How do you change chrome trim on Windows to Black
 

Hi All,

My black 79 SC has chrome trim around the Winshield and around the side windows and I'd like to change it to black.

Someone mentioned to me there's a 2 step process..can someone tell me what it is? Any tips etc...



Thanks,
Dan

Try the paint & body forum. The biggest issue would be getting the paint to adhere to the chrome.

Don't do it. The PO of my 911 did this and it looked like hell and was a monumental pain in the rear end to undo.

If you really want the black trim, I'd buy it in pieces and swap out the components individually. If you do this, PM me and I'll buy all your chrome bits.

I converted my shiny silver trim to black years ago and regretted it because it looked good initally but then over time looked like crap.

If your car is a 79, then the trim is not chrome but actually bright-dipped anodized aluminum. To convert this to black in a 'cheap-easy-crappy-looking-way', the 2 step process I used was to sand blast the surface and then painted it with black enamel paint....this is NOT the finish that the factory used to make their trim black....they used a black anodized process. This year, I decided I wanted the shiny silver look back and sent all of my trim off to have it restored by having it bright-dip anodized. It was not cheap but now looks great.

If you want the black trim, sell your silver trim and buy someone's black trim pieces.

We've done a couple of these by removing the trim and having it powder-coated. It's not the cheapest way to do this, but it does work. It's also possible, as the parts are aluminum, to have them anodized black.

angela

Find somebody (like me) with an early car who swapped the shiny bits for black and trade. In my case it was the previous owner.

Ditto - Get them powder coated.

If you *really* want to do it, powdercoat is the way to go, as said above.

BUT, think hard about doing it. Black trim is so common on the SC/Carrera. Chrome from the factory on an SC is pretty rare, esp. on a '79. Usually it is only on the early '78s. It looks so cool having chrome trim on an SC/Carrera flared car.

I will trade also.

I've painted several chrome and aluminum parts in the past (mostly on motorcycles and not P-cars, but the process would be the same since the items are exposed equally to the environment). The key is preparation and cleanliness. First, rough up the area to be painted with a fine-grit sandpaper so as not to damage the surface or create grooves. Then clean with rubbing alcohol or paint prep wipes (Autozone sells them, and they are made by Dupli-color, but I can't remember what they're called). Being careful not to touch the parts with your bare hands (b/c of skin oils being transferred to the parts), hang them in such a manner where the paint will fully cover the areas you want to be painted. Then using a high-quality paint (I like Dupli-color high heat paint sold at Autozone), follow the instructions on the can. Generally speaking, use several thin coats, allowing the paint to briefly dry between coats. After the last coat, ensure you have complete coverage, and then let it cure for a day or so b/f reinstallation. Using this method, the painted parts will last and are easy to touch up provided you use the same method of preparation and painting.

Mine was black to begin with....but showing signs of age....I decided to use Rustoleum Semi Gloss black....its is a little glossier than the factory finish...but it matched my wheels that I also finished in the same paint. If you want it to look factory, you can use Rustoleum Satin Black. Mine has held up for about 2 years now with no retouching...but when its time its just a matter of a scotch brite pad after masking everything off and respraying. The masking off of the entire car is the hard part. But I liked the results. That said, I would keep the bright trim you have as it is pretty rare...I would sure like to have bright trim on my car.

I agree with the swapping out your shinny bits for black ones. The PO on my car painted my trim black and I had to strip all the paint off using stripper. Thankfully the chrome under was still in good condition.

I love chrome. :)

Yes I would trade my black to you for chrome and pay shipping :-)

P.O. on my car used black electrical tape.

They do make a black-out tape product. Easy to find on the internet.
May be worth a try, and can be removed if you don't like it.