Blacked out trim...opinions??

[70roundtail02]

Have seen a couple cars with it done and can't really decide if I like it or not. I know that this flies in the face of all that is purity but my car is hardly that, seeing as I have gotten rid of side marker lights, beltline trim and various other doodads. With the color choice I am going with Sienna Red Metallic as found on 01 M5's (not this later sienna nasty color) I think the chrome is a little too glaring and that blacked out might look good. Any ideas? Thanks

Tristan

[mleach]

um.... do what you like? yeah, that one.

[TTyMiller]

I like it on some cars. I will probably go that route myself. My chrome is pretty cloudy in spots, not pitted just not clean. What procedure are you going to use to black yours out?

[70roundtail02]

haha that was my next question, I had been wondering how one does the chrome by the windows and what not. I would assume one could powder coat it.

[Jim_75Sahara]

Personal preference -- do what you like best. If you do black out the trim, do a good job of it. Mine had blacked out trim -- on the cheap. In some places it was black matte rattle can paint & in other places it was electrical tape! It all looked crappy so I took it back to the orig. look. I missed the shining chrome that cars used to have. I sorta miss big tail fins too.

[70roundtail02]

Rest assured if i do it, it will be nice. I haven't spent a bunch of loot cakes on this just to rattle can something.

[jerry]

well, since you asked.

i don't like it. thought it was a dead fad from the 80's seen primarily on VW bugs. the "california look" as i recall.

didn't like it then, either

[esty]

all thumbs down...you're talking about painting aluminum...regardless of popular opinion, paint will not stay on aluminum....unless you sand it to give it a tooth...then you'll have rough, painted trim

but....i do a lot of unconventional things myself....do whatever makes you smile

[visionaut]

My opinion - I like it, with the right body-color paint. Black on black looks best, IMHO. Like mine... ;-) Paint sticks fine, my beltline trim is matched to my body color (cosmos black) - it's just as smooth/shiny and no-peel as the body paint itself.

It all depends on what you like - to me the matte aluminum 'old school' look is fine too, if it fits with the rest of the look of the car.

I'd hardly say 'monochrome' is/was a fad look...

[Paul7002]

(nt)

[mikem]

I think that it will also be prone to peeling in places. I can't picture a process that would be as durable as the "chrome."

That said, look at other cars to see what you think. I've seen a silver car that looks good for what it is. But it had the full 9 yards, flares, spoiler, dam, etc. So it was a complete custom look. i don't think that an otherwise stock-looking car would look good with blacked-out chrome.

[John_in_VA]

for big bucks but durability, or talk to a powder-coater, or roughen, clean, prime and paint with SEM Trim Black.

The turbo came with black front & rear lock strips for the glass.

[NickVyse]

don't like it myself - in fact the only time I do think it works is when it IS rattle can matt black, on some old ratty fast ride, with chips and bits peeling off.

This, to me, is a great example of how horrible it can be - a clash of decades; Henrix plays Flock of Seagulls - it was doomed to failure!

[ash00]

It depends on the color I guess. My 76 had a bright red paint job, with the black trim. This was my first '02, and I totally didn't notice that the PO did a hoaky job on it. He used electrical tape!!

Eitherway- if it was coupled with a contrasting color, it looked decent. Just make sure you do it right - no electrical tape. I had a friend right now who just had his trim powder coated for his first gen Rx7, and some of the thinner trims pieces warped from the low heat. Id recommend the sand/paint method if you go that route.

I'd like to see the car with that m5 color though- so post pics!!

[InkaSteve]

My son did it on my 76 when he had it. I didn't like it, took it off.