Blacking out chrome, how to?

[scottmandue]

My Miata (insert ghey joke here) is dark blue and has a hard top. Long story short the two back attachment points for the roof are chrome and they would look better (IMHO) if they were black.

Any easy way to black these out?

I presume spray paint (easiest and cheapest way to go) will not stick to chrome?

[Joe Bob]

Trim Black by SEM has an etching component.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Trim Black by SEM has an etching component.

Is there anything PPOT can't do?!?

[Eric Hahl]

Plasti-dip maybe?

[Joe Bob]

It won't take much.....bring some beer over and masking tape....I bought it on sale....I have 4 cans.

[masraum]

Are you going to do the tabs on the top, the plates on the car and the door handles too?

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by masraum

Are you going to do the door handles too?

I would like too... but not sure how much of a PITA it is to remove the door handles... about to do a search on miata.net/google to see how to do that.

[Nickshu]

Plastidip is easy to do and pretty durable. Also easy to remove or redo if it gets damaged. Tons of How-To videos on their website.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Nickshu

Plastidip is easy to do and pretty durable. Also easy to remove or redo if it gets damaged. Tons of How-To videos on their website.

Plastidip is really big with the Miata group... as a matter of fact I seen guys do the entire car in Plasti...

Isn't that the stuff that started out as something you dip your tools into to make grips for them?

I would like a gloss or semi gloss finish... not sure Plasti can do that.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by masraum

Are you going to do the tabs on the top, the plates on the car and the door handles too?

Yes... but... like any project... it gets complicated...

Tabs and plates on the top, easy peasy... remove top, unscrew all the parts and spray. no problem

Door handles, need to remove the door panels, already did it once to upgrade the door speakers... also easy peasy...

But, when I removed the door panels whoever removed them before me cracked the door panels and broke out a few of the snap fasteners.

So, if I remove the door panels again I would like to get some new (undamaged ones from a junkyard). Not a lot of money but it turns a $15 project into a $150 project.

And so it goes

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Trim Black by SEM has an etching component.

+1

I blacked out the chrome trim on our BMW with this product. Clean the items thoroughly with prep solvent which will help the adhesion.

[Mike80911]

I did the trim on my sons Audi using blackout tape. It was very easy to work with and looks great on the car. The best part is you do not have to remove the trim to apply it.

[David McLaughlin]

Vinyl wrap the chrome parts. Great for emblems too. Chrome is a ***** to paint over.

[Tobra]

Nice thing about vinyl or plastidip is that if you don't like it, you peel it off.

Don't know how it would be for something that had to move, like a door handle. I will eventually black out all the shiny bits on the 914

[vonsmog]

If you are going to use paint, and the parts are small enough, beadblast them first. This will etch the chrome so the paint will stick. I have done this many of times with great results.

[afterburn 549]

sand and etch
simple

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by vonsmog

If you are going to use paint, and the parts are small enough, beadblast them first. This will etch the chrome so the paint will stick. I have done this many of times with great results.

I thought of that, we have a bead blaster here at work, however I would prefer a gloss finish when I'm done.

Originally Posted by Mike80911

I did the trim on my sons Audi using blackout tape. It was very easy to work with and looks great on the car. The best part is you do not have to remove the trim to apply it.

Do you have a name for that product? The parts I am contemplating are rather complicated shape and not sure tape would work.

Latch that holds down back of hard top:

CAP (L) (NA01-R1-871) - $33.27 - NA01R1871

Door handle:

HANDLE, LT (NA01-59-410D) - $95.65 - NA0159410D

[Mike80911]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

I thought of that, we have a bead blaster here at work, however I would prefer a gloss finish when I'm done.



Do you have a name for that product? The parts I am contemplating are rather complicated shape and not sure tape would work.

Latch that holds down back of hard top:

CAP (L) (NA01-R1-871) - $33.27 - NA01R1871

Door handle:

HANDLE, LT (NA01-59-410D) - $95.65 - NA0159410D

Sorry I do not have a name for it but you can find it at most car customizing shops and also on ebay. It easily molds to most shapes. When I did the large curve around the rear side windows I bought some that was 2 feet wide and just cut them out from there. It has been on there a year now and still looks great

[Iciclehead]

Stripped mine and then powdercoated satin black. It has been about 15 years, still looks like the day they were installed....



Dennis