thebasher

After reading the chrome grill post I took a look at my grill to see about having it chrome plated. I like the chrome look but didn’t like the idea of having door trim on my grill. I wanted something more permanent. After removing the grill from the car (10m socket) I found the grill to be totally chrome. The black that you see on the grill is just paint. So to remove the paint I just took acetone (fingernail paint remover) and applied it to the grill with an old tooth brush. I only did 2 inch sections at a time. It took me 2-3 hours one night after work. I hope it works for you as easy as it did for me.

Chris,
Orlando, Fl.

thebasher

half done

thebasher

before

D-MAN63

Wow, that is right, the lexus grill is chrome underneath. I'm surprised no one thought of doing this sooner

gs4to4

I remember seeing a GS prototype back in 97, and the grill was chrome. Maybe they decided to paint it black at the last minute.
It looks really good though. Right now I have the chrome strips on my grill and I might take them off and strip the paint. If anyone else does this, keep me posted on the results please
Thanks

2SAVVY

thebasher,

Good eye!!

Like 1SickLex said I noticed the same thing with the grill that it looked like it was chrome underneth the black paint.. So I had some paint removing gel that I was using to remove paint from my front steel door of the house so I put a little bit on a back edge of the grill to see what it would do and it came off in seconds.. I have a bra on the GS so I won't be removing the black since I think it would look weird but for you guys that want to do this mod just go to you local hardware store (Home Depot) is where I got this paint remover gel (Name on the can escapes me at the moment) and it works great.. Should be able to remove all the black paint in 30 minutes or less..

When and if you guys do this please post up some pics for the rest of us..

msray

that is the wierdest thing ive ever heard. Why would lexus use chrome behind paint....why not just use cheap plastic??

Mike

HDDuece

I tried the door trim on my 430 but because the ribs in the grill are so wide the trim would not stay on. I ripped the trim off and got out the laquer thinner. Put it on with a toothbrush and let it sit. The gel would probably work better because the liquid evaporates too fast. Either one should work. Got the paint off the ribs and the grill looks fantastic, should of been that way to begin with. If you look in the 2001 GS 430 brochure on page 9 I would swear the grill on the black GS is chrome.

LexusRules

if our car was a ford i promise the grill would be plastic but its a lexus

lexus should have made it an option chrome grill for an extra 100 bucks or so, they could make a fair bit from just that!

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

2001 grills have fatter ribs and they are covered with a strip of shiny plastic thingy. 98~00 are just painted black. So the 2001 brochure looks chrome because the shiny plastic is very reflective.

GS Doug

So are you saying that this wouldn't work on a 2001?

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

I don't nkow. It probably will but I dont' see why. The shiny plastic is nice enough. If anyone wants to I will sell my 2000 grill maybe.

D-MAN63

Anyone know exactly what product did you use to get the paint off? I have some crap products in my house that suppose to remove paint but it does ****.

babyGS3

wow... guys.. great find!!! I just hope that the chrome doesnt start discoloring because nothing is protecting it... maybe if I take my paint off, I'll shoot it with some thin layer of clearcoat...

~manny

P.S. Chris, where did you get that lexus license plate... i was asking for one here at our dealership... they wouldnt give it to me...

HDDuece

I doubt if the chrome under the paint would discolor. It is the same chrome that already shows around the border of the grill. I'll let you know if anything happens to mine but for now it looks great. I used soime old laquer thinner I had laying around but was slow. Like I said a gel would work better because it won't evaporate as fast. I will try to get a picture up.