C3 - Grille Restoration - Need Help!

[Ron J.]

[Harmon C.]

Re: C3 - Grille Restoration - Need Help!

Ron I have had them rechromed but the price was real high until I had tweleve done at once. The cores are hard to find and if the chromer falls asleep he can loose so much metal they look bad. I have glass bead blasted them to remove the paint and oxidation. Then spray them with John Deer Blitz black. I have been told if you put aluminum paint in a flat cookie sheet and touch the front edge in it and hang flat to dry some have had good luck for a three foot look. Lyle

[Ron J.]

Re: C3 - Grille Restoration - Need Help!

Thank you for the suggestion.
I found a chrome paint pen that I might try on the edge.
I'm also going to try a local hobby shop to see if they have anything that might work.

[Patrick H.]

Re: C3 - Grille Restoration - Need Help!

If they're at all like the 71/72 style (paint over chromed pot metal) this is what I did:

1) stripped off old paint with water-rinsable paint stripper from the hardware store
2) used aluminum wheel cleaner (spray on type) to remove the built-up tiny chunks of oxidation. I "believe" I used the type for open (non-coated) wheels but you may try the stuff listed as "safe for any" first. This really worked well!
3) Wash them to remove everything left from 1 and 2.
4) use blue easily-removable professional grade masking tape to tape off anything that was supposed to stay chrome (i.e. non-painted). I used an X-acto knife to help trim.
5) painted them first with self-etching primer, then with appropriate color paint.

They turned out very well, and as the majority of the grille is painted and not chrome, they didn't need to be replated.

Patrick