Egg Crate Chrome!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 282
From: Back in Nebraska
Egg Crate Chrome!
I would like to get my 1970 back to as original as possible. It was painted before I bought it and they painted the side louvers (egg crate) without taping the chrome lines. Anyone have any good ideas on how to remove the paint over the chrome or any other way to restore my egg crates?
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 402
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles
I had a similar problem on my 70'. I took a small brush and applied a thin coat of paint remover. After the paint bubbled, I simply wiped it away. The chrome underneath was not harmed at all.
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Mishawaka Indiana
Heck, I didn't think the 70 had the chrome. Thought it was a 71-72 thing. Hmm. Guess I have to fix mine too. Problem with mine was they were blasted prior to my getting them. They were in a box that came with the car. Its safe to say that there isnt any chrome under the paint. I wonder if anybody makes a chrome looking paint that might be convincing enough since the strips are so narrow? I know some of the chrome paints in the past are pretty dull? I may just be better leaving well enough alone.
Last edited by 70inSBIn; Sep 8, 2005 at 08:17 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Mishawaka Indiana
I just found out the 70 egg crates are listed as having a different part number than the 71-72's. Does anybody know the difference between them other than that they are interchangeable? I was just looking at mine closer and noticed that the vertical "slats" are actually sharp on the edge and would be hard to put a definate chrome edge on for that reason. The outer boundary of the grille has a definate edge about 3/16 wide where the chrome would go, but the verticals are sharp. Are they all like this? I need to see one with the chrome up close to see the edges of the vertical slats. Anybody got a close up pic. I really thought I had read somewhere that the chrome edges didnt come right away, but I cant find the article now. Any help appreciated.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 336
Likes: 0
Mine are chrome on edges, guess previous person who had it painted was cool enough to leave the chrome. I have a friend with a 70 and his are painted. I like the chrome! Replacements are not too expensive but you would need to paint them to match car, probably not a hard task with a spray can made of your color from local auto paint place. I would go and by pin striping to mask the chrome off. Anyway thats a thought. 
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,487
Likes: 1
From: Sydney
Originally Posted by James1970
I had a similar problem on my 70'. I took a small brush and applied a thin coat of paint remover. After the paint bubbled, I simply wiped it away. The chrome underneath was not harmed at all.
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
I never thought about using paint remover chemical stripper.. (Id heard about possibly using Razor blades)....
Was it difficult to use the paint stripper? like how does it effect the edges of the paint left after you have wiped it off?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,347
Likes: 9
From: Salinas Ca.
I'm going to treat the area in question the same way I treated my guage bezel and shift plate... I painted the whole area several times and used a razor blade (very carefull) and removed the paint on the chrome raised areas. The results were near perfect, I even treated the word (wiper, tune am/fm and the 4speed diagram) the same way.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,487
Likes: 1
From: Sydney
I just see the razor blade thing ending in disaster for me....and I don't have any other panels to practise on.
Thats why im thinking using the paint stripper might be the way to go...but even so Im worried that its not going to go right.
Thats why im thinking using the paint stripper might be the way to go...but even so Im worried that its not going to go right.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,930
Likes: 11
From: AnyTown NJ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by 70inSBIn
I just found out the 70 egg crates are listed as having a different part number than the 71-72's. Does anybody know the difference between them other than that they are interchangeable? I was just looking at mine closer and noticed that the vertical "slats" are actually sharp on the edge and would be hard to put a definate chrome edge on for that reason. The outer boundary of the grille has a definate edge about 3/16 wide where the chrome would go, but the verticals are sharp. Are they all like this? I need to see one with the chrome up close to see the edges of the vertical slats. Anybody got a close up pic. I really thought I had read somewhere that the chrome edges didnt come right away, but I cant find the article now. Any help appreciated.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,930
Likes: 11
From: AnyTown NJ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by cosmicvette
I just see the razor blade thing ending in disaster for me....and I don't have any other panels to practise on.
Thats why im thinking using the paint stripper might be the way to go...but even so Im worried that its not going to go right.
Thats why im thinking using the paint stripper might be the way to go...but even so Im worried that its not going to go right.
Try paint thinner/ stripper on a qtip.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Mishawaka Indiana
Thanks gq82.
I knew something was different about the 70 egg crates. I found a blurb on Idaho vette that said the vertical chrome was actually one of the subtle differences between the 71 and 72. That could be wrong though.
But I did ask one of my parts "experts", and he said that the 70's dont have the lip that the 71-72's do, and also mentioned the chrome only on the horizontal fins because of it. Thanks again.
I knew something was different about the 70 egg crates. I found a blurb on Idaho vette that said the vertical chrome was actually one of the subtle differences between the 71 and 72. That could be wrong though.
But I did ask one of my parts "experts", and he said that the 70's dont have the lip that the 71-72's do, and also mentioned the chrome only on the horizontal fins because of it. Thanks again.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 402
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles
Originally Posted by cosmicvette
Ive got the same problem on my 70....and really want the original look of the chrome edges back!
I never thought about using paint remover chemical stripper.. (Id heard about possibly using Razor blades)....
Was it difficult to use the paint stripper? like how does it effect the edges of the paint left after you have wiped it off?
I never thought about using paint remover chemical stripper.. (Id heard about possibly using Razor blades)....
Was it difficult to use the paint stripper? like how does it effect the edges of the paint left after you have wiped it off?
The paint stripper will take off paint whereever it's applied. As my 70' was going in for paint, I did not fret too much about slight over-spill. I also used razor blades but found that I was nicking ever so slightly the chrome underneath. Either way, you need to be precise and careful as either technique will remove/chip paint where you may not have wanted.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 282
From: Back in Nebraska
All great replys! Thanks everyone. I think that I will try the 1000 grit sandpaper first, then move to the razor blades next. If the first two fail, I'll go to a chemical stripper! Ya'al have a great Corvette weekend!
