Painting over chrome?

I did a search, surprised I didn't see much on this.
Anyway, I have a steel body piece that's been chromed and I'd like to paint over it.
What's the best way to do this? I tried scuffing it down and epoxy primer, flaked off rather quickly. Maybe scuff harder?

Thanks y'all!

 

I sand blasted the chrome off an OT car bumper, primed and painted. Sixteen years later and it's still on.

 

Bead blast it.

I helped a guy with a 55 Ford Victoria in the '70s, he wanted to do all the trim flat black. So we blasted every bit of trim including the bumpers. Primed with self etching primer then regular primer and flat black over thet, the paint held real well.

 

I used a 2" roll-loc (looks like a scotch bright) on a 90 die grinder to rough up some valve covers and it seems to have worked well

 

I sandblasted an OT 4 into 1 Kerker bike header back in the 80's. That was some HARD chrome! Took alot longer than I expected. I'd guess the quality of the chrome job would effect how easily it comes off. On a body panel, I'd keep an eye out for warpage, if blasting.

 

what he said.

 

Yep i did the same as Mr Porkn****** and it lasted very well.

 

Years ago I had the chrome stripped from some parts by Royal, then bead blasted them (which didn't take long) and painted with normal paint. But if you're not getting other parts plated, then this might be too much trouble.

 

I had a set of old PSI rear wishbones that were chromed really well but wanted to paint them to match the front ones. I tried everything, sandblasting, hand sanding, blue disc on the sander, etc. All it did was dull the chrome a little, but I went ahead and sprayed them with epoxy primer then topcoated them. I thought they would start chipping and flaking but surprisingly the paint stayed on for the 3 years I owned the car. I guess epoxy primer is tougher than I thought and bites in better.

Don

 

Don
I think that most people think you have to strip the chrome to get the paint to stick. really all you need to do is give it some tooth.

I am not a metallurgist so what I think is true is more from observation than perhaps a scientific fact. I believe that chrome at least good chrome is less porous than say mild steel or aluminum so a simple scratching probably isn't going to get the job done.

Hey I know this is OT for this thread but any chance we can get a better look at that little ford? The part that is sticking out looks pretty good.

 

Thanks PnB, but it doesn't exist any more, at least in that form. It was my Son Dan's and he decided he didn't like it so he took a sawzall to it and started over. I moved the body to my side of the shop to save it and am using it for my new rpu project.

Don

 

rough it up and use bulldog adhesion promoter, it will never come off

 

i tried to sand blast the chrome off an aluminum lower leg on HD. it didn't go well. it opened up a bunch of holes on the surface. i junked it and bought new. steel yes, aluminum no.

 

I think I'll do the sandblast / gl*** bead trick, followed by some Bulldog. Thanks guys!

 

If you use sand and it is a sheet metal or aluminum piece use the finest sand you can find. I have seriously screwed some stuff over the years using course sand.

 

Good reminder, thanks. Going to a friend's house to bead blast it.

 

Take the parts to your local plater. He will soak them in a bath will remove the plating. It's real cheap, too.

 

I've painted plenty of chrome parts. Just blast or sand well, use a self etching primer and paint it.

 

I used a flapper wheel to put some tooth to a chrome front bumper on a daily driver pickup I had, then just epoxy primer, sand & paint and it lasted for years with no chips.