Any examples of blacking out all the exterior chrome?

[Ragzz]

I'm extremely tempted to delete the chrome on the exterior of the car with paint and/or wrap.
The headlight rings, windshield surround, door sills, etc...
There's a particular "look" in my head of how I want Monica to turn out.

However, I'd like to see if there are any good examples of what it might look like.
Anyone care to share?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

I don't have any experience in this, but you could use black tape to block off all the trim pieces on your car, and then see how it looks. Black masking tape or black electrical tape. Easy to remove if you don't like the look.

-Bryan

[pwilliam]

Please note that none of my comments are intended to be a dig directed towards you. I'm not a full-on purist as I appreciate performance upgrades, but when it comes to the cosmetics I feel like the designer, Tom Tjaarda nailed this car. It's production run was nearly two decades! If it wasn't as good looking as it was, nearly 200,000 units would not have been sold. Its proportions and styling are incredible! What happened with the big bumpers is a shame but it happened to all the cars of the era.

Also, I get it, these cars are not that expensive and to any enthusiast, professional or hobby-man its a pretty tempting opportunity to buy something cheap and have a field day with it. I think it's worth noting that these cars have quite a bit of pedigree too them that is often outshined by poor a reputation perpetuated by negligent owners and would-be mechanics.

Rally champion, Pininfarina styling, Aurelia Lampredi engine! Name another car where you get that much history for the same amount of money? So, I'm always curious why people are so inclined to put a v6, a v8, a motorcylce engine or a custom dashboard that looks not even remotely period correct on their car. We all have our own taste, but if someone loves Corvette taillights so much, just buy a Corvette man! Not to mention, these types of mods hurt the value of the car more than they help it. No one is scouring the internet or waiting on Craigslist, BringATrailer or eBay for a FIAT 124 Spider that's been clapped out to the previous owner's taste. The savvy investor or enthusiast is looking for a clean example.

I think in most cases, for the very modified cars out there, the people who modified them will lose money on their investment if they even find an interested party. Chances are, the people who are looking to buy a car, know that it's a better bet to buy a car closer to stock for both it's value and for assurance that it hasn't been buggered too much with in terms the mechanics, cosmetics and electronics.

I guess I would recommend asking what is the value of the project to yourself, before you take it on. Do you know you are going to love it? It certainly won't increase the value of the car. If you aren't happy with the way the Spider looks, why did you buy it? Why didn't you buy a car that looks just the way you want it, and instead of customizing the hell out of it, just restore it to its glory? If people are buying FIATs because they need a project and the car was cheap, I would suggest paying respect and homage to its pedigree. A clean, correct car will turn more heads than anything else. If you've got an aesthetic itch you can't scratch unless you go to town on the car...well then I guess you just go for it, but be hip to what this could mean when you get bored of the car down the road.

That's the end of my rant. No disrespect meant, just one person's opinion and some food for thought that could benefit your wallet and the next owner down the road.

[RRoller123]

The other side of this is that because they are so cheap and pretty cool to start with, they are a great platform for resto-mod, one is not risking a whole lot, they are certainly not collectible, and it is a lot of fun.

[Ragzz]

Thanks pwilliam no disrespect taken.
I love love love my Fiat Spider.
It has classic lines. I get compliments when I drive her.
But I have an image in mind of what I want.
So BEFORE doing anything stupid, I was looking for example of anyone who has done a chrome delete.
That's all.

Everyone is different. And by the time I'm done, I expect to have something classy and unique that maintains the styling.

In this particular case, the suggestion of putting black electrical tape first to get a sense first was a good one. I'll be doing that today.
I may hate it. Or be like... "yeah!" Who knows?

Some people turn a beautiful thing into an ugly hack job. Some people turn a beautiful thing into something better.

How do you guys feel about a Firebird TransAm decal on the hood?
I'm kidding. I'm kidding.
Of course I'm installing a rainbow unicorn. I'm not a moron.

[RRoller123]

Is that what they call the "screaming chicken"? Yeah baby!

[PaulC]

Due to badly rusting/peeling chrome on the tube bumpers and the crazy price to rechrome (if you find a place to do it), I had ours sandblasted to bare metal and then applied an etching primer and several coats of matte black wheel paint.

[Ragzz]

thanks Paul.
Luckily my tube bumpers are in almost perfect shape. But I removed them.
I definitely feel the weight difference.
I have the bumperettes in place.

[dinghyguy]

on Utube Jesse at "eldest builds" blacked out his chrome. It looks OK actually.

dinghyguy

[TheBender]

on Utube Jesse at "eldest builds" blacked out his chrome. It looks OK actually.

dinghyguy

I knew I had seen it before and Dinghyguy is right. He did his chrome headlight trim like you asked for. I’m sure he even has a video of how he did it.

[PaulC]

Yep. That's our bumpers (not literally but what they look like)