Have you noticed any new trends from SEMA?

[chargervert]

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I'm seeing the '70 Charger painted front bumper and blacked out grille more and more lately. I really like the look.

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We pioneered the painted bumper look on a 70 Charger more than two decades ago.

 

[mmissile]

Wow, that's stupid looking. I never was a Kindig fan.

He's done a couple attractive cars, and lots of eh and hideous stuff.

 

[mmissile]

I'm glad I save the money, and never go there. I'd be bored

 

[Kern Dog]

I'm seeing the '70 Charger painted front bumper and blacked out grille more and more lately. I really like the look.

To me, the blacked out grille was trendy many years ago but isn't as common nowadays.
As far as painted bumpers, I personally don't mind them when they are OEM like the Pontiacs or the 71 B and E bodies.
Painted steel bumpers can look great but the color matters. Black looks good because a painted bumper just fades into the color of the car. I've done white bumpers, blue, red and black. By far, the black bumpers looked the most "natural" or at least the most acceptable.
I painted this car in 2002....

I was keeping costs down but in retrospect, Chrome would have looked much better.
This car was done and listed on ebay...

It didn't meet reserve so I found a stock grille and set of bumpers....

It exceeded reserve and sold in the first auction when switched back to chrome.
This car though....

It looked cleaner and much better with the painted bumpers than the other cars did.

 

[Coelacanth]

To me, the blacked out grille was trendy many years ago but isn't as common nowadays.
As far as painted bumpers, I personally don't mind them when they are OEM like the Pontiacs or the 71 B and E bodies.
Painted steel bumpers can look great but the color matters. Black looks good because a painted bumper just fades into the color of the car. I've done white bumpers, blue, red and black. By far, the black bumpers looked the most "natural" or at least the most acceptable.
I painted this car in 2002....

View attachment 1947055

I was keeping costs down but in retrospect, Chrome would have looked much better.
This car was done and listed on ebay...

View attachment 1947056

It didn't meet reserve so I found a stock grille and set of bumpers....

View attachment 1947057

It exceeded reserve and sold in the first auction when switched back to chrome.
This car though....

View attachment 1947059

View attachment 1947060

It looked cleaner and much better with the painted bumpers than the other cars did.

The color does play a part, but so does the bumper design. On a Duster or Dart, like that first blue car, the bumpers really stand out as separate from the body, where chrome probably looks better as the bumper looks like a totally separate part. With a 1970 or third-gen Charger, the bumper integrates more smoothly with the body and fenders and looks okay when painted to match.