Chroming my stock retangle exhaust tips
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Chroming my stock retangle exhaust tips
Well, I decided that I wanted to sell my stock exhaust tips and get some better looking ones. I wasn't getting much interest, so now, I've decided to sand them down and paint them chrome. I'm not sure if I'll end up keeping them afterwards or still trying to sell them. If anyone's interested in them, after I'm done, let me know. Here's some pics of the process.
Here's a before shot:
After some sanding: (left one hasn't been sanded yet, just the right one. I did a little more on it after the pic too because I wasn't quite satisfied)
And, now, I've got the first one primered: (1st of 3 coats, I'll keep adding more pics as I get them done)
Here's a before shot:
After some sanding: (left one hasn't been sanded yet, just the right one. I did a little more on it after the pic too because I wasn't quite satisfied)
And, now, I've got the first one primered: (1st of 3 coats, I'll keep adding more pics as I get them done)
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I had never heard of anyone doing it. I hope it turns out alright. If it doesn't, no biggy. I wasn't getting any interest from anyone in buying them.
I just got done with the 2nd coat of primer. The can said to do a 2nd coat within an hour. So I waited about a half hour and did it.
I'll let that dry completely, then do a 3rd coat. Hopefully I'll be getting the chrome paint on there in about an hour and a half or so. I'll do 3 coats of that, then go get some clear coat, since I forgot to pick some up yesterday, when I got the paint and primer.
I just got done with the 2nd coat of primer. The can said to do a 2nd coat within an hour. So I waited about a half hour and did it.
I'll let that dry completely, then do a 3rd coat. Hopefully I'll be getting the chrome paint on there in about an hour and a half or so. I'll do 3 coats of that, then go get some clear coat, since I forgot to pick some up yesterday, when I got the paint and primer.
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^^^^I like the look of that. Aren't those aftermarket though? I've seen lots of places that sell them, but I figured I'd rather just try and paint them myself instead of spending $100 on new tips that are essentially the same thing. Or atleast look the same.
I went to Oreillys and got the clearcoat. When I got back, I flipped it over and put the first coat of primer on the other side too. I'll go back out soon and put the 2nd coat on. I think I'll have to sand the next tip down a little better. This one is looking OK, but not perfect. I can see spots where I should've sanded it down more.
On a side note: I think my clutch is fucked. When I got back home, it felt really soft. And now whenever I put it in reverse, it grinds and jumps a little. Also, it smells horrible. I just left the car out of the garage to air out the smell.
I went to Oreillys and got the clearcoat. When I got back, I flipped it over and put the first coat of primer on the other side too. I'll go back out soon and put the 2nd coat on. I think I'll have to sand the next tip down a little better. This one is looking OK, but not perfect. I can see spots where I should've sanded it down more.
On a side note: I think my clutch is fucked. When I got back home, it felt really soft. And now whenever I put it in reverse, it grinds and jumps a little. Also, it smells horrible. I just left the car out of the garage to air out the smell.
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Final primer coat is done on the 2nd side of the first tip:
I won't start painting it until tomorrow because I have plans tonight for my dad's b-day. And I had to move it out to the garage. It was smelling up the house too much down in the basement. And it's cold out in the garage. So, it's going to take a bit longer to dry.
#11
I've kinda done this, I sanded down my tips while still on the car, went with a polishing pad on a dremel, and took those blue brillo soap pads to it, then put a cleacoat on. It looks much better
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Yeah, these needed something done. Just look at the first couple pics. lol. I'm going to have to go out and get some 400 grit sandpaper tomorrow, to sand down a little bit of the primer before putting on paint. Apparently, the first side wasn't completely dry, and when I had it face down on the paper, it got a little messed up. I'll just have to sand out the imperfections and finish painting. Hopefully it'll turn out as good as expected. I'll post more pics tomorrow once I start working on them again.
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I brought it back in the house to let it dry a little more. It only smells up the house when I'm spraying in here. The final primer coat is almost completely dry. I really want to start with paint now, but, I think it needs to dry a little more first. Here's a better pic of it with the almost dry final coat of primer.
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I think they're black from the factory. But, the black is pretty well worn off on mine anyways. I thought about just sanding them down and polishing them. But, they didn't look very good just after sanding. Paint and pics coming tomorrow afternoon guys. Maybe, since my friend is back from Florida now, I'll be able to continue the project over at his grandpa's heated shop. Then, I'll have sanding tools to go quicker on the 2nd tip, and a lot more heat, for quicker drying.
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Got started on painting the first one today. I'm using Duplicolor Chrome paint Here's pics of each coat.
1st coat:
2nd coat:
3rd coat:
It's going a lot quicker, now that I'm doing it over it my friend's heated shop. The 3 coats of paint dried rather quickly. I'm hoping to get over there in the morning to sand the imperfections out of the other side and start painting it. Then, I hope to have it completely done and the other tip sanded by the end of tomorrow. I'll update with more pics tomorrow afternoon or tomorrow night.
1st coat:
2nd coat:
3rd coat:
It's going a lot quicker, now that I'm doing it over it my friend's heated shop. The 3 coats of paint dried rather quickly. I'm hoping to get over there in the morning to sand the imperfections out of the other side and start painting it. Then, I hope to have it completely done and the other tip sanded by the end of tomorrow. I'll update with more pics tomorrow afternoon or tomorrow night.
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Okay, a little update. I know it's been a little while since I've posted anything in this thread. After putting the clear coat on, it looked like crap, because I didn't read the instructions on the clear coat can. I didn't realize that I had to put it on about an hour after paint. So, I was getting frustrated, especially with destroying one of my temporary tips by it falling off at 70mph. lol. So, I grinded all the paint off of the painted tip with a wire brush wheel on a grinder. I used it on the 2nd tip too, to get it sanded down. Then, I put them on the car that way after doing some more little work with a wire brush wheel bit for a cordless drill. I'm not sure if I'll try and paint them again or not. If I do, I won't start on them until next weekend probably. Here's some pics of them, after taking the wire brush wheel to them and putting them on the car. They're not perfect. But, if I decide not to paint them, I'm going to pull them off again and polish them up real good, so they become decently shiney.