I'm going to get my chrome front and rear bumpers on the truck color-match Line-X'd. Headlights are getting swapped out for Harley Davidson style black housing headlights. Front grille surround is getting color-matched. Tail lights are getting swapped out for ever so slightly tinted Harley Davidson style tail lights. Third brake light is getting smoked completely black. Rough chops on what I'm considering below...

The two rear shots are almost identical to how the rear of the truck is going to look (except the tails will be slightly tinted) and only there for reference, no opinions needed there.



The two front shots are the two options I'm considering for the front...and I just can't decide. I've got both grilles, the stock black honeycomb and the billet main grille and lower insert, so it's no additional cost. I like the billet grille in a way because it brings a little bit more of a distinct look to the front of the truck as well as ties in a little bit with the chrome of the fender badges and emblems, as well as the buttons and chrome lugs on the wheels...almost like it's just enough to set the front end off...but on the other hand the all black front is pretty tough too...I'm just not sure I like the total lack of contrast.

Thoughts?

 

all black. but why line x? paint them or powder coat them imo

 

You can't paint over chrome so they have to be stripped first then painted (expensive and paint isn't as durable), and you have to sandblast them to powdercoat over them (and I can't find a place local to undertake the project). For Line-X bumpers they add in a kevlar epoxy additive as well as a basecoat tint to color match them to the vehicle so it flows perfectly, just has a little texture to it when you look at it up close. It also looks about some business, which the rest of the truck does too, so it'll look pretty good I think. It's also extremely durable to road debris so it'll last forever.



A front shot of a Harley Davidson F150. Obviously I wouldn't have fogs, but the billet grille with Ford emblem would look similar up front, and I'd have the matching lower billet grille for that opening too to kind of tie the lower bumper in instead of having fogs. The billet grille I have has more tighter spaced bars closer together, but the grille is already powdercoated black with only the outer forward edge polished.

 

You can paint over chrome, and can make it look good. If you have a painter that has any skill at all, he'll know how to do it. My chrome grille was painted over.

 

Yeah, I would look into getting the chrome painted, I think Line-X would only look good if this was going to be like an offroad only truck and you had it on the bumpers and rockers. If you are looking for a clean custom look, get it painted. Just my .02

 

yeah, bout to say..... i've talked to a few guys that said they painted over chrome and it looks great. it really flows with the truck then!!!

 

I've been doing my research and I'm going to get another opinion from another painter. I guess the guy I normally go to hates to do it so he quoted me through the roof. Thats for the grille surround. The bumpers are still getting Line-X'd.

 

When I got my bed line-x'd on my old truck it looked real good for about 6 mos and then faded and got dull. Granted I never waxed it or used any type of dressing apart from washing it, but just some food for thought. I'd get them powdercoated myself.

 

Line-X fades because of UV rays. They offer a kevlar epoxy additive that is totally UV resistant and keeps it from fading for the life of the liner.

I had the bumpers and bedliner both done today...both with the kevlar additive. It looks a lot better than the chrome IMO and will do until a year or two down the road when I get PTM front and rear bumpers and fog lights. This was a really cheap alternative until then though. I'll get some pictures up tomorrow.