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Tom, this kit is not cheap at $115.00, but a lot cheaper than chrome and according to the video, the stuff looks great when done. Don't know how durable it is But? PJ

killer_chrome_kit_4web_v3d_s.jpg



https://www.alsacorp.com/products/killercans/kc/killerchrome.htm#productinfo
Alsa Corp | Killer Cans Killer Chrome
 
"Those caps, I would imagine, are chrome plated..."

I think the caps are either an electroless process or a Vacuum sputtering process. They sure are not painted with the paint in the can.
If you are extremely careful, and laydown a perfect coat, the chrome paint looks ok. If you do not top coat it, it rubs off. If you do top coat it goes dull, like Mike said.
I have seen good results with the chrome powder coating and clear top coat. It is not as good as real chrome. It looks more like highly polished aluminum rims do.
An inexpensive alternative would be to paint the bumpers in a matching color or a color that contrasts nicly with the body paint. You would have to scuff up the chrome pretty good to get the paint to stick. I saw that on a Spitfire. It actully looked good.
 
I SURE am glad this thread is about pitted car parts and NOT geriatric newlyweds!! :jester:
 
:lol:
 
This is getting *very* interesting. Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

I took a look at the Alsa Killer Chrome video.

https://www.alsacorp.com/live/view_killerchrome_demo.html

Certainly looks do-able. Over the next few days I'm going to do some experimenting with various single-can chrome paints, and see how they compare. If none are up to snuff (do people still say that ???), then I'll dip my toes into the Alsa, Eastwood, and Quick-Glo pools.

I think I'll post pictures of my single-can tests in a day or two, in case anyone's interested. Finally, my doctorate in research and statistics is paying off!

Tom
 
Mickey Richaud said:
:lol:
Click to expand...
Mickey, can you use that one in Sunday's sermon??! :laugh:
 
Chrome spray paint test -

I bought six different brands of aerosol "chrome spray paint". As an aside, each one had a cap which was bright and shiny, like spanking new chrome bumpers back in the 1950s.

But what you see on the cap is very different from what you get in the real world. Imagine that!

I wanted to see just what each brand would do, if used on (1) a shiny sheet of tin plate, and (2) a sheet of tin plate that had been sprayed with flat black paint (several years ago). Didn't exactly want to try my tests on a brand new chrome plated bumper. I'm not quite as dumb as I look! (Mickey - don't say a word ...)

Following the directions on each can, I shook as directed, then sprayed for one second on a plain test area, and the black test area, all on the same piece of tin plate.

Picture 1: https://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/freemangarden/Paint%20Test/IMG_0124.jpg
Each paint is numbered. In both the top and bottom sections, #2 seemed brighter and "shinier" (more mirror-like) to me. Number 5 was a close second. I set hex sockets on the lower section to test reflectivity.

Picture 2: https://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/freemangarden/Paint%20Test/IMG_0125.jpg
Close view of samples 1, 2, 3. Despite the poor photo, #2 is definitely brighter and smoother than 1 or 3. Note also the hex socket has a clearer reflection in #2.

Picture 3. https://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/freemangarden/Paint%20Test/IMG_0126.jpg
Close view of samples 4, 5, 6. Again, #5 is brighter, and "reflect more clearly", than 4 or 6.

Picture 4. https://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/freemangarden/Paint%20Test/IMG_0127.jpg
The entrants -
Paint 1: DoItBest Silver Metallic, 781531.
Paint 2: Krylon Metallics Chrome, 1707
Paint 3: Rust-Oleum Specialty Metallic Silver, 1915830
Paint 4: Krylon Metallics Bright Silver, 1401
Paint 5: Krylon Original Chrome, 1010
Paint 6: Dupli-Color Chrome, CS101

To my eyes, #2 (Krylon Metallics Chrome) was closest to a chrome bumper. However, note that none of the paints examined were nearly as shiny as the original unfinished tinplate. Thus, even #2 just barely approaches the clear mirror surface of a chrome plated bumper.

More than you ever wanted to know, but I learned something. Even if the rust is completely removed, and (somehow) the area is polished down as much as possible, a "patched" area will always contrast with the original chrome surface.

Hope this helps someone. It sure helped me.
Thanks for reading through all this.
Tom
 
Hey Tom,
Your research is much appreciated. We will call you "Dr. Chrome " from now
on if you like !! Have you looked into the Killer Chrome yet ? Looks
good from the video but then again a rust bucket Healey I bought a few
years ago looked good in pictures too.
Thanks,
Mike
 
Mike - I felt the same after seeing the KillerChrome video on their site. Looks great.

But then I went googling and found many complaints about the actual product. Seems guys would send their money but wouldn't receive exactly what was in the video.

Their first video shows a professional air nozzle followed by excellent results. The second video shows an oversize "standard" aerosol nozzle on the can.

But according to several product reviews, the actual shipped can has a small el cheapo rattle can nozzle which, according to several guys, drips and splotches the surface.

So now I'm reluctant to try it. Especially at over $100/kit.

The more I read and experiment, the more I'm considering just removing the surface rust (copper wool and paint thinner), then "touching up" the spots with the Krylon that won my eyeball test.

Unless I win PowerBall.

Tom
 
I spent the last couple days trying to improve my rusty bumper situation. Read many ideas and decided to try a few. I think I'll pass on the "chrome spray paint" idea.

As I haven't won PowerBall yet, I'm going to settle for getting the bumpers as clean as possible.

First, treated each bumper surface with phosphoric acid for 30 minutes, then rinsed with water.

Next, scrubbed a LOT with copper wool and paint thinner. Rinsed with paint thinner and repeated. Kept going 'til the final rinse showed only the pitting in the chrome, with hardly any rust visible.

Rinsed with detergent and water, wiped dry with terry cloth, then waxed with Maguiar's Tech Wax and buffed with micro fiber.

Before:

BumperBefore.jpg




About two hours ago:

BumperAfter.jpg


Pitting still there, and nothing like new chrome, but it'll have to do for a while.

Tom
 
patina - looks great for now and more to the point looks like it belongs
 
Hey Dr. Chrome,
That bumper looks great - nice job and thanks for all your research that the rest
of us can use.
Regards,
Mike
 
This is good stuff! Make sure you play the demo video! It's long but very interesting! Check out them doing Jaguar chrome wire wheels. PJ

https://www.safestrustremover.com/
For great rust removal Safest Rust Remover
 
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