Karome trunk lid handle $6.00!

this was covered from another forum, and thought it deserved much attention. this mod is done on a LS430 Trunk lid handle. for those of you who own a LS430, the trunk lid handle has a small strip of chrome with a body color paint also on the handle. the actual handle is chromed underneath the paint. remove the paint, and now you have a full chrome trunk handle.
the material cost mere $6.00, and one hour time. well worth it, if you like chrome. ;) too bad the front grill isnt chrome underneath . . . . . 


finally had some time this evening so here it goes.
btw, i suck on taking pics . . . . . 

the stuff: aviation paint stripper, a must.
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110407233.jpg[/IMG]

remove the trunk cover. you know what screws and clips to remove.
now you have an exposed trunk lid underside. remove the six 10mm bolt to remove the trunk handle.
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/trunk1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110407201.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110407199.jpg[/IMG]

now spray that bad boi on!
let it sit and soak for 15-30 min.
wipe off lid with a regular dishwashing sponge with scrubpad. scrub lightly, goop should come right off. get into the crevices with a toothpick.
rinse and wash any residual off the trunklid with dishwashing soap, wipe dry and wash it down with rubbing alcohol for good measure. dry if off.
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110407210.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110407211.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110407216.jpg[/IMG]

pretty sure JP or GARSON would sell a karome trunk lid for $200-$300, yet you can get one done for $6.00
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110407218.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110407224.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110407231.jpg[/IMG]

props to,
anotherLS
playa3uhh

sweet mod. congrats.

Its a cool mod, too much chrome for me

win!

very informative. good post :biggthumpup:

Nice!  I have some of that stuff and was wondering if it would work.  I guess im going to give it a try and let the F50 guys know how it goes.  Thanks

It did work on the F50 trunk as well.  Took about 10 minutes.  I may have missed a spot, cant tell because its dark out, I will take pics tomorrow

NICE!!!....where do you get this stuff?   hey widebody_Q did you do the trunk piece that has that weird gunmetal like coating?   let me know how it goes...!!

U can use any aircraft paint stripper.  U can get it at pep boys or auto zone.  Yea my trunk has that gun metal type coating, just like everyone that has a 02-04.  
 
I just let that stuff sit on the trunk for about 1 minute and whiped it right off.  Theres no need to remove that part of your trunk, just mask everything around it off and do it with the trunk lid opened pointing to the sky so it doesnt drip everywhere.

im glad that this mod can be done for the infinity's also.

i would highly suggest that you remove the part you are working on, so that the chemical dosent eat yur paint.  i would hate to see the paint on yur ride destroyed.

I took the risk of doing it with the part on the car since the trunk is getting repainted shortly.  
 
I would like to warn everyone that this stuff can eat through your paint quickly so be careful and if you choose to do it on the car, make sure you mask off the area and use gloves.
 
This should also work on the 
Y34 (M45) trunk as well as the grill.
02-04 F50 Q45 trunk and grill

take the part off your car...its paint stripper..lol..anything can happen.  Also wear gloves cause that stuff BURNS

[QUOTE=widebody_Q;103922]I took the risk of doing it with the part on the car since the trunk is getting repainted shortly.  
 
I would like to warn everyone that this stuff can eat through your paint quickly so be careful and if you choose to do it on the car, make sure you mask off the area and use gloves.
 
This should also work on the 
Y34 (M45) trunk as well as the grill.
02-04 F50 Q45 trunk and grill[/QUOTE]

so on the y34's the silver polish look can be taken out to be chrome underneath? I would like to do this because I took my emblems off the trunk garnish and a small outline of the infiniti letters are still there.  thanks

nice touch. i think it would look better w/o the chrome trim around the tail lights.

VERY nice DIY!!! :dance:

i would say 100%, no matter what, take the part off your car. overspray would be disasterous.

take it off!, take it off!, take it off! :dance: lol.

do you know if that'll work for the black material they put on the grills of the GS and LS's???

[QUOTE=antbo;104170]do you know if that'll work for the black material they put on the grills of the GS and LS's???[/QUOTE]

good question antbo. 
i have my LS430 grill off, since i have the BLITZ grill on my car now, and not sure if they're chrome underneath. but i believe that the "GS" grills are chrome underneath? can any GS owners confirm this?

if the LS430 grill has chrome underneath, its coming off tonight!!

i was out at home depot today buying some screws for work so ended up looking for paint stripper...I found some and asked the guy for the best stuff....it was like $7.49ish or something but wasn't in an aerosal can but more just pours out.   It has a thick almost gell like consistancy.  I think the maker is Jasco.   I tried a small spot where the gunmetal like coating was coming off and this stuff worked in about 10 second...it was bubbling up and taking if off like butter.   Thanks!

when i was at OSH, they had the "goop" kind in the can, and also in a spray can by the same manfacture.

spray seems easier, and covers all area without having to "brush" it on.

just make sure and read the "warning" "caution" label. some stripper will eat through "plastic"

here is the product that i used.
[url]http://www.bondo.com/catalog_item.asp?itemNbr=318[/url]

The spray I'd worry if someone was to try what Widebody_Q did with the part sitll on the car...the goop is alittle more controlable since it can't really overspray yet it can drip so have ur bumper or whatever well covered....I just finished but got the whole piece off and went over the whole thing with the 'goop' like stuff and got it done shining like new in 15minutes.   I went over it a last time because there was still some residue still left even after the tint like stuff came off.

^^^pics!, pics! ;)

very nice

This works on 2nd gen GS grills too.

It's dark but got a good reflection shot...I took the film off last night and took pics tonite.   Second picture was just an extra shot I put in for fun.
[img]http://tony.chubby-bunny.net/Q45/P1000832.jpg[/img]
[img]http://tony.chubby-bunny.net/Q45/P1000834.jpg[/img]

Nice.  This tread came in perfect timing because I was going to spend alot to ship the JDM inner trunk over.  I owe you a drink :biggthumpup:

lookin good blitz!

heres some shots of my LS430
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110707008.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110707003.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110707005.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/BippuStyling/110707006.jpg[/IMG]

Not a bad mod esp for that price ... Too bad the door handles are chrome underneath  !

[QUOTE=pxrlex;104947]Too bad the door handles are chrome underneath![/QUOTE]

it is???

[QUOTE=bippU!;104949]it is???[/QUOTE]

maybe he meant too bad it isn't chrome underneath...lol...

I wish this would work for the GS rear trunk bar, instead of spending 80-120 for one...

[QUOTE=Caoboy;105026]I wish this would work for the GS rear trunk bar, instead of spending 80-120 for one...[/QUOTE]

caoboy, at least it will work on your . . . . . 
[QUOTE=ChrisES;104371]This works on 2nd gen GS grills too.[/QUOTE]

Already done. LOL, that was the first 'mod' I did to the car.

[QUOTE=Caoboy;105808]Already done. LOL, that was the first 'mod' I did to the car.[/QUOTE]

i wish that was the option for the LS430 . . . . . . :( karome grill.

too bad the 2nd Gen GS owners don't have the option to do this. =(

So from what I read second gen GS doesn't have chrome underneath the trunk bar?
I have done the front grill of my GS was pretty easy.  

Nice ride bippu I also have the Wald executive kit, gotta put the WALD emblem on. 

[IMG]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i13/5power/front2.jpg[/IMG]