[jholso]

I know that It would have been nice if there was a short how to, when I went tot go do my grill. Therefore I am writing one up. I hope this helps/encourages others to get rid of the chrome.

First Read Brad White's How to on how to remove the grill.
[URL="http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=161006
Link TO IT^^^^^^

Next get some reletivley fine grit sand paper and start sanding the chrome, making sure to avoid the actual for logo on the front if you do not intend to paint over that.

Clean the grill using rubbing alchool and a cloth perferably microfiber. So there is no pieces of cloth left behind.

Now get some painters tape and newspaper. Start taping off everything you do not intend to paint. For me that was the Ford emblem, and the mesh grill and the top that is inside, when you open the hood. Make sure to do a good job taping, you dont want any paint getting to the wrong spot.

I then gave it one more wipe down to get off any oil that was on my hands that may have transfered during the taping.
Next start with primer. Go slow, light coats.
I used Krylon paint for interior and exterior metals.
Once the whole grill has been primered with a couple different layers. (I did three).

Let dry for about an hour. Than take it and very lightly sand it a little more. Chrome is a difficult thing to paint to so time and care are needed.
Once Sanded again clean it up using same method as above.
Than do another two light coats of primer.

Alow Time to dry. (15 to 20 minutes should be fine)

Now start with the black. I once again used the krylon metal paint. I used a flat black for my grill.
Same as before light coats. Spray evenly. You do not want it to run. Back and forth till the whole grill is black.
Wait ten minutes inbetween coats to allow for the paint to start drying.

I did not use a clear coat (I wanted very flat Black) So I did about 8-10 coats of the flat black paint.

Once all painted, allow about two hours for the paint to really dry and harden before removing the tape or re-installing.

Once all dry remove the tape.

And then re-install the grill. Now you will have a completly custom look to the front of your 2008/2008 Focus.

[loveff] [clap]

 

[slenhart1018]

That looks sweet...id do it to mine, but mine came stock blacked out.

 

[NOWAY]

couldve blacked out the chrome ring around the logo too. but looks nice

 

[jholso]

Yea '09 coupes are lucky and have the gun metal grill. Urgh '09 gets everything. ha Why couldnt my last car wait a couple months before dying.

 

[jholso]

Noway..yea I kind of wish I had but the way it was there was a grove just beyond the chrome ring that made it easy to just run a razor blade around to get a perfect circle. So I can live with just chrome ring.

 

[slenhart1018]

hahaha...yea...i did luck out...

 

[NOWAY]

thats cool. it still looks good, i think i over did it with the night shade on mine cant realy read the emblem unless you get up close to it. did you paint the pieces on the bumper too?

 

[jholso]

The bottom foglight covers? Yea I got bored the day before, something I regret. So as soon as I realized what I did and that there was no dressin up the foglight covers and making it look good I went out and bout foglights to install. (Just wont get around to that till wed.)
And if you mean the focus. Yea thats the chrome focus off the back I debaged and painted and re-installed in front little custom. The blue is the same blue I did for my interior.

 

[NOWAY]

yeah both pieces the blue focus badge is a nice touch

 

[arasky]

after you debadged and painted it, how did you get the letters to stay on the grill?

 

[jholso]

I went to home depot and in thier aisle with all the wood glue and such i found this plastic to plastic weld. It was like $4.49 for the bottle and you just mix it together and apply to the back of the letters. And stick them on. I recomend mixing it and waitting a couple of minutes before trying to put it on the letters and the grill that way it really starts to get tacky. otherwise you will have to hold each letter on the grill for a while before it actually sticks enough to let go with out it falling off. They come off with relitive easy if you need to move them. Because there is not a flat surface behind it, with a tiny bit of force you can pop them off. But they dont come off in normal driving conditions. Ive had mine on for a couple of months through, snow, freezeing rain, rain, basically anything NH has to throw at it and well its still on strong.

 

[Thatsmrgimp2u]

Just did mine yesterday, turned out great. Awesome writeup. But why didnt you just take the emblem off?

 

[bringler26]

I like the way you added the focus to the front like that.

 

[arasky]

mr gimp you mind taking a picture a little farther back? im not sure i want to go down the flat black route or make it look like BradWhite's with the nite-shade

 

[Thatsmrgimp2u]

Sure thing, as soon as i get home

 

[Thatsmrgimp2u]

Sorry for the blur, didnt adjust camera properly.

 

[Phoenix Dies]

I absolutely love the rebadge. Kudos to you for the idea sir. If I were to do that on my Vista Blue Focus what color should I do the letters in? White? Red?

 

[arasky]

i think i like that a lot better, i'm afraid to bake my lights to paint the chrome to match though...

 

[Junk]

Nice! I was going to do this as soon as it's warm enough out to paint. I still wasn't sure if I was going with flat or gloss, now I know, flat all the way. I think I might try something out with the plastic trim underneath though.

 

[*MiCHELiNAs*FF]

NICE!... mines as chrome as they get.. i kinda want to do this.....