. It HAS to be DTM!!!!! Then sand the primer and paint. I have never had a problem.

 

[wes beem]

I have painted bumpers successfully. First, I use a DA with 80 grit disks to scuff the surface up. Chrome is rather hard, so you will likely go through several disks. Then clean thoroughly. Then prime with a DTM (Direct to Metal) primer. It HAS to be DTM!!!!! Then sand the primer and paint. I have never had a problem.

Ima have to try this. Did you leave the 80 grit grinder marks or did you progressively sand up in finer grits?

 

[doug 371]

I always sandblast it. Not so much to remove the chrome but to give it some bite but it will remove any flaking chrome.

 

[George Jets]

I sand blast the back side of rusty bumpers, primer surfacer them and paint with silver metallic with the hardener.

Polish up the front shinny side with fine steel wool, all is good.

Did this to the bumpers on my '76 D100 Truck.

 

[ch1ll]

ive been told repeatedly by blasters that it wont remove the chrome.

yes you can and I have done it, but it takes forever like at least 24 hrs a bumper. Not sure it will take the nickel base off though as that stuff is tough.

 

[wes beem]

yes you can and I have done it, but it takes forever like at least 24 hrs a bumper. Not sure it will take the nickel base off though as that stuff is tough.

makes sense why they all said it cant be done then haha.

 

[33IMP]

ive been told repeatedly by blasters that it wont remove the chrome.

You're not trying to remove the chrome, just rough it up to give it some teeth for the primer to stick to.

 

[Dana67Dart]

How about car wrap?

Technically you could reverse the electro platting process.

Watch a video on YouTube on crome plating and then reverse the polarity.

 

[340six]

How about car wrap?

Technically you could reverse the electro platting process.

Watch a video on YouTube on crome plating and then reverse the polarity.

That is how shops did all the ghetto gold you used to see. Strip the chrome and gold on top the nickel.
We at the body shop blasted the chrome with the 110 pound pressure pot. Wiped it with laqure thinner. Shot with DP40 PPG. Shot paint. Or if rough shot high build 2K like Slick Sand on top the DP40 PPG sanded smooth then paint

 

[harrisonm]

Ima have to try this. Did you leave the 80 grit grinder marks or did you progressively sand up in finer grits?

The chrome is hard enough that normal 80 grid sanding scratches are not left. Primer fills them in fine.

 

[Murray]

A chrome shop can "just remove" chrome.

 

[Johnny Mac]

I sand blast the back side of rusty bumpers, primer surfacer them and paint with silver metallic with the hardener.

Polish up the front shinny side with fine steel wool, all is good.

Did this to the bumpers on my '76 D100 Truck.

View attachment 1715982701

I was just going to suggest that. It's personal preference, and not to insult anyone, but 75% of the time, I can't stand body colored bumpers on classics. Just personal preference. My fiberglass ones are painted silver, and to me, it's still better than body color.

 

[roccodart440]

I was just going to suggest that. It's personal preference, and not to insult anyone, but 75% of the time, I can't stand body colored bumpers on classics. Just personal preference. My fiberglass ones are painted silver, and to me, it's still better than body color.

To some degree I agree. It really depends on the car and the overall theme.

THis is one of my old cars. It wouldn't have looked right with chrome bumpers.

 

[Johnny Mac]

To some degree I agree. It really depends on the car and the overall theme.

THis is one of my old cars. It wouldn't have looked right with chrome bumpers.

View attachment 1715982848

View attachment 1715982849

Mine needs something to break the green up, but I do like yours! My car was almost B5 Blue back when i was picking a color, and then at the track a 69 roadrunner pulled up that was B5, and the guy painted EVERYTHING. by no means did he do a bad job, but the bumpers...marker trim...door handles...rocker sills, EVERYTHING was blue. That car ruined most painted bumpers for me.....and it also made me pick Sublime lol. But mines a Beaker, which some people will think is ugly no matter what I do to it, so O well

 

[wes beem]

I was just going to suggest that. It's personal preference, and not to insult anyone, but 75% of the time, I can't stand body colored bumpers on classics. Just personal preference. My fiberglass ones are painted silver, and to me, it's still better than body color.

I agree with you 95% of the time. Painted bumpers almost always looks like "great value" musclecars. But my current car is getting Fully murdered out all black.