<VV> Painting over chrome

[kenfran at comcast.net]

First lean the chrome with soap and water, then with acetone, or another
good wax and grease remover.Then sand with some medium-grit sandpaper
(100-150), and you can create enough tiny ridges to hold on to the primer
paint. This is obviously much easier with a dual-action sander, but by hand
will work if you are willing to put in the work. Make sure you go back and
forth over it several times, so there are no areas that are not well-covered
by the tiny scratches. Prime it with a self-etching primer. After the
reccommended waiting time (follow primer instructions), apply a quality
primer to fill in the sanding marks and any other minor imperfections. If
there are any dents or dings to fill in, do it after applying the
self-etching primer, since body filler will stick to self-etching primer,
but not to chrome. Wet sand with fine grit sandpaper (400) to remove any
sanding marks. If you remove the primer so the chrome is showing, give it
another coat of the self-etching. Clean the bumper again, using wax and
grease remover. (not acetone this time, it can remove the primer) Then spray
on the finish you want.

> From: <MarPack57@aol.com>
> Subject: <VV> chrome bumpers
> > Is there a method of removing chrome from bumpers that can be done
without taking it to a shop? I have chrome bumpers on my van with lousy
chrome and want to paint them.
> >   Ed in Fla