I caught the tail end of My Classic Car today. Leno was on talking about a low cost alternative to chrome plating called Spray on Chrome. I wasn't able to get much info on the product from the show but did some research and came up with this. Anyone else heard of it?
I've seen this once before, it seems like a person could get one of these systems fairly cheep and make some money with it...
Hmmmm, Now I'm thinking, "Why not paint the whole truck like this?!" Pretty cool looking end results!
negative experience talked with my painter today and he said he know what i mean. He tried it and said looks like very shine but not chrome. Basic is black paint and then you must spray a metallic paint on the black surface. Have tried on hubcaps and the decision : original chrome is lots better and if you are a hobby painter let your finger away AND: it's very expensive. He told me the basic set cost about $500-$600. Have you seen the website? Never done for 6 month. Hmmm not a good solution Volker
A friend of mine had this done to his grill and headlight bezels on his 64 Galaxie. It really turned out nice. I would say it dosent look exactly like chrome but it looks alot better than it did before. Make sure and send pictures Zig when you do the whole truck!
The product Leno is showing is pretty cool...I'd like to see the finished product in person. I had what may have been a similar coating on an intake manifold, factory applied, and in time there were places that turned black....looked like the top layer "fell off". That goes through some heat cycles, though, and takes quite a bit of abuse. On trim pieces etc, I suspect it might work quite well. If more states follow California's lead, I don't know how anyone will be able to operate a plating facility in the future. Chrome may become as rare as asbestos underwear. I'd probably be a bit skeptical about any one-step chrome-in-a-can. There are various "plasti-cote" type brands that have "chrome" colors, but they aren't much more than glorified aluminum paint. I have used some of PlastiKote's "metalic" paints that, under the right conditions, can give an appearance very close to an anodized aluminum, but in blue, red, green...some color, not straight chrome.
The Alsa stuff actually works, I have used it with an airbush. It looks about 90% of chrome. The key is to use it VERY sparingly, in many THIN coats. You can also lightly swirl the black basecoat with a scotchbright pad in an engine turn pattern and spray the chrome to get an endine turned panel, or scuff the base in straight lines to give an aluminum effect.
Write-on Chrome marker I have been buying parts for my Grand Wagoneer. The Plastic Chrome is worn off, so if I find a piece in good shape I buy it. But a Jeep guy was telling me about a Chrome (Silver) Magic Marker. I went to Wally World and found a Silver paint felt tip marker in the Art Dept. It definitely isn't chrome but for little parts like switches and borders it works well. It looks 90% acceptable. But for a driver it is great and makes things look fresh. Like who could afford the guys that re-do the fake plastic chrome. It is fine enough and the paint flows freely enough for a nice look. Especially where there is writing or lettering on switches. I know there isn't a lot of that on our trucks but just as an aside. Flashlight
I use those paint pens from Wall Mart all the time and they work great. The script on these valve covers were done with a black paint pen then clear coated and after 3 years they still look like new...Big Tim
