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stainless steel vinyl

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:30 am
by slickthug
hey guys
just wanted to know if theres such a thing.
itl be for a cheaper alternative to the lancer stainless steel fuel door.
and i would like it on other parts of my black cj. im sure it would look nice.

or is there a paint that will do the job?

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:46 am
by Graham
There is "chrome" paint but it really doesn't look good. My friend tried painting his hubcaps on a honda accord with chrome paint, it didn't work :p

As for vinyl I wouldn't be too sure

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:49 am
by ofey
Of all the mods I've done to my car, I can honestly say the Alloy Fuel Door @ A$195 is the best value there is. The construction is pure class.

Considering that the 4 stainless steel scuff plates are A$112 and are really 4 pieces of metal with 3M tape on the back, it does make the fuel door look like a bargain.

No matter what though, please don't stick some fake metal looking sticker on it. If you want one buy one. If you vinyl it to some other color, I think that's fine but I draw the line at fake metallic stickers.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:10 am
by slickthug
yeh i got the scuff plates but got it as a present.
wanna do more stainless stuff though like mirror covers and maybe front bumper. i would buy the fuel door but i need more stainless to match it. Also would want to see how a stainless roof diffuser would look. i reckon it would look hot. but no one makes these real stainless cause it makes the car heavier??

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:16 am
by slickthug
btw who watched top gear last night?

seeing the veyron with all the stainless steel nearly made me j in my pants.

so im trying to make my lancer look as close as possible to the veryon. lol

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:33 am
by JazzyB
metallic vinyls would be mint...
And surely they're out there...

Failing that, you COULD take ur fueldoor off, strip the paint back and get the fueldoor chrome-dipped...

Non reversible tho - unlike vinyl... But more realistic (100% realistic infact :-P)

I work with stainless at work a lot - apart from being heavier, a roof diffuser made in stainless would also be much harder to manufacture than a plastic one (where u simply make a steel mold and pour plastic in) and therefore would cost a fair bit more. If everyone wanted them, it might be feasible, but for 1, or a couple, you'd be paying well over $1000 I'd imagine (which is why no-one's bothered 2 make one yet ;-)

But if ur after a bit more range of finishes than "just vinyl" - check out an "electro plater", "plastic finisher" or "automotive coating specialist" of some sort, they'll likely have more info than I ;-)

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:21 pm
by slickthug
mmmm chrome dipped

maybe i can just remove parts i want to be chrome and just throw them in this magical chrome dipper. id throw half my car in there lol.

be kool if there was stainless vgs. they would be lethal. carmageddon styles.

can you do these chrome dips at home? im more after a stainless steel dip. did a google on stainless paint and saw some for kitchen appliance which they say are 'automotive grade' but wouldnt trust it though.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:42 pm
by LZY_EYE
Chrome dipping cannot really be done at home. I am not exactly sure how it is done, but can't be done at home.

The only way is chrome paint and it is rubbish!!

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:54 pm
by tadz0rz
Chrome dipping involves many chemicals acid and alot of electricity to my knowledge. Plus you gotta know what your doing, so i rekon its a bit unlikely that you'd be able to get it done at home :P

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 3:02 pm
by LZY_EYE
I have a feeling it is done in a similar fashion to electroplating.

Getting items chromed properly costs a fortune. Wanted a couple of things done when I had my black astra... but was way too expensive for me!!

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:00 pm
by Stalker
lol i got a mate whose parents own a powder coating company so i can get stuff chrome dipped free :D

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:34 pm
by slickthug
tadz0rz wrote:Chrome dipping involves many chemicals acid and alot of electricity to my knowledge. Plus you gotta know what your doing, so i rekon its a bit unlikely that you'd be able to get it done at home :P

too easy
bucket of steel paint - check
power chord inside bucket - check
anyone dare to turn the power on?

nah seriously what would the electricity be used for? im interested.
lol just imagining if i was actually serious of trying something like that at home.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:59 pm
by jamez707
they use the electricity to get the chrome to attach itself to the metel buy running the elctricity thew the materials. its kind of like how metals rust but in reverse sortof

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:28 pm
by SIR-VRX
You can get metallic vinyls, but its not very pliable. IE you can't bend it that well.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:32 pm
by tadz0rz
I think it sticks to the metal because the metal itself is negitivly charged and applying a postive current to it while its in the acids and chemicals attaches the chrome or whatever to the metal perminitly. They do the same in car painting, negitively charged metals, postivly charged paint, result = perfect layer of paint.

Thats my understanding from watching shows like american chopping n stuff :P