The how do I paint chrome bumpers thread? 1971 Charger 500.

[SteveSS]

In the process of trying to finish everything on the 1971 Charger 500 the bumpers have come to the forefront. I had the car painted years ago and then left the project alone until this summer The car has never been out of the garage and I haven't finished cutting and buffing the paint. I just spent a ton on all the materials for that. I bought new front and rear valences for the car and they need to be painted. My mechanic friend says he is a good painter so we're going to tackle that ourselves. Now that the interior, mechanical and body are done the bumpers don't look so good. There is some overall pitting. The car came with hidden headlights (not installed yet) which I understand was not an option on a 500 which is what I have. Regardless they're cool and I'm going to use them. Since we are going to paint some parts I took my trunk lid down to the auto paint store and had it scanned with their color-match computer camera. It came back as Hugger Orange, not Hemi Orange but whatever.

So if we are going to do some painting I thought I could paint the chrome bumpers. I know some say it's impossible and some say it's hard and some say it's not that bad. Like everything on the internet, there are lots of disagreements. My friend says it's doable but the chrome has to be sanded off then it's just prime and paint. I suspect I can do the sanding if I have the right grits and know what order to do things in. Has anyone done this and can give me the real deal information on how to do it? I think it will look good in orange with the hidden headlights.

Old pics, sorry.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[69L48Z27]

They should be stripped to bare metal by a plating company.

 

[SteveSS]

That sounds expensive.

 

[MoparLeo]

Professionally sand blasted. Or Plasti-dip spray.

 

[SteveSS]

Here's a for instance. of what I'm seeing.

I've painted many chrome bumpers,,,da sand them with 80 grit, Etch prime, then regular prime or use a direct to metal primer and then paint as usual...tough as nails.....Good luck

 

[eldubb440]

if you get epoxy primer to adhere, you have the problem licked......... I would sand blast the surface, and epoxy them. any dents and gouges can then be worked with a little filler and reprimed.......... it doesn't have to be a fiasco

 

[dvw]

I have 2 cars that had chrome mirrors. Both have been painted. I sandblasted them. Primed them with epoxy primer. Then painted like the rest of the car. Both have survived just fine. In fact the fist car was painted with lacquer. Though the paint is cracked on the rest of the car due to age, the mirrors are not.
Doug

 

[Bighouse]

That sandblasted surface will give a rough enough surface for your primer to stick. Your goal is zero and I mean ZERO shiny spots. If you miss one you’ll know exactly where. It’s just a matter of when.

 

[1967coronet]

I painted my 67 bumpers 14 years ago. Like eldubb posted I blasted mine but then DA,d them with 180 , fixed afew dings with filler , couple coats of epoxy then painted.
Never peeled or flaked. Hell I blow bugs off them at the car wash. Lol.

 

[moparmarks]

Here's a for instance. of what I'm seeing.

I've painted many chrome bumpers,,,da sand them with 80 grit, Etch prime, then regular prime or use a direct to metal primer and then paint as usual...tough as nails.....Good luck

That is what I did. DA the chrome rough.

 

[moparsaver]

give me the real deal information on how to do it?

Order new AMD chrome bumpers for $499 each.

Done

 

[JDmac72chrgr]

AMD, original was NASTY!!


From parts car too.

 

[WileERobby]

When you blast a part, you're leaving a gazillion craters in the part. After blasting, I've DA'd the part to knock it down and get a nice surface for finishing.

 

[5wndwcpe]

You should be mindful of the condition of your paper when using a DA. It's far too easy to run the paper too long and actually end up polishing the part instead of giving it tooth.

Myself, I would have them blasted, run over them with a scotch brite pad to remove any left over media and then epoxy prime them. Finish as usual from there.

 

[JR_Charger]

That is what I did. DA the chrome rough.

View attachment 1534358

View attachment 1534359

What is the story with the surround on the front bumper? I've never seen that before.

To the original poster - I used 80 grit on my drill and sanded the crap out of my chrome bumper, then primed. I don't know how long it will last, but I consider it temporary. Real painted bumpers have an elastomeric coating (or so I'm told). I prefer the painted bumpers myself (I'm also a 3rd gen owner).

 

[moparmarks]

What is the story with the surround on the front bumper? I've never seen that before.

To the original poster - I used 80 grit on my drill and sanded the crap out of my chrome bumper, then primed. I don't know how long it will last, but I consider it temporary. Real painted bumpers have an elastomeric coating (or so I'm told). I prefer the painted bumpers myself (I'm also a 3rd gen owner).

It's call an Applique or brow that is on the 71 Plymouth color keyed bumper.
Also a note. The B-body color keyed bumpers are not done the same as the E-body ones.
E body the bolts are welded to the bumper and the heads are ground smooth. B-body the bolt heads are painted.
E-body has a think rubber like coating as where B-body has a thick flexible paint.

Also wanted to add that I used an etching primer first.

 

[JR_Charger]

Does the applique have a function?

I can't believe I've gone this long without seeing one.

 

[moparmarks]

Does the applique have a function?

I can't believe I've gone this long without seeing one.

Just for looks I guess and also something to spend a lot of money on.

 

[j-c-c-62]

Just for looks I guess and also something to spend a lot of money on.

Why has no one mentioned powder coating?
If black is the color, seems like a slam dunk, and sandblasting by them is part of the process.
Or just get them re-chromed.