painting my 71 dart bumpers...

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1971dodgedart/6

1971dodgedart/6

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the prices i get for rechroming bumpers, wayyy out of my budget for now. i think my bumpers are gunna get the rattle can untill i can afford to rechrome. i was thinking flat black. i have no idea what else would look good. but i need to know what i need to do to prep the metal before painting. should i scuff it? has anyone ever painted chrome bumpers? what did you do to get decent results? thank you-travis
 
Same process for anything metal. sand prime paint.
If the chrome is flaking off you might have better luck sand blasting them first.
I painted mine after seeing that the PO had blasted the chrome off and used bed liner paint on them... :( Mine are just over 18 months old and have a few chips on the front one.... I painted them off of the car and had no issues with getting them shiny (body color) I would have painted them silver or something but I thought that would look too much like a work truck. They were black (textured) and looked like undercoating or abs plastic...

That being said any more damage you do to them from sanding / blasting will have to be fixed before they get re-chromed and that may add some cost so call a chroming place and ask them before taking a sanding wheel to them..
 
Scotch brite (3M) pads work great for scratching (scuffing)chrome without creating deep scratches. Theirs some paint available that is really close to actual chrome finish also if you chose to go that route.

All the best!
 
If you're set on painting them why not go with body color instead of black? After seeing pics of both I think body color looks far better than black, but that's just my opinion. I decided just to live with mine the way thet are until I can get them re-chromed.
 
ok. i know i am going to get alot of **** over this. PLEASE don't!! PERSONALLY,i think if it came with chrome bumpers,it should stay with chrome bumpers. i understand the budget thing,i just had mine chromed last summer! i would rather see it with a little crappy of a bumper than painted,it just looks cheap and hokey too me. just me though,please don't hurt me!!8-[
 
wracks, no problem with giving your opinion man, nobody is going to come after you, haha.

Anyway... I would say either rechromed or body color if you are going to paint them.
 
do they really bother you that much...still original bumbpers just not as shinny...wait until you can rechrome car will look better than painted my opinion only......anybody can paint bumpers nobody has your car with aged looking bumpers......bin there done that which i left them alone again my opinion only.....you will save the money on paint until you have enough to rechrome
 
I kind of agree with beepahh actually. I mean, I have no problems when I look at a car with chrome or spots that need attention. If you are like me, you actually enjoy seeing things like that. I love seeing things in progress.
 
hemizach said:
I kind of agree with beepahh actually. I mean, I have no problems when I look at a car with chrome or spots that need attention. If you are like me, you actually enjoy seeing things like that. I love seeing things in progress.
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DITTO!
 
wracks71 said:
ok. i know i am going to get alot of **** over this. PLEASE don't!! PERSONALLY,i think if it came with chrome bumpers,it should stay with chrome bumpers. i understand the budget thing,i just had mine chromed last summer! i would rather see it with a little crappy of a bumper than painted,it just looks cheap and hokey too me. just me though,please don't hurt me!!8-[
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Agree with you 100%................
Painting bumpers rather it be paint or chrome looks cheesy......

Have you tryed buffing them out with some chrome polish ?
Should hold you over.

Chrome them when you can.
 
just a suggestion if you don't like you front bumper i might like it.....LOL.....still haven't rechromed mine yet i can't see it while driving...once a fellow told me my bumber is ugly not shinny....said to him"WHERE IS YOUR UGLY BUMPER".......he walked away.....be content for now.....
 
I'm doing my Dart in flat black and since the bumpers were old and rusty I had them stripped at a chrome shop and then straightened them and painted them with Rustoleum texture paint. Looks really good and I don't have to worry about scratches. If you're not going black I'd stay with chrome or at least do them in body color. Just mho. Mike
 
alright i think ill keep the bumpers the way they are. i have no idea how to revive the shine, nothing has worked. no the chrome is not flaking off but where the water runs off the hood its a dull flat spot on the front bumper, they just look worn. it was something temporary, but if it will be a problem when i strip them down to chrome again, than old worn chromw bumpers it is! thanks
 
Try pouring a can of Coke in a pan and soak some aluminum foil in it for about 10 minutes, then rub the foil over the dull spots.
 
You can try some of 0000 steel wool (think thats that finest). It cleaned most of the aging on my and left a respectable shine. No scratching that I can tell, it won't remove any pitting. I hit mine with a coat of wax after the polishing. I know that guy flying in the 737 over my house at 35000 feets thinks they are niiiiice!!
 
Try some 0000 steel wool, I think that is the finest. I did my bumpers and it removed most of the "aging". It won't take off any pitting but it does come out respectable. Also, won't get rid of dents, dings or cave ins...had to cover my butt. Followed up with a coat of wax and they look respectable. I'm sure that guy flying over my house at 35000 feet thinks their the nicest bumpers ever!!!
 
JayD said:
Try pouring a can of Coke in a pan and soak some aluminum foil in it for about 10 minutes, then rub the foil over the dull spots.
Click to expand...

You know... maybe it was just the fact our bumpers were really bad but when I tried that on a car I didnt accomplish anything but creating a sticky mess, haha. :scratch:
 
hemizach said:
You know... maybe it was just the fact our bumpers were really bad but when I tried that on a car I didnt accomplish anything but creating a sticky mess, haha. :scratch:
Click to expand...

Haven't done it myself, but a good friend did and it came out looking a lot better than when he started. His bumper wasn't badly rusted or pitted, just dull with discoloration. He said rather than soaking the foil in Coke just dip it, and make sure to use it shiney side out. Since my Dart bumpers are a lot bigger than his Mustang bumpers I don't think it would work to well on mine, they'll stay as-is until I can get them re-chromed.
 
I use 0000 steel wool. It made my crappy looking bumper that no other product would do anything to, look BRAND NEW!!!! Or real close to it. If you try this I will guarantee that you will be happy.
 
We scuffed the bumpers and painted them the same color as the car. Been that way since '93. Chrome was way beyond buffing. I like the looks myself.

Fred B

1167956425_car.jpg


1167956915_car.jpg
 
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