dechroming stuff

[Peter]

guys,
i want to paint my headlight rings, and some other stuff...
can you break the chrome a bit so the paint will stick or do i need to get the things dechromed?

thanks,
Peter

[Neil Davies]

I sanded my headlight rings with an electric sander with 120 grit aluminium oxide paper, then 400 grit wet & dry. Etch prime then prime and paint as normal. Been like that for 2 and a bit years now.

[rick m]

I was not as ambitious. I had mine chemically stripped to the metal and then used self etching primer and painted.RM

Rick M

[retrorick]

Just had a few parts off my bug dechromed chemically , i feel its best way to go and not expensive

[youngnstudly]

The key to good prep is sanding the chrome well enough that it can't later flake off, then applying self-etching primer as everyone here has done. You don't have to have the parts chemically dipped for long lasting results, but it sure takes the labor out of sanding your parts. I took 80 grit to my 356 rims to break through the chrome, then followed up with some 120 grit and lastly some 150 grit before priming with etch prime. The chrome plating was nice and thick (not flaking) on my rims which is why I started with the course 80 grit sand paper.