De-chrome or not??? half done with comparison pics

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dpbayly

Active Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
123
Location
Royston, Herts
Car
2005 E320cdi
Last night I decided to have ago at de chroming my black cl55 and I managed half before it was to dark to finish.

what's peoples thoughts?

The blacked out side





Chromed side





Half and half on the front (main badge will be done too)



Another thing the (not to everyone's taste) rear lights are currently out as I'm tinting them out in the spray booth at work today just the red parts not the clear, I'll have them fitted back in later and I'm also giving the brembo calipers a lick of paint to neaten them up tonight too.
 
Looks good de-chromed but I would leave the rear lights, it adds some colour to the rear end.

I personally don't like the fully blacked out theme but its your car :D
 
I like the blacked out look, but I would leave the badge and the rear lights alone. As they look good as they are.........
........ or just go all red on the rear lights?
 
Agree about the lights and the chrome star. They look better standard. Re the rest, I don't normally light the blacked out look but it kinda suits your car.
 
Much better de-chromed :thumb:
 
Not to bad. I do prefer the chrome though.

A set of Facelift rear lights would finish the car off, not tinted + a set of door mirror Facelift indicator lights would look great.

Just realised I have already suggested the rear lenses ;)

IMO of course :thumb:
 
Last edited:
Looks ok.

But as Peter said, I prefer the chrome trim.

As a side note, it's a bit late to be asking people's opinions, isn't it? :D

... unless, of course, you can re-attach the trim?

I'd probably be looking to get the wheels tidied up, rather than mess about with the trim.
 
Looks ok.

But as Peter said, I prefer the chrome trim.

As a side note, it's a bit late to be asking people's opinions, isn't it? :D

... unless, of course, you can re-attach the trim?

I'd probably be looking to get the wheels tidied up, rather than mess about with the trim.


It's actually electrical tape placed over pressed into the corners the run down the side with a blade look spot on you would never know it was covering chrome its a trick I discovered years ago on an E39 540 which I had 6 months over winter and it never lifted or anything.

It's also very easily reversible and leaves no sign of ever being there takes probably 1.5hrs to do and 10mins to remove.

Side note on the lights.... Too late Ive just been in the booth and tinted them SORRY guys....

Im a fan of them on a black car so I'll get them fitted back to the car at lunch as there in the booth being baked off at the min.



 
Everyone has their own taste, i personally love smoked lights on black cars.
 
I suppose it's all down to personal taste! I myself would prefer the chrome trim left on but each to their own
 
looks good mate, any pictures of those rear lights back on the car?

Im thinking of doing mine...
 
did you just rattle can them with gloss black?

Cheers
 
did you just rattle can them with gloss black?

Cheers

No I've done it in the spray shop at my garage and it's a process of taking standard car lacquer and mixing it with 10% standard black So I mixed 150g of lacquer and 15g of black then add the hardener sprayed it on the same way you spray a car that way it gives you a great finish and although it looks dark they stay very translucent.

I've done it this way for years for myself and others
 
sounds awesome mate and they look fantastic, can't wait to see them on..

If they look how i think they will, i'll probably go down this route somehow :thumb:
 
No I've done it in the spray shop at my garage and it's a process of taking standard car lacquer and mixing it with 10% standard black So I mixed 150g of lacquer and 15g of black then add the hardener sprayed it on the same way you spray a car that way it gives you a great finish and although it looks dark they stay very translucent.

I've done it this way for years for myself and others

Cheers, for that. I often wondered how it was done. I think they will look fantastic on your car too :thumb:
 
It's actually electrical tape placed over pressed into the corners the run down the side with a blade look spot on

What a great idea, I was thinking about dechroming mine, but didnt want to go down the route of painting, I was looking into plasti-dip but leccy tape id a great idea :thumb:
 
I actually prefer the de-chrome, gives the car a slightly fresher look. I would leave the lights though and I would keep the badges and star in chrome too.

I'm actually thinking of de-chroming my car next week, but mine won't be reversible as I'm getting the trim painted in body colour (silver in my case). I generally think most MB's have too much applied chrome which makes them look a bit dated.
 

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