I've been wanting to dechrome the rig for a while and have started on a number of areas. Cold weather makes doing any major mods tough since my garage is full of "stuff" and I can't get the rig in there. So, time to tackle some of the minor stuff I've been wanting to do.

Here's the first project of a few. I plan to paint this surround the body color. I also wanted to change the emblems on the tailgate. I've shaved the letters off of the surround and filled in the depression where the letters were with bondo and shapped it. I'm leaving the Toyota symbol, but adding the emblem for "TOYOTA" and "4RUNNER" from the 4th Gen 4Runner. These will all get the poor man's black pearl treatment.

Here's a few pics:

 

looks clean man. can you post a before pic, not quite sure what you got rid of

how will you be painting it? professionally at a shop, or "professionally" by cebby?

 

Lee - it will be "paint by Cebby", I've already got a batch mixed up. This all started by needed to repair a little tailgate rust (up top - the usual place on 2nd Gens) I'll be painting the door handles, grille, mirrors, etc. All chrome must be removed!!!

Excuse the filth - here's the before pics:

 

One thing I've always wondered. On my 94 there is chrome around the front windsheild, how would I get rid of that?

 

I haven't figured that part out yet. I'd love to pull it and get it powdercoated.

 

Okay, Mike, quit fibbing! You know you're going to gold plate all the chrome parts and add gold plating to the brush and taillight gaurds.


Seriously, though. Looks good. I'm going to be tackling a similar project on my rig this spring. Gotta wait for the temps to warm up and the humility...err umm, humidity to drop.

 

Cebby looks good so far. How about the wheather we had yesterday 70*. If I had a garage I'd would be working on my stuff every night. What else needs dechromed?

 

Yep, that nice weather got me off my ass and doing stuff. I was just going to rotate my tires, but my floor jack is too short to reach the frame. :mad:

I'll be painting the door handles, grille, corner light trim, mirrors and emblems. The chrome bumpers will be removed and replaced with more stout versions of my own design.

 

That is what I'm going to be doing over the next few months, the mirrors and handles really bug me. You sould do some write-ups...for people like me

Fink

 

Since I'm already into it in the handles (and the mirrors for that matter), how's this:

Dismantle
Sand with 220 grit to rough them up and lose the shine.
Prime with self etching primer.
Color coats
Clear coats
Reassemble
Install

 

Funny, I have been doing the exact oposite. I didn't have any chome and I have been adding it! The only place I don''t really want chome are the door handles. The black ones I have blend nicely. Other then that I have replaced my whole front end, rear bumper, and have plans to get chrome mirrors.

 

What's the reason to get rid of the chrome? My favorite color is chrome! Seriously, though, you just don't like it?

 

I'm doing it to be different. Besides, dull pitted plastic chrome looks tired.

 

I think too much chrome is ugly, if there's just enough thats fine...I've just never really been into the whole chrome thing, I'm goin all black.

Fink

P.S. - bike4miles, if you end up selling your black mirrors and they are in decent shape and they are electric, lemme know man, they will probably mount right up to mine, maybe we could do a switch haha.

 

Has anybody purchased parts from here http://www.ezbodyparts.com/ ? They offer black and chrome for many of the parts being changed/painted. I know painting is less expensive, but my painting skills are ……lets just say it’s a good thing I don’t need to paint for a living.

 

Oh just admit it, you just want to be able to tell our trucks apart when they are in the same parking lot.

 

I'm also removing all the chrome. The only parts I have left are the f/r bumpers. I've been a little too busy lately to tackle that little project...but I'll have them powdercoated one day soon. All the other bits, I've already taken care of...the front grill (and headlight surrounds), valance, door handles, side view mirrors, chrome trim around the windshield and the license plate surround. Here's a pic:




I had planned on taking the mirrors off to paint them, but it looked like a huge PITA to remove them. So I just made sure I newspaper'd the whole area and any area that would get hit with overspray. Sanded them down a bit, primered 'em with black primer and painted 'em. It was very easy to do, especially if you fold the mirrors in towards the door...that gives you a nearly flat area/surface to apply the primer/paint.

As for the trim around the windshield. Again, plenty of masking tape and newspaper to cover the entire windshield and lots of it on the top and sides of the rig. This was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be as you can slip newspaper 'under' the trim on the windshield side and you can slip the edge of the paper into a little area between the body and the trim. It takes a little time, but just make sure to cover EVERYTHING.

I primed/painted the whole trim piece...not just the middle part that is the chrome. I did this so the whole thing would look uniform.

The door handles...I was going to remove them entirely. But I used an old spring spacer to hold the handle in the up position, covered everything again with tape/newspaper...roughed it up with sandpaper, primed and painted with at least two coats. I used a glob of tape to cover the keyholes, but you can use a little bit of putty or play-doh or some such material.

The results? I LOVE the look. It all looks factory perfect.

Here are a couple of shots before I put the Taco wheels on...









I have one question, Cebby...how on earth did you get the license plate surround off?!? I couldn't figure that out and I want to redo mine. I used a different kind of paint that is too glossy and I want to strip it and start over. How did you get it off?

If you have any questions, post 'em...I'll do what I can to help answer them.

 

Bingo. Actually, I look for which one is taller (in the front)

 

I took the easy way out. I bought one from someone here. They had the "pleasure" of removing it.

It is held on with trim fasteners like the door panels. I'll post a pic of the back of it for your use. I think there are 5 trim fasteners or so.

 

Cebby, I can't wait to see the finished pictures. Yeah, I got that too. It's only a matter of time until it pulls me into the same project you're on.