bumper chrome trim - replacement

[Guest EUROTRASH]

I stopped by an auto-trim store today and picked up some adhesive trim for my bumpers.

I was surprised at how well they fit, like they were made for it. I got black and chrome (all they had). As much as I dislike chrome I'm inclined to use chrome over the black trim, if I keep the black area of the bumper black, the black trim will look weird because it will be a slightly different shade of black, and different gloss.

A third option would be to water-sand the chrome trim down a bit so that it looks like brushed aluminum, don't know what that would look like.. it looks really good the way it is, not as flashy as I thought it would look.

Anyway, here are some photos, I messed around with Photoshop to try and simulate the actual look after restoration.. or maybe I was bored (some are pretty bad).

Rabin, you talked about the chrome trim on your car not long ago so you might find this useful.

[N9TE]

Cool!

You just cut-to-fit?

What does that stuff run?

That car is gonna be very nice when you get a coat of paint on it. Your attention to detail is whats making the difference.

What's your long term plan for it?

[Guest EUROTRASH]

Cool!

You just cut-to-fit?

What does that stuff run?

That car is gonna be very nice when you get a coat of paint on it. Your attention to detail is whats making the difference.

What's your long term plan for it?

Yes, cut to fit. $2,00 per foot. It takes 8 feet for the front, 10 for the rear, with a few inches extra to cut and fit into the side openings. Total cost would be around $40 / $50 USD.

My long term plan is a factory specs restoration, the only difference will be a dual-exhaust cutout on the rear bumper. I was thinking of a red color but I don't think I'll be able to afford that much work on the car, it'll probably be original color.

I just ran a test on the adhesive, after only 2 minutes it held in place so tight I simply couldn't pull it off, even on this ridiculously sharp contour. I'd say it passed the test.

Any thoughts on the chrome vs. the black?

[N9TE]

That's sick on the adhesive properties! I'd say honestly, either looks good in their own way. The chrome looks more "original", but the black doesn't look bad at all. Since we don't concourse judge these cars and you are moving in the right direction, it should just be a personal preference.

Ya, the original color looks awesome when done up right. That way, you won't have to jamb it. Just remember, after the paint fully cures (6 months), they get religious and anal about clay/correction/wax regiment. Autopia is a good place to learn. People will be complimenting it for years.

[Bean]

Chrome VS Black - I'd have to say chrome. Since you're going for a factory restoration with improvements, the chrome works real nice. It's not too bling, nails the stock look, and if you're keeping the headlight surrounds chrome it all ties in nicely. When I see the black - I think GL not STX.

Black can totally work if the car is being done up in a style that needs the black trim, but in your case with the darker red colour - I think it'll look fantastic.

For my car - I'm going to check out redoing mine in chrome. Thanks very much for the tip!

BTW - I checked out the 89's hood and trunk at the paint shop, and they're going to look awesome. The said they had to take almost 1/4" in old paint off the old hood! Dude spent 4 hours with a grinder taking it down to metal. Thankfully the hood was mint under it all. The trunk they found some low spots, so the guy has been working on it for hours blocking it to get it nice and flat... Good thing a tech school is doing it - it would cost a fortune otherwise!

Rabin

[Guest EUROTRASH]

Ya, the original color looks awesome when done up right. That way, you won't have to jamb it. Just remember, after the paint fully cures (6 months), they get religious and anal about clay/correction/wax regiment. Autopia is a good place to learn. People will be complimenting it for years.

6 months??? Damn, I never knew that. I think this time around I will use a fully liquid wax instead of a paste, (the kind that dries off) all that polishing looks nice but it may be detrimental to the clear-coat in the long run. (This I know from experience)

Chrome VS Black - I'd have to say chrome. Since you're going for a factory restoration with improvements, the chrome works real nice. It's not too bling, nails the stock look, and if you're keeping the headlight surrounds chrome it all ties in nicely. When I see the black - I think GL not STX.

Black can totally work if the car is being done up in a style that needs the black trim, but in your case with the darker red colour - I think it'll look fantastic.

For my car - I'm going to check out redoing mine in chrome. Thanks very much for the tip!

BTW - I checked out the 89's hood and trunk at the paint shop, and they're going to look awesome. The said they had to take almost 1/4" in old paint off the old hood! Dude spent 4 hours with a grinder taking it down to metal. Thankfully the hood was mint under it all. The trunk they found some low spots, so the guy has been working on it for hours blocking it to get it nice and flat... Good thing a tech school is doing it - it would cost a fortune otherwise!

Rabin

Yea.. I was pleasantly surprised (for a change) with the chrome trim, like you said it's not too "bling", it doesn't have that cheap after-market look... and trust me, there's no f@#*ing way it's coming off, I had to pry it off with a screw driver to pull it after doing the test. What amazed me even more is how well it fits, I mean down to a micron.. like it was made for the bumper. We all know how rare this is when it comes to the 505.

The black trim could work, but I would have to 'make it' work into a unique concept (as opposed to just going with the factory's design) and I can tell you right now I don't want to do that.

Good deal on the hood man, looks like they're doing a good job!! Take some pictures if you can, educate the savages.

[Bean]

Any chance that trim had a product name / number that I could use to see if I can locate up here? Be easier to call around with that handy - than go store to store.

Only thing that I need to source is proper door mouldings for my car. The ones on it are tattered, so I'd like to replace them. Eduardo got some really nice replica mouldings from Argentina, but they'd be $$$ - but the best match I've seen so far.

I'd go without before putting on the "cut to fit" style on the doors, or the other option is to find OEM mouldings off another car that would fit the doors well - but that's a long shot.

Once my hood and trunk are fitted, it's off for some 3M protection for the leading edge of the hood, headlights, and the driving lights. It's also got an appt for window tint when it warms up enough - thinking 35% sides and back, but might do a shade darker to 20% on the back doors and rear window... That should last me till I can get the rest of the car resprayed in a couple years.

Rabin

[Guest EUROTRASH]

Any chance that trim had a product name / number that I could use to see if I can locate up here? Be easier to call around with that handy - than go store to store.

Only thing that I need to source is proper door mouldings for my car. The ones on it are tattered, so I'd like to replace them. Eduardo got some really nice replica mouldings from Argentina, but they'd be $$$ - but the best match I've seen so far.

I'd go without before putting on the "cut to fit" style on the doors, or the other option is to find OEM mouldings off another car that would fit the doors well - but that's a long shot.

Once my hood and trunk are fitted, it's off for some 3M protection for the leading edge of the hood, headlights, and the driving lights. It's also got an appt for window tint when it warms up enough - thinking 35% sides and back, but might do a shade darker to 20% on the back doors and rear window... That should last me till I can get the rest of the car resprayed in a couple years.

Rabin

I don't have an item # for the trim tape, I can send you a piece, it would be no trouble.. you could then use it to compare it with what you find. 3M protection, I thought of that too, especially for all the headlights and foglights.. clear-bra stuff.

I'll try going back to the store to find out more about the trim, if not just send me your address in a private message and I'll send you a piece of it.