Stripping Chrome

[MKINNA]

Need ideas on removing chrome off early bumper, its peeling off with surface rust. I was planning on painting it to match car. TIA

[02for2]

Just sand it using multi-grit method. You could even use an inexpensive palm sander to do most of the work.

I'd start with 250 grit and work my way up through 400, 800 and then it will easily accept a primer and paint.

I used this method on my late bumpers, but continued on through 1000, 1200 and 1500 grit, then polished the Aluminum to a mirror shine and paste waxed it rather than painting or re-plating it. A year later, it still looks great. I may give it a 'refresher' polish every other year or so with the old random orbital to keep it that way.

IIRC, it took me about 2 hrs. / bumper to actually remove all the old plating, the rest was just making it look pretty.

Cheers!

[VintageAutobahn]

02for2, you have any pictures of the finished product?

[02for2]

Well, not ones specifically showing just the bumper.

But this one I think shows the shine of the bumper pretty well if you look at the reflection of the headlight and grill in it, though it was pretty dirty at the time. What may look like pitting or such on the D-side (in the sun) is actually just dust

Cheers!

[esty]

there is a huge difference in anodized aluminum and chrome anodized finished, no doubt may be easily sanded away, no so with chrome plating

[VintageAutobahn]

there is a huge difference in anodized aluminum and chrome anodized finished, no doubt may be easily sanded away, no so with chrome plating

Thats what i was confused about (until I saw the pics of the big bumpers)

Thanks

[TobyB]

What about taking it to a chrome shop and having them dip it?

They chemically strip chrome before replating... brutally toxic, eh?

Grinding it is problemmatic, as you know- it's so much harder than what's underneath

(copper, then steel) that it's hard not to gouge the base metal.

Have you tried the 3M stripper pads? They might rough the surface

up enough for paint. Otherwise, a sanding disc on an angle grinder DOES

work, but you have to be really cautious... or use a few layers of primer- filler

after!

The sparks are certainly pretty...

t

[MKINNA]

What about taking it to a chrome shop and having them dip it?

They chemically strip chrome before replating... brutally toxic, eh?

Grinding it is problemmatic, as you know- it's so much harder than what's underneath

(copper, then steel) that it's hard not to gouge the base metal.

Have you tried the 3M stripper pads? They might rough the surface

up enough for paint. Otherwise, a sanding disc on an angle grinder DOES

work, but you have to be really cautious... or use a few layers of primer- filler

after!

The sparks are certainly pretty...

t

I was thinking about stopping by one, to see how the prep bad chrome. Thanks everyone for your input