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What's the best way to paint chrome trim?


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My '64 Sportwagon has chrome trim running along the beltline of the fenders and doors. These strips are about 2-3" wide. The center portions of these strips had what appears to be "frosted" silver paint to give it a dulled appearance. Most of this has weathered off over the years. Is there a special paint that will adhere to the chrome? I would think simply spraying it on would not last very long given the smooth chrome surface. Any help is greatly appreciated, Greg

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I don't think there is any special paint for that. The key to getting good adhesion is to roughen up the chrome or aluminum trim just a little bit, with some fine grit sandpaper. If you use too rough a grit, it will leave scratches in the metal that will show through the paint, so try a fine grit, say something above a 200 grit. That is what I use when repainting the flaked off trim on '53 Buick wheelcovers, which have a lot of paint over their chrome.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

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I painted trim from a vinyl roof on a 69 Electra once. We used the same paint as that on the car. I would just make sure there was no wax on the chrome, but I would not sand it. I would think sanding it would cause surface imperfections that might be seen. Also, I'm pretty sure these are stainless, so I'd just wipe them with a clean cloth and some laquer paint thinner. Mask as needed then use a quality primer and allow it to dry thoroughly, then spray over with another quality top coat paint. I would even consider putting a satin finish clear coat over the top coat, as it seems most times you see flat colors on a car, it really is a satin finish that just looks dull next to the shiney top coats.

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Guest sintid58

I wonder with all the types of vinyl decals available today that you couldn't use something like that. Try going to a sign shop that makes vinyl lettering and maybe you could get the right color. that would be very durable, look smooth and once cut to the right proportions easy to apply.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Greg, the only way to paint that stainless steel trim is to first clean it with laquer thinner as earlier stated, then throughly sand it with 220 grit sand paper, followed with 400 grit wet/dry- to eliminate sratches, (use the paper wet, soak the paper in water and apply to molding while sanding), dry the molding off, then apply 2-part epoxy primer. If you go with PPG, they have many colors of the primer (black, blue, red, gray, green, white). Epoxy primer is the only type primer recommened for stainless steel. You can apply any top coat color over it. I am in the restoration field. B. J.

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