removing chrome on grille

[erictw]

I have the typical blistering chrome on my 03, figured i would just paint it ala 06, but need to get rid of the bubbly stuff first. I was kind of surprised at how it peels off in the bad areas, it doesn't seem like either vac or electro plating, almost like an applique of some sort. Anyway, is there an easy way to strip this down or is it just peel and clean up the leftovers? Also, is there a way to remove the logo without breaking it?
I guess one advantage of the low (non existent) value of this car is you can do pretty much anything to it without costing yourself any money at trade in, lol.
thanks, Eric

 

[04_Sport_LS]

Probably easier to find a non chrome grill in a boneyard and paint it.

 

[FDR]

I do think it's vacuum depositing, just a much thicker coating than the usual interior parts or toys. I've tried a few ways to attack it including oven cleaner and brake fluid. I never got anything consistent in the same way - peels great in some places, still stuck in others. I gave up when the weight of a bag of brake fluid caused it to snap when I picked it up and just painted it with adhesion promoter, primer, base, and clear. I have plain black so I didn't invest much in the base coat. It has a few chips down to the chrome in a couple spots after a few years

 

[04_Sport_LS]

I gave up when the weight of a bag of brake fluid caused it to snap when I picked it up

?????

 

[FDR]

?????

Bag on left side, hand on right side

 

[04_Sport_LS]

?????

Still trying to figure out how a bag of brake fluid would cause a grill to snap.

Might be poor sentence structure, or lack of information.

 

[erictw]

I do think it's vacuum depositing, just a much thicker coating than the usual interior parts or toys. I've tried a few ways to attack it including oven cleaner and brake fluid. I never got anything consistent in the same way - peels great in some places, still stuck in others. I gave up when the weight of a bag of brake fluid caused it to snap when I picked it up and just painted it with adhesion promoter, primer, base, and clear. I have plain black so I didn't invest much in the base coat. It has a few chips down to the chrome in a couple spots after a few years

Pretty much what I have run into- about half of it has peeled off in small sheets, the rest is pretty tight. I thought perhaps it was vac over black lacquer, it seems to peel off in that fashion, and the lac not bonding to the plastic makes more sense than the plating not sticking to the plastic (or the lacquer). I am considering sanding the edges between the bare plastic and the sticking chrome, heavy primer and a touch of glazing putty, then shoot it. I also am dealing with black, should make coverage easier at least.