painting stock grill....

["Big Daddy" MudBug]

I'm considering painting my stock grill shell where the chrome strip onthe front of the truck to black to match the truck as well as the stock grey where the inserts go. Then go with the billet bowtie and billet grille insert. Has anyone else done this and can give me any tips? I've Photoshopped it and trying to decide whether it's worth it to paint it or just buy a new grille shell from Stylin Concepts. Let me have your advice and opinions.

[probuilder1]

I have a black 04 aswell and I want to do the same, if you do it we got to see some pics

[Trolin]

I think its better to order a paintable one. I've seen photos of the chrome ones painted and it tends to flake and chip leaving chrome 'freckles' everywhere.

[Skulls]

Agree with above, the only way to use your chrome one is if you find a way to strip off the chrome and work with the raw surface. An idea that I am using is keeping your chrome one for the winter months for the crappy weahter snow etc. (depending where you live) and use the painted one with whatever grill insert you may have for the summer weather.

["Big Daddy" MudBug]

Probuilder, I'll get pics.

As for you other two guys, I couldn't agree more! I was pressure washing my truck and the chrome started to peel which prompted me to think about painting it. But I also thought that it could just as easily peel if it were painted over. I was considering stripping the chrome and scuffing the original plastic material.

[Trolin]

If you got the chrome off and sanded the plastic you would have a good surface to start with. I have done the door handles, and tailights on my rig. If you use an adhesion promoter it seems to setup the top coats really well. I just sanded my door handles smooth and painted them gloss black and they look great.

["Big Daddy" MudBug]

A paint shop quoted me just over $200 to paint the stock grille, plus I have to buy the billet insert and bowtie. Or I can get the grille below from stylinconcepts for prolly the same price.

[mikeharris]

I did this to my OBS. I sanded the "chrome" and layed a few layers of primer on it then went over that with black and then clear. So far so good, its only been a couple months tho. It came out better than I thought for rattle cans. I would still like to get it done professionally however so it would have a deeper finish, but I'll rock this one for a while.
Here's a pic

["Big Daddy" MudBug]

That does look really good. I know that Pro paint shop uses better quality paint and primer, but I must say that turned out pretty good.

[Skulls]

Even still is someone was serious enough, you can just pick up all the material from your local NAPA autoparts all the Dupont material is available there, but again be prepared to possibly get through it and it not turn out to only sand it down again and start from the beginning (been there,done that)For anyonbe who tries it themself, first off good luck with it, second post pics we want to see (like the others up here which by the way turned out pretty damn good!)

["Big Daddy" MudBug]

Yea, I have a little body work experience as well as experience in cabinet finishing. I'm prepared for sanding and not rushing through it. Excellent point.

[mikeharris]

Thanks for the props guys, with a little experience like you said I think you got it. Even like stated above you can pick up the parts to shoot it relatively cheap. It would prolly give a deeper finish and shine than mine, which would be nice. But I think try it yourself and worse case scenario you'll be out like $20, not bad at all, plus as long as you do a halfway decent job it will look good from a few feet away so if you aint happy with it just walk around the back of your truck lol. Good luck man

[92 sierra slx]

try it i want to do this to my chrome on my 92 i have some bubles in it and i know brake fluid will make the chrome peel so i thought get a junkyard one if i can find one in decent shape
rub it with brake fluid scrape chrome off wash sand with some paper and add adhesion promotor and then primer paint and clear it

[Kylez03]

i would attempt it on your stock grille, then if it doesnt hold up then get a paintable grille to be painted by the body shop IMO. or you can find a W/T to trade shells with.....

BTW what are your specs on your rims and tires??

["Big Daddy" MudBug]

Originally Posted by 92 sierra slx

i know brake fluid will make the chrome peel...rub it with brake fluid scrape chrome off wash sand with some paper and add adhesion promotor and then primer paint and clear it

I didn't know that brake fluid would do that! I have a spot where the pressure washer had starter peeling the chrome off. I think I may try it. I'm thinking about buying the Big Mouth grill to ride with as I do this and swap it out from time to time. That way if I screw it up, I'm not without a grill.

And if you're asking about my rim and tires: 20x8.5 Boss 315's wrapped in Fuzion XTi's 275/60/20. The truck is an 05 Z85 package with no lift yet. The front sits 3/4" lower than the rear. All I did to tuck the tires was cut the front firewall on the passenger side. The tread misses the valence by about 1/4" and lightly scrubs at times on the passenger side during a left turn. Usually good to go.

[matt trakker]

I'm going to try the brake fluid trick on my old grille now too. It's been sitting behind my garage for a year, the chrome was bubbling and splitting at the top. Now the aftermarket chrome one is getting chips in the graphite painted section (it's on a 93)

I've been holding onto it just in case, I wasn't sure if I could actually get the chrome off and paint this thing.

[Drisco Z71]

i sanded mine really good and gave it a couple coats of primer ans industrial black paint from a spraygun, it held up great until i got too close with our pressure washer and it started to blast the paint right off, now i get to redo it.

Edit: ill have to try the brake fluid trick too, thanks

[KDM86]

Give it a shot with your stock grille, if the paint peels then go find a paintable one. Definately do it though colourmatched grilles look badass!

[BlackRock03]

Originally Posted by "Big Daddy" MudBug

A paint shop quoted me just over $200 to paint the stock grille, plus I have to buy the billet insert and bowtie. Or I can get the grille below from stylinconcepts for prolly the same price.

What grill is this? What style is it? I would like to look into getting one of these...

["Big Daddy" MudBug]

It's the Big Mouth Grille kit for Chevy's from Stylin Concepts. Here's a link to it: Big Mouth Grill

Scroll down to the lower part of the screen. You'll see the above grille as well as a grille with vertical bars.