Not blacking out the grill......?

[gehlsurf]

Ok, so I just picked up my Edge (2007 SEL) Tuesday, to me it's a pretty bada#* vehicle, and so I want it to look so as well. I have a background of making bikes (Typically black cafe racers, rats, bobbers, etc.), and while I like the blacked out grill and lights (I used to own a VERY low 72 Super Beetle, flat black all the way, and even VHT on the head/taillights, when I say muder, I mean MURDER!!!), but it's all over the place now....... Ssssssoooooo, I am going to do the smoke on the lenses, and one thing you don't see that often is "Blacked out chrome", which I would love..... especially since my Edge is slate grey, my question is, has anyone seen a film or vinyl that can do this, I'd rather not paint the grill like this, cause it can never go back after!!! And as you can tell, if I start seeing cars with blacked out chrome, I'll switch to something else, haha. So please let me know if anyone has seen or heard of something like this!!! Thanks!!

Edited March 8, 2012 by gehlsurf

[c_bova]

you could use window tint or a black transparent vinyl.

[gehlsurf]

That's an interesting idea!! I actually never thought of window tint, I would think it wouldn't last too well in the elements, but maybe I'm wrong. I haven't seen Transparent Vinyl before, but I'll search for it, thanks!!

[capsfan]

black plasti dip should do it. and if you dont like the outcome, you can just peel it off and you're back to original look

[c_bova]

yeah if you are going for the matte black look then go with plasti-dip although it can also be cleared to give it a gloss finish.

[akirby]

Please don't tint the headlamps or taillamps if you're driving it on the street.

[gehlsurf]

Sorry guys, it's kinda confusing, I know, because "blacked out chrome" is kind of.....ok, it is an oxymoron, google it, it is not to literally make the chrome all black, it is just to darken it, to give it a gunmetal or hemtite look, sorry for the confusion. This makes me want it more though, haha, because obviously it is still original and custom. When I roll up with blacked out chrome, the guy that painted his chrome black will sh*# himself!! haha, I know how to make chrome just black, like I said before, I've built bikes and guess what bike guys LOVE..... chrome or black, so know how to produce both, just not the "blacked out chrome" with out using the duplicolor stuff.

 

As for driving it on the street, yes, it is going to be driven on the street, but I'm not blacking out the lights, just a light smoke to dull the chrome in there, and will be upgrading to LED bulbs. The 72 Super Beetle I built had all black lights, and everything else black, and even with the upgraded H4 Lamps, it had horrible visibility, so I've learned what's good and what isn't..... everything in moderation...... plus blacked out lights are every where, I love the look, but when you see soccer moms and your accountant with it on his Benz, you know the style has gone mainstream, hence Why I'd like to go a different route, not just doing everything black, it looks good, but sorry to you folks that have done it, it's just not original anymore.

[gehlsurf]

c_bova was dead on the money with the transparent vinyl!! It came out awesome!! Plus, now if I want to trade it in, I can just peel it off and have nice shiny protected chrome underneath..... brilliant!!! Here are some pics!! It's a shade darker than the chrome, as you can see against the headlights and the rim around the Ford oval, I did the blue part, just not the ring around it. But it now has a Titanium sort of look

 

 

 

[cozzz]

Plasti-Dip makes a color called Smoke. The more coats you add the darker the chrome appears. This way you can control the tint of the chrome all the way to Black. I'm going to try this on the silver strip that is on the sides of my center stack. While I'm waiting for the 'Smoke' I'm going to try to wrap these two pieces with Carbon Fiber Vinyl just to see what it looks like.