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Where Can I Find A Chrome Grille?

geminilover112
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geminilover112 Collaborator

geminilover112

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everywhere i search i find these stupid chrome inserts that cost 20 bucks and probally will be horrible... i wanna get a fully chrome lexus emblem grille for my 98 gs400... anyone know of any sites that i could find one???

I want the normal lexus grille.. no fancy body kit stuff.. just the OEM grille but chromed.... thanks guys... :cheers:

Ry

new big400 Veteran

new big400

Posted
Posted

If you had used the search you would know that yours is chrome underneath the black coating.But who am I to talk I can never get the search to work properly.If you strip the black paint off yours you will have a fully chrome oem lexus grill.

geminilover112 Collaborator

geminilover112

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Get the heck outta here, are you serious???? yeah... but it feels like plastic.. its not that heavy chromed out feeling.... i found one on ebay... sports chrome grille but they sold it last night... grrrrrrrrrrr.. i guess ill keep searching.. thank you

Ry..

knmaynard Mentor

knmaynard

Posted
Posted
If you had used the search you would know that yours is chrome underneath the black coating.But who am I to talk I can never get the search to work properly.If you strip the black paint off yours you will have a fully chrome oem lexus grill.

Interesting. What's the best way to strip it off? Is it the same on a 2001 430?

My first car was a 76 Camaro, and I remember stripping off the dull gray coating on the headlight bezels by accident and finding a shiny metal chrome finish underneath. Looked awesome, I wondered why they covered it up with gray.

Let me know if this is so on the 01 model grills. Thx.

BillH2 Collaborator

BillH2

Posted
Posted
If you had used the search you would know that yours is chrome underneath the black coating.But who am I to talk I can never get the search to work properly.If you strip the black paint off yours you will have a fully chrome oem lexus grill.

Interesting. What's the best way to strip it off? Is it the same on a 2001 430?

My first car was a 76 Camaro, and I remember stripping off the dull gray coating on the headlight bezels by accident and finding a shiny metal chrome finish underneath. Looked awesome, I wondered why they covered it up with gray.

Let me know if this is so on the 01 model grills. Thx.

The grill is plastic, but the chrome plating under it is very good quality. Also, the paint is designed to stick and not real easy to remove. I removed the paint on the face of the grill teeth, leaving the sides black. Worked great, took a couple of hours.

This is how I did it

Materials needed:

One can of thick jel paint remover. The thicker the better

Rubber gloves (You don't want that stuff on your hands)

Fine grade steel wool

Q-tips.

First, remove the grill Five bolts (I think, 10MM) and the hood latch.

Then open the paint remover, Load a Q-tip with paint remover and wipe it across the top of the grill teeth. Do 1/4 of the grill at a time. Let it sit for about fifteen minutes. The paint should be bubbled up by now, put on the gloves, take some steel wool and, using water scrub off the paint. Let the grill dry compeltely and repeat the process.

Hope this helps. Do it at your own risk.

BillH2 Collaborator

BillH2

Posted
Posted
If you had used the search you would know that yours is chrome underneath the black coating.But who am I to talk I can never get the search to work properly.If you strip the black paint off yours you will have a fully chrome oem lexus grill.

Interesting. What's the best way to strip it off? Is it the same on a 2001 430?

My first car was a 76 Camaro, and I remember stripping off the dull gray coating on the headlight bezels by accident and finding a shiny metal chrome finish underneath. Looked awesome, I wondered why they covered it up with gray.

Let me know if this is so on the 01 model grills. Thx.

The grill is plastic, but the chrome plating under it is very good quality. Also, the paint is designed to stick and not real easy to remove. I removed the paint on the face of the grill teeth, leaving the sides black. Worked great, took a couple of hours.

This is how I did it

Materials needed:

One can of thick jel paint remover. The thicker the better

Rubber gloves (You don't want that stuff on your hands)

Fine grade steel wool

Q-tips.

First, remove the grill Five bolts (I think, 10MM) and the hood latch.

Then open the paint remover, Load a Q-tip with paint remover and wipe it across the top of the grill teeth. Do 1/4 of the grill at a time. Let it sit for about fifteen minutes. The paint should be bubbled up by now, put on the gloves, take some steel wool and, using water scrub off the paint. Let the grill dry compeltely and repeat the process.

Hope this helps. Do it at your own risk.

Remove the center emblem also. Phillps head screwdriver, This process worked on a 2001 GS-430. I do not know if the earlier cars had chrome under the black paint.

geminilover112 Collaborator

geminilover112

Posted
  • Author
Posted

hey guys did it over the weekend.... I couldnt belive it... it was like magic.. anyways it took me about an hour and a half... did 1/4 at a time.. came out looking beautiful... thanks for the help guys.... :cheers::cheers:

knmaynard Mentor

knmaynard

Posted
Posted

Gemini, can you post pics, including some close up shots? How difficult was it to get just the front surface stripped and get a clead edge? Or did you chrome the whole thing, sides and all?

Thanks.

geminilover112 Collaborator

geminilover112

Posted
  • Author
Posted

its was suprisingly very very simple.... i did exactally what they told me to do in the forum.... i chromed just the front and all i did was put the gel on a lil bit at a time.... wait 10-15 min go back and like magic the black paint came off and there was chrome under it.... very smooth...very confused by WHY lexus would do this.... it looks so so so so much sharper with the chromed grille... i love it... i will post pics when i get my digi cam back from my Girl.... let her borrow it for the weekend should be gettin it soon.... talk to you later... B) B)


knmaynard Mentor

knmaynard

Posted
Posted
its was suprisingly very very simple.... i did exactally what they told me to do in the forum.... i chromed just the front and all i did was put the gel on a lil bit at a time.... wait 10-15 min go back and like magic the black paint came off and there was chrome under it.... very smooth...very confused by WHY lexus would do this.... it looks so so so so much sharper with the chromed grille... i love it... i will post pics when i get my digi cam back from my Girl.... let her borrow it for the weekend should be gettin it soon.... talk to you later...  B)  B)

Cool, thanks.

I'm getting blk/blk GS 430 this week, might try it when I get it. I've already ordered clear sides, that will probably be all I do to it for awhile. I love the look of chrome with black. I think the black RX330 w/chrome rims is the best looking stock SUV's made. Look forward to the pics.

BlexusGS Mentor

BlexusGS

Posted
Posted
hey guys did it over the weekend.... I couldnt belive it... it was like magic.. anyways it took me about an hour and a half... did 1/4 at a time.. came out looking beautiful... thanks for the help guys....:cheers:  :cheers:

I did this mod about 6 months ago. :D

splicer Member

splicer

Posted
Posted
hey guys did it over the weekend.... I couldnt belive it... it was like magic.. anyways it took me about an hour and a half... did 1/4 at a time.. came out looking beautiful... thanks for the help guys....:cheers: :cheers:

I did this mod about 6 months ago. :D

I just picked up 06 gs this weekend was wondering if anyone knows if this would also work on my car

modaddy23 Member

modaddy23

Posted
Posted
hey guys did it over the weekend.... I couldnt belive it... it was like magic.. anyways it took me about an hour and a half... did 1/4 at a time.. came out looking beautiful... thanks for the help guys....:cheers:  :cheers:

Are you serious?? Do you have pictures? I guess I'm going to try it this weekend. Can you tell me anything to look out for or to be careful of while doing this??

blacksoxlexus Progressing

blacksoxlexus

Posted
Posted

Interesting. I think I will have to give this a shot. But looking online for some gel paint remover I wasn't able to find anything. Is there a certain brand name I should be looking for? At least this way I can narrow my search or ask for something specific if I walk into a store.

Thanks in advance :cheers:

lextildeath Community Regular

lextildeath

Posted
Posted

If I am not mistaken, there is even a "chrome" spray paint you can buy. I don't think it is real chrome on the grill in the first place. If you ever mess up on the stripping, or just wanna do an easier job, you can just use the paint. That is IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN. Anyway, could some one show some pics soon? I would like to see how it looks.

Peace,

Anthony.

geminilover112 Collaborator

geminilover112

Posted
  • Author
Posted

just get a can of paint stripping spray and do a little bit at a time.... trust me it works.... just go slow and do a very little bit at a time... waiting to get my damn camera back.. will post pics when i can... it works..

PS. Go to home depot or Lowes.. they will have everything u need..

Paint remover Gel = 3 dollars

fine steel grade wool= 2 dollars

Shiny new chrome grille= priceless

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