Chrome Edge
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 366
Likes: 19
Chrome Edge
Just received the center grill piece for my 73. The chrome edges looks great! Before I spend a couple of hundred bucks for new left and right grill pieces, is there a cost effective way to dress up the original pieces I still have with a chrome look? I'm guessing no.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
A "couple of hundred"? Ha, try $1400 to $1500. Those grills are VERY expensive.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,202
Likes: 4,287
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi F,
There appear to be abs reproductions of the 73 grills with a 'chrome' edge for about $110. Might those be satisfactory for you?
You might try 'improving' your current grills' edges with the most 'silvery' paint you can find and a tiny brush….and if that doesn't work you could consider the others.
Regards,
Alan
There appear to be abs reproductions of the 73 grills with a 'chrome' edge for about $110. Might those be satisfactory for you?
You might try 'improving' your current grills' edges with the most 'silvery' paint you can find and a tiny brush….and if that doesn't work you could consider the others.
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Nov 5, 2015 at 05:12 PM.
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 592
Likes: 82
From: Colonial Beach Virginia
Hi F,
There appear to be abs reproductions of the 73 grills with a 'chrome' edge for about $110. Might those be satisfactory for you?
You might try 'improving' your current grills' edges with the most 'silvery' paint you can find and a tiny brush….and if that doesn't work you could consider the others.
Regards,
Alan
There appear to be abs reproductions of the 73 grills with a 'chrome' edge for about $110. Might those be satisfactory for you?
You might try 'improving' your current grills' edges with the most 'silvery' paint you can find and a tiny brush….and if that doesn't work you could consider the others.
Regards,
Alan
I have used this approach on a few other projects. You can get a silver/chrome paint pen and it goes on smooth. Run over it with a clear coat paint pen and it gets nice and shiny. Not quite chrome, but indistinguishable from 5 feet.
I was about to do this with my 73 until I looked closely at the grills. Someone had lightly poof-canned them some time ago. Some 000 and 0000 steel wool and I have brand new looking chrome grill edges once again.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 366
Likes: 19
Chrome edge
I have used this approach on a few other projects. You can get a silver/chrome paint pen and it goes on smooth. Run over it with a clear coat paint pen and it gets nice and shiny. Not quite chrome, but indistinguishable from 5 feet.
I was about to do this with my 73 until I looked closely at the grills. Someone had lightly poof-canned them some time ago. Some 000 and 0000 steel wool and I have brand new looking chrome grill edges once again.
I was about to do this with my 73 until I looked closely at the grills. Someone had lightly poof-canned them some time ago. Some 000 and 0000 steel wool and I have brand new looking chrome grill edges once again.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 366
Likes: 19
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
I bought a set of the reproductions years ago to replace my heavily corroded originals and within 10 years they were disappointing to look at. While they don't corrode like the originals, the chrome fades and the fins take on a somewhat wavy appearance.
Good luck... GUSTO
Last edited by GUSTO14; Nov 6, 2015 at 09:25 AM.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 535
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From: London Ontario
Last edited by Ontario73; Nov 6, 2015 at 10:00 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 189
Likes: 55
From: Virginia
73 Grills are made from pot metal and are prone to pitting.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 366
Likes: 19
My originals are fairly pitted, I cleaned them as well as I could, then sprayed them. Did not notice a chrome edge. The new center section I just received is metal, and the chrome looks very nice. Starting to think that if the L and R pieces are this nice, just spend the $$. Why stop now? ChaChing! My car the money pit! I'm sure the pain will recede once I get to drive her!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
If you're trying to paint a thin area like the front edges of a grill, shoot them first in the color that is needed. Once that dries, paint the rest of the grill black from the backside. This will keep you from getting black paint on the new (insert paint color here) that you sprayed on the front edges.
Adam
Adam
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 366
Likes: 19
Chrome edge.
Hi F,
There appear to be abs reproductions of the 73 grills with a 'chrome' edge for about $110. Might those be satisfactory for you?
You might try 'improving' your current grills' edges with the most 'silvery' paint you can find and a tiny brush….and if that doesn't work you could consider the others.
Regards,
Alan
There appear to be abs reproductions of the 73 grills with a 'chrome' edge for about $110. Might those be satisfactory for you?
You might try 'improving' your current grills' edges with the most 'silvery' paint you can find and a tiny brush….and if that doesn't work you could consider the others.
Regards,
Alan
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,202
Likes: 4,287
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Frank,
Yes, abs refers to a type of styrene plastic.
I'm out of my league here (73) but from what I read the original grills were cast metal while the reproductions are made of abs.
Perhaps a 73 person will verify!
Regards,
Alan
Yes, abs refers to a type of styrene plastic.
I'm out of my league here (73) but from what I read the original grills were cast metal while the reproductions are made of abs.
Perhaps a 73 person will verify!
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 366
Likes: 19
Chrome edge.
Thanks again for all the input. Mid America has the L and R grill sections with chrome, made out of metal for $100 each. If they are as nice as the center piece I got, they are nice. I might still try to salvage my originals.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 535
Likes: 8
From: London Ontario
