I think your idea is great, especially for that price. I just have one question. I've seen that chrome molding on wheel wells and it looks great when it's new. But it seems after a time, the plastic coating seems separate from the chrome. Since the front of the car takes the biggest beating, I was wondering how durable the molding is. I was wondering if its more durable today. I'm not trying to put a damper on your idea, just a possible caveat. Bob

 

No worries. I think it should be just as durable as the chrome plated plastic replacement grills available. I am sure at some time it may need a bit of a "touch up". I would save some of the extra from the roll for that reason. It would be just as easy to replace as originally was. I also said to remove the silver strips carefully to replace them if you wish.

To me it's a win - win situation.

 

SRT SIX I've been wanting to do this for over a year now and seeing yours I'm finally going to do it... but I have a problem. I have a gray crossfire and driving by the local mercedes dealer I noticed the new SL550 and that grille is painted silver (where our black plastic is) and has chrome (where our silver plastic is).

And on the gray crossfire's the grille is almost the same color as the graphite paint... so it's paint the grille black with chrome like SRT SIX or paint it the way of the SL550 any thoughts? This question is open to every one.

 

Great mod and looks super, five gold stars and hats off to you!!!

How hard was it to pry off the original strips? I'm going to look around for another color that may go better with SSB, but then black may do since it matches the black inserts below the bumper.

 

04fire - Hey! Go for it! Painted silver grill with chrome strips might look hot! You can always change the color if you don't like it. I think the black makes the grill sort of "fade away" making the chrome strips look like they are floating. If you do the silver/chrome thing, be sure to take pics and post.


ben47 - Thanks for the kudos. The silver strips are actually fairly easy to remove. They have a series of tabs that go through the grill. It looks like they used some heat to melt the edges slightly to make them stay in position. I used a knife to ever so lightly pry the strip from the edge of the grill "blade", then slowly and carefully slid a flat blade screw driver under it and pried it away gently to release the tab. I pried it from the bottom of the strip at the point that is out of view so I wouldn't scratch the top "blade" of the grill. With a couple of the more stubborn tabs, I used a cloth between the screw driver and the grill section.

 

I've been toying with that one as well. But is there a good, high quality paint in silver (or perhaps even in chrome) that would look as good as OEM? Black does indeed fade away, which is nice, but using a different finish color means the paint needs to look OEM rather than like an aftermarket afterthought, it seems to me, particularly with the vertical strake lines in our grille, which don't exist in the new SLK grille.

 

Well I just had to give this one a try...looks great! I got the last roll of the chrome stuff at the Norco Autozone and it looked like it had been on the shelf for years. The whole deal took me about an hour.

SRTSIX - we're neighbors! I drive through Rancho on I15 every day going up to Arrowhead to work (great place to drive a XF). I'll keep an eye out for you!

 

Howdy Hattrick,

I haven't taken the beast up to Arrowhead yet. Need to do it soon.

I noticed a few Crossfires out this way. Maybe we could have a get together and go up the mountain in force.

 

I am in on this one...it looks fantastic!!! Going to pick up the materials tomorrow - just have to find an hour somewhere.

SRT SIX - Thanks very much for this one!!!

Love this forum!

 

Absolutely!! Sounds fun. I know all the mountain roads. I've worked in Arrowhead for the past five years and I've got a contract now in Big Bear Lake too. The car is made for those roads...you'll love it. I don't see very many Crossfires in our area, but I know they must be out there. Let's do it.

BTW - great idea on this mod. I keep going out to the garage and looking at the grille...way cool.

 

WOW! That is a GREAT IDEA!! Here's mine in Alabaster white.

 

Excellent results! This one really works.

 

Ok here is the stock grille were the silver replaced with chrome... definitely 100% better! Still not sure if I'll make it look like the SL550 grille or not... any opinions!? So far I think it looks great! Very Cool!

 

I painted my grille Alabaster white to match the car about a month ago and just added the new "chrome" strips last night after reading about them in the thread. My local Auto Zone had one package of these in stock so I grabbed it.
This was not a difficult decision. The original strips match the windshield surround, but these new chrome strips really work with the chrome wing on the hood much better.
THANKS SRT SIX! EXCELLENT IDEA!!

 

Fritzauf - great look in white.

04Fire - grey grill on grey car with chrome looks excellent.

I like "the look!" Maybe I should copyright it! LOL.

 

Just ordered a color matching paint to paint the gray plastic graphite to match the rest of the car... just to make it look that much better.
Pics coming soon...

 

I did this mod 4 years ago to my Stratus R/T coupe. It looked really nice but after a while they started to fall off. I think it was a result of driving at highway speeds for a prolonged period of time in the rain. Perhaps some stronger glue would be an easy fix.

 

Did the front edge of the grill where you attached the strip have a grooved flat edge? When you remove the silver strip from the front edge of the Crossfire grill there is a channel with a flat surface that the adhesive sticks to.

 

I put this stuff on my friends car and it's still there after a year... even with the heat and weekly wash.
It needs to be on a flat clean surface or it will peel off after a few weeks.

 

Great idea.