Painting Chrome bumpers

[WoodTRD]

Ok, I know some people out there have done this, I was just wondering how they went about it. I have a 2 tone D-Cab and want to go ahead and complete the look and paint the bumpers, grill, and lower valence. How did you do it? What did you use to scuff up the metal and plastic chrome, and how did you paint it? The main thing I am worried about is it not sticking and just flaking or scratching off easily. If it is just gonna look like crap 3 months after I do it, then I'll just leave it alone. If it matters the grill will be black, and the bumpers will be silver, kinda like this, but on a taco:
http://www.difflock.com/buyersguide/newcars/2003fordharley/SuprExt.jp.jpg
If all else fails, then I guess this summer I could buy some silver color coded bumpers and a black color coded grill, but I would prefer to just paint mine, since that would be much cheaper, and I know it would match the silver on my truck.

[obex26]

Here is a better idea trade someone who has the basic black plastic bumper and grill for your crome ones and then have those painted it is utterly sensless to try and remove the chrome and color match them. Try the wanted section or for sale section I am sure some one would be more then happy to trade you.











p.s My grill and bumpers are already colormatched from the factory

[CaptainT99]

I wanted to do the same thing with my Tacoma...I ended up getting everything powdercoated. It is cheaper than paint and much more durable. It won't flake off and you can just do it directly to the chrome. You can't do it with anything plastic though because they heat it up to apply the powder. I would seriously look into it.

[grillmasterp]

Ok, I know some people out there have done this, I was just wondering how they went about it. I have a 2 tone D-Cab and want to go ahead and complete the look and paint the bumpers, grill, and lower valence. How did you do it? What did you use to scuff up the metal and plastic chrome, and how did you paint it? The main thing I am worried about is it not sticking and just flaking or scratching off easily. If it is just gonna look like crap 3 months after I do it, then I'll just leave it alone. If it matters the grill will be black, and the bumpers will be silver, kinda like this, but on a taco:
http://www.difflock.com/buyersguide/newcars/2003fordharley/SuprExt.jp.jpg
If all else fails, then I guess this summer I could buy some silver color coded bumpers and a black color coded grill, but I would prefer to just paint mine, since that would be much cheaper, and I know it would match the silver on my truck.

I have from a 03 Tacoma:
Color Keyed Red rear bumper, front bumper, Fender flares-
I will be willing to trade (The parts are already off of the truck)
I am in Houston, TX so You are really not that far away.

[WoodTRD]

I have from a 03 Tacoma:
Color Keyed Red rear bumper, front bumper, Fender flares-
I will be willing to trade (The parts are already off of the truck)
I am in Houston, TX so You are really not that far away.
I think I have decided to hold off on trying to color code the truck until this summer, since I only have 1 more week before I go back to school, but if you still have them this summer I would be very interested in a trade, but I won't need the fender flares, mine are already painted silver.
http://xs10.xs.to/pics/05016/driversquarter.jpg
Not a bad pic for a cell phone, lol.

[Baja Belk]

I wanted to do the same thing with my Tacoma...I ended up getting everything powdercoated. It is cheaper than paint and much more durable. It won't flake off and you can just do it directly to the chrome. You can't do it with anything plastic though because they heat it up to apply the powder. I would seriously look into it.

How much did it cost to get the chrome bumper powdercoated?

[CaptainT99]

I got everything on my truck that was chrome powdercoated for 175. I think the rear bumper was 75 and the two chrome pieces off the front were like 20 a piece.

[Baja Belk]

I got everything on my truck that was chrome powdercoated for 175. I think the rear bumper was 75 and the two chrome pieces off the front were like 20 a piece.

Wow that's pretty good, you didn't happen to get that done in socal did you?

[captleemo]

I have from a 03 Tacoma:
Color Keyed Red rear bumper, front bumper, Fender flares-
I will be willing to trade (The parts are already off of the truck)
I am in Houston, TX so You are really not that far away.
Try calling a chrome plating shop and ask how much it would cost to strip the chrome off. I believe they just reverse the chrome process. I had this done to some chrome parts on a motorcycle once and then had it aluminum metal sprayed. The parts came out looking real nice. If you do get the chrome off that powder coating is very durable.