The stock front bumper on my 99' F-150 has three (3) sections. Top section is the plastic black portion the middle portion is chrome, the bottom portion is black plastic. The rear stock bumper has two (2) sections. The top portion is black plastic. The bottom portion is chrome. My truck is dark blue.

I have already removed the grey honeycomb grill and painted it with the flexible bumperblack in a spray can from autozone. It looks great and has held up in the winter months. I would like to have a lightning bumper that is color matched dark blue or at least a bumper cover, but can't do that in the near future. So, here is my question (finally):

Can I sand the chrome portion of the bumper and paint it bumperblack or darkblue?

One guy told me that even if you sanded all the chrome off the metal portion of the bumper, paint will not "stick" to that type of metal. Thanks for any advisement.

 

Contact 98Screamer
He had his back bumper painted i think it was chrome!
JJ

 

Nope, I searched long and hard for a painted rear bumper so I could have the monochrome look. You could offer someone a trade to someone, chrome for painted? You can paint the chrome, but it needs to either be sandblasted or ground off so the paint will stick well. I painted my chrome mirror caps after extensive sanding, and they still chip easily and show chrome through the chips (not good adhesion at all) The last solution would be bite the bullet and get the paintable strip, and sell the chrome one after? Sorry I can't help much more than this, but painting chrome is tough.,,,,,98


There is a Stillen lower bumper that looks like the Lightning, I think they look good with the chrome or painted bumper. It's called the "Storm" and runs about $200.

Here's a link to the thread showing the lower Lightning style bumper. I strongly believe that Street Scene and Stillen share products, the are just too many similarities between their products.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...threadid=66346

 

Thank you so much 98screamer for posting this link.
I have been searching for this Stillen Storm spoiler.
Looks great.
Now, most of the trucks are lowered, aren't they.

Do you think it will look good on a 99 stock f-150 too?

 

i think it would still look good on a stcok height vehicle. there is another thread that has a white truck with it and it looks good. i think it was Jim A's truck????

 

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...threadid=66400

 

Iron Horse, Don't waste a good 99 bumper. Would love to have one on my 97. The air dams look so much better for the newer trucks. Good luck in what ever u do !!!!!!!!

 

98 Screamer really knows his stuff.

I have looked and looked and that picture you attached of the lower bumper, is the first aftermarket bumper that looks as good or better than a lightning. I think I need to save for that and get that "paintable strip" to cover the middle chrome section?

Or is their a paintable bumper cover that has a lower section that looks just like the one in the attached picture? I have never seen one in any of the mags. Like dieseldog74 mentioned, why ruin a good chrome bumper. But the thick solid look of the color matched Lightning bumper sure looks sporty..to me anyway.

 

Thanks iron

There are Ford Lightning bumper covers, and replicas, but I've never really seen an L bumper from any manufacturer that costs under $400. The Storm is a nice alternative cost-wise. The center strip is the main part of the bumper from what I know of the late model Ford trucks, and I don't know of just a cover you can install over it.
My friend who has a shop here in Houston quoted me a price of $155 for a chrome center strip, I can only guess that the paintable one would cost less? Of course Ford parts departments never follow logical pricing standards, LOL!,,,98

 

go to the hardware store and get the acid to clean concrete with and put it on the chrome with a brush or spray bottle ,, treat it 2 or three times and it will turn to a green gold color, DONT GET THIS ON YOU OR ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT THE BUMPER. then rinse it all off real good with water and you are now down to the nickel, which you can sand and prep with bare metal primer like ppg's DP-40 then paint it .................. I was told this process by a ppg rep,,,,,,,,and yes it did work very well.........good luck

 

Now that's something I never heard!! It would saved me alot of expense and trouble finding a non-chrome bumper. Thanks for the rep info, custompainter! I've been out of the field for too long now,,,,,98

 

Custom Painter,

Thank you very much for that incredible comment. If it was Saturday morning instead of Saturday evening, I would be unbolting my front and rear bumpers right now!

For durablity and touch up purposes, I would appreciate your comment on which of the following sounds like the best way to go:

1. After preping the chrome middle portion of bumper as you stated, paint it with "bumper black" paint from autozone. Then all three parts of the bumper would be flat/satin black. or

2. After preping the chrome middle portion of bumper as you stated, sand lightly the two black plastic parts and paint all three parts "bumper black". or

3. After preping the chrome middle portion of the bumper as you stated, lightly sand the remaining two parts of the bumper that are black plastic and paint all three parts Ford dark wedgewood blue to match the exterior of my truck. I can get a paint shop to mix the color and put it in a spray can I think.


Is there some kind of clearcoat that I should put over the paint?

My concern is durability of the paint on the bumper and cost.

I have already taken my grey plastic honeycomb grill out and I put about five light coats of "bumper black" on it. It has held up well through the winter months and the cost was my time and about $6.00.

Any comments would be appreciated.

 

I am also wanting to paint my bumpers. They are currently painted argent grey. I was wondering about how much can i expect to pay for a body shop to do it. I would do it myself but I don't know squat about body work. Even if I did I don't have a place to do it. Thanks for any info. ya'll can give.

 

I got a chrome front bumper...You i guess could do all that work or just get a lightning bumper cover get it painted and save yourself some time and effort...But then again it might be a little cheaper to do the valence and paint route. Either way it looks good just my .02

Syeth