can the chrome on the 1st genration be painted to match body color?

[NICE59FORDF100]

hi yall. its getting close to be painting Blue, and i have no idea what to do with the back end. the front, i have an EE airdam, im goin soon to see if i find some running boards at a salvage (they had this wrecked limited, gold mine, where i got my limited seats,), hopefully they still have the pair of factory running boards that was on the limited. anyway, the back.....um, im at a loss. i am not enough into body work to try and make my own rollpan...but can the rear bumper and the chrome splash gaurds be painted to match? would this look good? is it feasable? thanks all for the help!

 

[Crankcase]

Well, they can be if heavily prepped. You would be better off to find a bumper form a Sport, that is already painted...

 

[NICE59FORDF100]

well damn

 

[91EX4x4]

I don't know, Maaco painted my the chrome splashguards for me. Bunch of incompetent idiots, I suppose they couldn't tell it was chrome?? They also got overspray on my bumpers. At least it's all one color again though. Sometime in the future I might get some before, during, and after pictures up of it from when I fixed it after I wrecked it. I wouldn't have taken it to Maaco, but I ran out of time before college.
Good luck with your project.

 

[X~FACTOR]

Don't give up just yet, NICE59FORDF100. If you put in enough work you could get the chrome off and paint it to whatever color you want. Start with 100 grit or 120 grit sand paper until all chrome are gone. Then move on to 400 to 600 grit sandpaper and so on. It CAN be done. It's just a matter of how bad you want it. I am currently doing the same project with my Explorer. I started Saturday but couldn't do much more after that because of bad whether here. I figured 2 more weekends and I'll be done with prepping it. Then off to the paint shop I go.

 

[NICE59FORDF100]

ok, so just use my orbital sander with 100 grit and the chrome will come off? what about the splash gaurds...doesnt EE carry some one that go over the ones i have now?

 

[X~FACTOR]

You got access to an Orbiter Sander? Even better! You'll finish faster. As for the rear splash guard, just do the same with the chrome there. The cover you are refering to are a bit pricey- $200 a pair, I think.

 

[NICE59FORDF100]

what about the plastic peices on the bumper and splashgaurds? if i get them painted the same color, do you think that will look good?

 

[X~FACTOR]

Yes, definitely. Make everything body color. You could prep it the same way as the chrome part but with a little more care (with 220 grit sandpaper or finer grit). It is after all plastic.

Check the sport section of this forum and do a search on JamesT or Hartman's truck. They have done what we are trying to accomplish here. Hopefully they will chime in on here and give their professional advise.

 

[james t]

use 100grit on a DA sander and scuff the hell out of the bumper. then hit it with one coat of etching primer, then a coat or two of filler primer and sand smooth.

on the splashguards, you need to remove the "chrome sticker" crap. read this.

 

[X~FACTOR]

Cool Info, James. Is it possible to do all that work without having to remove the splash guard? I read how much hassle it is to remove them.

 

[james t]

its not any hassle to remove them- only Hartman had the trouble because his were screwed up somehow. there is no way to do it with them on the truck.... you gotta take the trim off the top and the only way to do that is with them off the vehicle.

main thing is spray all the bolts down with penetrating lube BEFORE you ever try it and let it soak. this will keep the bolt head from turning.