Chromes

[pencero]

I've got a 2d 1988 Cutlass Brougham 307 and my chromes are bust. Two big ones are dented up, and one is missing up front. On the driverside, the other small chrome plastic mounting collapsed (common problem I know yada yada yada)

so my q is if anyone reproduces the chromes- or at least the mounting kit for the chromes - for my particular model, which has the carriage top (also w/ chrome stripping) because guess what - the previous owner was a meth smoking hick and sprayed the damn chrome stripping of the carriage top gold. I've tried to get it off over time with paint thinner and "Oops" but it still looks ignorant and I'm really hoping one of you knows where I might pick up a kit to redo all my chrome when it comes time for repaint. I'm expecting big irritating problems remounting the Chromes - which a lot of people wouldnt even do and just paint the car all the way up I suppose...

But I really dont want to do that, so please dont even waste time typing to suggest that option, because it isnt one. My chrome already looks alright, but I want it to look great again and shine like my Billet rims do.


I've went to the junkyard about 50x, and I always find the wrong cutlass w/ the double headlight & no euro-clip or chromes.... so I'm getting really tired of walking in there because its always the same thing. Please help...

Everyone in my area has the uglier supreme w/ rollup windows and its my time to shine... It should be anyway, and its not.

 

[Blake442]

Nobody reproduces the lower stainless body moldings.

Your only hope is to find nice used ones, or pony up the big dough if you're lucky enough to come across some NOS ones.
'81-'88 use the same lower moldings.
Clips are available, though some are harder to get than others.

As for the trim that's been painted over, try 00 or 000 grade steel wool.

 

[G-BUDDY]

pm me and lmk the ones u need i have the part numbers for the clips......so lmk 8)

 

[custom442]

A lot of the trim pieces are plastic, which means they'll have to be painted. Take them off carefully, sand them up a little- just enough to rough up the surface and prime/ then paint with a 'chrome' spray paint, then clear coat on top.

I'd practice with some trash pieces first to see if it'll look good at all. Just remember to put wax on them every month or so and they should last a while.

For the real metal ones, you can have them re-chromed, just shop around your city for someone who does this. It's usually expensive but not insane. My guess is about the same price as buying NOS ones

 

[jatguit]

I have found that the 80's (square style) B-bodies, Impala and maybe Caprice, 2dr or 4dr, with the wide lower chrome, that the plastic clip for those can be used on at least some of the cutlass mouldings. You can also use the metal end clips from the doors of the Impala Caprice also, I had refashioned the metal clips a bit and used them for the front of the front fenders and the rear of the front fenders, for those lower wide chromes in those places with good results. Unfortunately the metal ones don't have the give that the plastic ones have and a little difficult to retrofit, but they also don't break as easily as the plastic ones.

I had a REAL hard time finding the wide chrome that go in front of the front wheel as these are always missing from most cars in the junk yard. But I waited and kept going back to check and some finally came in.

You might have luck on ebag, as I see them on there sometimes.
Goodluck, be patient and really analyze it and try to think outside of the box when it comes to finding and fashioning the clips. I just came upon the ones from the Impala Caprice from the Junkyard as mentioned above as they looked so similar and took some home to try out and they worked.