i have the fiberglass sidepipe covers painted to match the car.i know chrome paint doesn't look like chrome but I'm wondering if anyone has experience and maybe pictures of something that may look good enough. it needs more contrast with the red. and please don't say black

 

Could they be powder coated?

 

I agree that chrome paint almost looks so bad that it is better to choose a color that still looks like a paint of some kind. Aluminum however is very easy to duplicate the look of. Eastwood sells an aluminum paint called Alumablast. I think an aluminum paint would give you a very good contrast and as long as you clear coated them after the aluminum paint they would have a nice shine and stay clean and fresh.

 

Powdercoat requires 400 degrees to cure. probably not a good way to go, its a shame too because a good friend owns a powdercoating shop.

 

You can get them painted chrome now, that looks like real chrome. The only question that I would have is will it hold up to the heat. I remembered seeing a new company in Dallas not long ago in the news and they did it. Something like this below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt0affP9_9M

 

Video says holds up to temps up to 300 degrees.

Wife beater, no eye or hand protection, and no respirator - they must be a first rate establishment

 

I hear ya. this isn't the place I heard about and the process these guys are doing is slightly different. Just the first video that popped up for the op. The one that I saw want even using a paint gun. It was more like a water house and they just saturated out then rinsed it and you could just see the chrome color flow over the part.

I don't know what temp the covers would need to withstand in reality. Definitely gives the op another option to look at.

 

I saw that too. Interesting process. Looks expensive.

I'd love to cover something in that and then a candy color over the chrome. That would POP

 

You should ask your friend if he can powdercoat fiberglass parts. I'm sure they must be able to withstand 400F or so; the pipes run inside of them. If so, powdercoat 'chrome' is the way to go. When the paint powder melts, it flows and the [simulated] chrome looks pretty good....at least as good as the vacuum plated chrome plastic parts.

If you want parts of it painted another color, use Duplicolor Engine Enamel. It will withstand 500F. Just let it cure 5-7 days before you put the heat to it. It takes that long to fully cure.