To Chrome or not to Chrome, all the windows trim, grill accent, and headloght bezels!

[idrivemopar]

I'm curious, i believe all the window trim, grille accent, and headlight bezels on 73/74 roadrunners are anodized aluminum, and looking at everything, just wondering if it would look good if it were all chromed? Any thoughts?

 

[snakeoil24]

3000 to 3500.00 to do it all

 

[roadrunnerman]

Headlight bezels yes, Window trim yes, grille accents can go either way depending on what you like. But I like shiny things.

 

[pabster]

Meh. Chrome can get to be too much real fast if you want my opinion. Understated beauty can be a pretty amazing thing on a car, and lots of chrome is anything but understated.

 

[kb73rr]

The window trims and drip rails and windshield valence panel are all polished stainless steel. The headlight bezels and three pieces of grill trim are all bright dip anodized aluminum. Neither stainless or anodized aluminum are particularly well suited for chrome plating. The stainless can be polished and buffed to *almost* a chrome finish if you put the effort in to it. The aluminum parts can't really be re-polished without first stripping the anodize. I did it myself. You have to use lye and it's a real PITA. And then after they are polished and buffed you need to either get them re-anodized or clear coated (hardened urethane or powder) to keep the shine.

 

[idrivemopar]

The headlight bezels and three pieces of grill trim are all bright dip anodized aluminum.

Three pieces of Grill trim? I only have a lower piece that runs the length of the grill.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

Just my 2 cents---I think that trim- grilles, etc. that were not chromed from the factory should not be plated. I think doing so makes a nice car look "over restored". Turns me off when I see it at car shows....................MO

 

[kb73rr]

Three pieces of Grill trim? I only have a lower piece that runs the length of the grill.

There is also a middle piece with a painted black stripe in the center and a top piece. All three are attached to the grill by screws just like the bottom one. Here is a pic of them on my car in their original beat-up condition when I bought it.



And here is an underside view of the top one after stripping the anodize and repolishing and buffing.



These grill trim pieces come up for sale on ebay every so often - either by themselves or as attached to a grill. Just set up alerts for road runner, roadrunner, and satellite grills. I just missed a pretty badly broken satellite grill. It had decent trims though.

 

[idrivemopar]

Interesting, your grill is grey, typically what is seen on Satellites, and only the second example I have ever seen with those trim pieces. For a roadrunner, I believe the correct grill is as shown below.

 

[kb73rr]

Interesting, your grill is grey, typically what is seen on Satellites, and only the second example I have ever seen with those trim pieces. For a roadrunner, I believe the correct grill is as shown below.
View attachment 126348

You are correct that the Road Runner grill is originally black. I have one of those in the basement. Every so often I put in on my car - but invariably I switch back to the silver one. It just seems to go with the other brightwork in front and looks better to me. The same with the engine and paint. This was originally a 318 FE5 Rallye Red car. I just like the 440 and the Inferno Red better.

I've been hoping to find another decent or repairable grill. I want to try a hybrid - black inside the grates with all the leading edges silver.

 

[Bruzilla]

The window trims and drip rails and windshield valence panel are all polished stainless steel. The headlight bezels and three pieces of grill trim are all bright dip anodized aluminum. Neither stainless or anodized aluminum are particularly well suited for chrome plating. The stainless can be polished and buffed to *almost* a chrome finish if you put the effort in to it. The aluminum parts can't really be re-polished without first stripping the anodize. I did it myself. You have to use lye and it's a real PITA. And then after they are polished and buffed you need to either get them re-anodized or clear coated (hardened urethane or powder) to keep the shine.

We used to have anodized aluminum belt buckles when I was in the Navy, and we would use Brasso to strip off the anodizing and polish them up to look like chrome. Then we would shoot them with clear coat to keep them looking good, but being belt buckles it wasn't long before the paint started getting scraped off.

 

[jessipup]

Bruz has the deal. strip, polish and important clear coat. No clear and you will be forever polishing. Btw that toppiece is increadably rare. It took me two years to find a replacment, mine had a ding right on the point in the center, it bugged me to no end. So now I have all sorts of spares

 

[idrivemopar]

That's just weird, I have never seen a Roadrunner or Satellite in person with those. I like the cleaner look with out the extra pieces anyway.

 

[jessipup]

Hunt down a 74 SSP. All 3 most likely came only on the highest trim level. Iwent high glossblack on the grill and the shine all the way around. Black and chrome are made for each other. Then again maybe that is the scooter tramp showing through