76 ss grill

[canova]

i recently picked up a 76 ss grill.painted black with chrome trim.it looks like factory paint over the honeycomb part which is chrome underneath.why would they paint this section.which cars came all chrome and which came black?any ideas?i want to strip the black to expose an all chrome grill.

[Gotta_75]

I've looked at pics of probably 10 or so 76 SS Novas. I like that grille design the best, which is why my 75 has one. With the exception of Bruce & Mike, the ones I've seen are all Black w/chrome plated (looking) borders around the perimeter & center lenses. The headlight bezels have metal bands around their borders, but it appears that the grilles are plated.



Several months ago, someone on Ebay had one that was all chrome & the seller wanted like $400 for it. If yours is all chrome, I'd try to strip the paint off as well.

[Philip]

The SS grill is black and chrome like you have, the Rally grill was left all chrome. The grill was part of the option package Z26; 76 was the only year that grill was used as an SS grill, 77 - 78 the SS was replaced by the Rally Nova. In 79 the Rally Nova just had an emblem on the 79 style grill.

There could be a couple of reasons the chrome is painted black.

The vacuum plating process is easier done if the whole plastic part is plated and then the painted accents are added. I have seen instrument cluster bezels that are chrome on the back just to get the small trim plated on the front.

The grill had been replaced at one time and the only one available was all chrome.

[Perple76]

Keep in mind when/if you decide to start stripping that thing that the chrome plating on that grille, if its original, is over 30 years old. Most of the grilles I have seen, except the one or two boxed NOS pieces, have issues with the plating getting brittle and peeling up off the plastic.

If you plan on stripping the paint off that chrome, just remember that you're not dealing with metal chrome, and it won't be near as forgiving. I'd be very concerned about how any type of harsh chemical would react on that plating.

Just a word of caution. If you can strip the thing and keep the chrome intact, it should look really sweet. That's some delicate work, but would be very rewarding if you can accomplish the feat.

I wish we had someone on the forum who was an expert in vacuum metalizing plastic. We've got an expert now that's reproducing the SS grille, if only we could find someone willing to plate them. . . .

J

[Philip]

I had a chance years ago to buy a set up to do plastic vacuum plating, I am very sorry I passed on it.

Here is a 77 Rally grill I bought on eBay.