Bumper chrome peeling, whatd'ya do??

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Wheelsntires

Wheelsntires

92 Stealth RT/TT 99 Ram Sport 69 Dart Custom V1H
Joined
Dec 23, 2019
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Location
Vancouver WA
Just about to bring home a 69 Dart Custom after a 10yr old-Mope dry spell... Its going to be 100% diy project. The slant will be replaced by a 360, and itll get full body n paint at home. Will be my first major rust repair attempt, as its needs rear window corners and a drivers front floor. But the important question... The bumpers are hideous. The chrome is beyond saving. Lots of bubbles and flakes... Am considering painting them but how do you get rid of the chrome first??
 
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I had mine sand blasted by a place that does powder coating. They had a much better unit then any home unit I could buy.
 
DrEamer said:
I had mine sand blasted by a place that does powder coating. They had a much better unit then any home unit I could buy.
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I was hoping that was an option... Didnt know if blasting would actually do it!!! Thanks!!!
 
Yeah, sand blasting will take care of the rust & the remaining chrome. The powder coating shop I use has a pretty aggressive garnet media they use.
 
Demonracer said:
Yeah, sand blasting will take care of the rust & the remaining chrome. The powder coating shop I use has a pretty aggressive garnet media they use.
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Such good news!!! I was afraid it was going to be an exotic, or "i blew up the garage" chemical process!! Frankly the bumpers were more intimidating than the bodywork!!!
 
Just make sure the bumpers are straight from the beginning, that way you don't see it after you've had them blasted & painted. The other route you could go would be to have them powder coated to look like aluminum bumpers.
 
Demonracer said:
Just make sure the bumpers are straight from the beginning, that way you don't see it after you've had them blasted & painted. The other route you could go would be to have them powder coated to look like aluminum bumpers.
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Sure... I think theyre quite straight, just ugly!!! Thats a good idea!! Theres a local guy with a Sublime 68 Charger. His bumpers are satin black. Hated it initially but it grew on me, and it might look good with my F6. Since theyre so much bigger, it might be too much black. Havent decided yet, but i have time LOL...!!
 
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I had a pair of UGLY bumpers, I them sand blasted & powder coated in Alien Silver they looked like the aluminum light weight bumpers. They really looked good on my Duster painted Arctic white with brushed aluminum Centerlines I also dulled all of the bright work to look like brushed aluminum.
 
Bet that looks great!!! I like that the 'theme' was carried all over the car!! Im still doodling ideas. Havent even brought the car home yet, and dont figure ill be at the paint stage til August-ish... But like to have a solid plan ahead of time!!!
 
Have them re-chromed..painted bumpers look like the owner was too cheap to have them done right!!
 
stroked340 said:
Have them re-chromed..painted bumpers look like the owner was too cheap to have them done right!!
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There's always that too... Ive done lotsa resto stuff in the past, 5 '68 Chargers, a Challenger, a 67 GT.... This car is just kind of a blank canvas to do somthing different, and a whole different "look" is somewhere I havent been before. Im not super worried about budget, but there still is one haha... So while to a point youre right, if its a choice between engine mods and chrome... For once, the chrome loses!!!
 
Some great looking cars on here with painted bumpers. I wanted stock look or might have gone that way. Mine were rusted to a point I wouldn't have used them as rechrome cores. I was lucky (and patient)and got great deals on both bumpers in amazing condition from other members here.
 
I kinda doubt mine are even good cores to be rechromed... Could be wrong, honestly didn't look that close. Just noted the severe ugliness and moved on LOL!!
 
stroked340 said:
Have them re-chromed..painted bumpers look like the owner was too cheap to have them done right!!
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I'll have to add a caveat to that, some cars like the E bodies that had elastomeric bumpers, were painted body color from the factory. So, painted bumpers look like they belong there. Also, finding a shop that does chrome any more is difficult at best, and finding one that does a good job is harder yet.

Now the only other option that I have seen is doing a chrome vinyl wrap. I have yet to see one in person though, but it looks good in pictures anyway.
 
Tri-City plating in Tenn. have done the bumpers on 2 of my dusters top notch work..as for the e-bodies I thought you were talking about an A-BODY..
 
DrEamer said:
I'll have to add a caveat to that, some cars like the E bodies that had elastomeric bumpers, were painted body color from the factory. So, painted bumpers look like they belong there. Also, finding a shop that does chrome any more is difficult at best, and finding one that does a good job is harder yet.

Now the only other option that I have seen is doing a chrome vinyl wrap. I have yet to see one in person though, but it looks good in pictures anyway.
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I honestly hadnt thought about a wrap... I shouldve, considering ive been thinking about it for the Stealth...
 
stroked340 said:
Tri-City plating in Tenn. have done the bumpers on 2 of my dusters top notch work..as for the e-bodies I thought you were talking about an A-BODY..
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No I was talking about the Dart... I think he was qualifying the response
 
stroked340 said:
Tri-City plating in Tenn. have done the bumpers on 2 of my dusters top notch work..as for the e-bodies I thought you were talking about an A-BODY..
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will file that for reference... I have no clue if anybody local does chrome. Im assuming there should be some well-rated places here on the left coast, but i havent needed a source in 15 yrs...
 
Pacific Northwest Plating
7001 NE 40th Ave
Vancouver, Wa.
 
stroked340 said:
Last I checked a dart is an A-BODY!!
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You made a blanket statement that painted bumpers look like someone cheaped out, I was just saying there are places painted bumpers look good, or correct.
 
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