Painting Chrome

sconnors

sconnors

Well-known member
My 1930 pickup has chrome headlights and radiator cover and I know they didn't come stock like that but came with black metal. Someone said you could paint the them, and I was wondering if anyone had done this and if so, could you walk me through the process?
Any help would be greatly appreciated
 
What you have are stainless steel headlight buckets and a stainless steel radiator shell. The pickup should have black painted plain steel for these parts and also the taillight.
I should think you could place an ad and trade for the needed plain parts, might want to give that a try first before scuffing and ruining original stainless steel parts.
 
Mine has painted headlight buckets, but a stainless radiator shell and tail lights. Apparently over the years and even "back in the day" it was real common for pickup owners to "brighten up" their rigs with these elements usually gleaned from salvage yards and the like. At least that is what my Dad (now 93) has told me from time to time.
 
what I have done is
clean well, laquer thinner or acetone to get all wax and oils off
scuff it with a scuff pad to provide a "key" for the primer
paint with a good DTM (direct to metal) urethane primer
finish sand and paint
 
You can't paint on chrome. It will eventually flake off. The best solution is to have the chrome taken off. Either chemically dip it, or make sure it gets sand blasted really really good. It's probably easiest to just start over and order a plain steel radiator shell, but idk if they make plain steel headlight buckets or not.
 
Can you buy the black aftermarket parts? I haven't seen them advertised anywhere or know of anyone who sells them.
 
Logan,
the parts mentioned are not chrome...they are stainless steel. there is no "coating" to strip off. If sconners wants to be authentic, he will need to find original plain steel headlight and radiator shell parts to paint. they aren't that hard to find; ask around.
 
Four years ago I painted the SS lites and shell on my pkp. Scuff pads, DP90 then black acrylic enamel. No chips yet, add it gets used as a truck, avg 500 a year, wash the mud off every June.
 
Bruce said:
Four years ago I painted the SS lites and shell on my pkp. Scuff pads, DP90 then black acrylic enamel. No chips yet, add it gets used as a truck, avg 500 a year, wash the mud off every June.
Click to expand...

I like Bruce's method best of all.
If you use the 3m white scuff pads it will provide enough tooth for DP90 to hang on.
Best of all, a light polish would remove these tiny scratches someday in the future ....in the meantime you're preserving history with a bit of paint.
 
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IMO, you want more than a scuff pad's tooth. When I paint chrome or stainless . . . first with chrome, I try and remove as much as possible. If I can get to the nickel, I'm in good shape. I use 220 to prepare the metal. Then use an epoxy primer, followed by your topcoat of choice. I would suggest sanding the epoxy and possibly applying another wet coat followed by the topcoat, using a wet on wet approach. I have done this a lot with good results.
 
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