Art & Inspiration Kolor Krome modern substitute?

I was looking at my copy of Motor Life (Thanks HAMB!) and I know Barris was using Kolor Krome or something similar here. Any ideas how to achieve something like this now? The wheel covers, I mean. I believe I've seen a similar finish on pieces at swapmeets, but not anything done tastefully. Maybe something that can be done with a rattle can? If not, is it some kind of candy job over chrome? Thanks!

 

I don't know what barris is useing, I do remember hearing about color chrome way back when but I haven't seen the article.

If you want the chrome to show throughthe color you could use some sort of translucent coloring, cany paint would fall into that catagory, but I do not know who well it would adhere to the chrome.

You may try some sort of an acid treatment like the home improvement crowd is doing these daye with metals and concrete. go to the local home improvement super store and see what is there or available, get yourself some used crappy or not desirable chrome and try it first. it may give you the effect that you are after.

 

I've seen something similar at the booths with the big chromed pastic ugly stuff, but never bothered to look and see if it was finish or just Chinese stuff they sold.

 

In the '70s and '80s some chrome shops specialized in tinted chrome or so that called it I think it may have just been a glossy anodizing process.

Back in the later '50s and '60s painting or colorizing chrome was popular. It was mostly accent stuff. Like the centers of chrome wheels or stripes on hub caps. I know that one shot adheres to chrome well of you get the chrome clean first. But it will not give you the effect that is in those pics, maybe there was a film at one time that they used and while I am noodling here maybe you could do it with tinted window film. That would be worth a try and not real expensive.

 

Powder coating with the transparent colors might come close.

Multiple colors might be possible with NO full cure between them -
I think.

Lots of masking would be required however it is done.

 

I bought some from J.C. Whitney and sprayed my Mom's wheel covers on her '53 Pontiac....I thought it was cool , bur she was NOT impressed. Had to get some lacquer thinner to get it off.....The '63 Impala tail light lenses were way cooler...(I was 11 and read every R & C and Hot Rod I could get my hands on!!)

 

Only last weekend A friend showed me something called anodize in a can, I can't remember the brand but it came in all colours including gold , blue, green ,red he showed me where he sprayed it on his chrome grille and it had excactly the same effect, I will find out more for you and let you know the brand etc ,I'm in Australia but at least it's out there

 

...Was it this stuff? http://duplicolorspraypainttheshopp...tal-Cast-Anodized-Color-11-oz_B00099BJVQ.html

 

Hmm.. Wonder what they used on the Kopper Kart clone's hubcaps...?

 

This guy was at the LSR last year, this car and the 53/4 chevy that hauled it had these kind of wheels...

 

Yup that's the stuff try it , it work a treat

 

That's IT!!!

 

Also, TRANSPARENT Candy hobby paint. Works great, done it many times. Paint above wasn't available when I did it.