Color Matched to Chrome Project (help, thoughts and ideas wanted)

[Jason23]

Hi, All!

 

I know this is kind of bucking the trend right now, but I am looking to add some chrome to my mostly Summit White color matched 2017 Silverado, Z71 LT, double cab. Basically, I am looking to give it a Z71 LTZ look on the exterior. I have already added door handles and mirror caps. I am looking to add window trim next and am waiting (and hoping) this item comes back into stock to give the grille that LTZ look. https://www.carid.com/ses-trims/chrome-main-grille-mpn-abs487.html?singleid=1303686969

 

So now to my questions...First can anyone give me some help on how the window trim comes off and reinstalls? Is it difficult and or easily breakable? I know on the fronts there is a screw that needs to be taken out, but what about the rears?

 

Lastly, do I want to attempt to change the side moldings? Is it difficult? Labor intensive? Easy to booger up? I am intent on this looking OEM clean, so I don't want to attempt something and have it look shoddy. I've watched some videos on this but would love some first hand experience thoughts. If this is a high risk mod, I'd rather just stay with what I have. 

 

Now, I know good and well that this is going to make a good number of you cringe and think "DON'T DO IT"!  But, after studying hundreds of trucks on the road, IDK....I just dig the chrome accents. I think I just like the contrast and a little bit of gleam. Thanks for any help, thoughts or ideas!

 

Jason

[EpicLT]

3 hours ago, Jason23 said:

Hi, All!

 

I know this is kind of bucking the trend right now, but I am looking to add some chrome to my mostly Summit White color matched 2017 Silverado, Z71 LT, double cab. Basically, I am looking to give it a Z71 LTZ look on the exterior. 

 

Now, I know good and well that this is going to make a good number of you cringe and think "DON'T DO IT"!  But, after studying hundreds of trucks on the road, IDK....I just dig the chrome accents. I think I just like the contrast and a little bit of gleam. Thanks for any help, thoughts or ideas!

 

Jason

Hey, I like the chrome too. Most of all - it’s your truck and you should make it how you want it. The door trim is just a sticker. So you would just take your body color ones off and have to buy brand new chrome ones with the stickers attached. There is 1 torx screw in all 4 doors for the window trim. To get the rear doors, you have to peel the weatherstripping and it exposes the screw. If you want a picture, let me know and I will get one. 

 

Also on the window trim - when you pull yours out, they will almost certainly all break. I tried so hard to be careful but it just didn’t happen. Thankfully, I bought clips on amazon.. got 15 I think for like $11. So I just took all the clips off and put new ones on anyway. Hope this helps!

[[email protected]]

Nothing wrong with chrome. I'm not really into all the fad trends.  Old school i guess  lol

 

Your truck, do what YOU like

[dieselfan1]

Chrome is timeless and never goes out style.

 

 

[Jason23]

16 hours ago, EpicLT said:

Hey, I like the chrome too. Most of all - it’s your truck and you should make it how you want it. The door trim is just a sticker. So you would just take your body color ones off and have to buy brand new chrome ones with the stickers attached. There is 1 torx screw in all 4 doors for the window trim. To get the rear doors, you have to peel the weatherstripping and it exposes the screw. If you want a picture, let me know and I will get one. 

 

Also on the window trim - when you pull yours out, they will almost certainly all break. I tried so hard to be careful but it just didn’t happen. Thankfully, I bought clips on amazon.. got 15 I think for like $11. So I just took all the clips off and put new ones on anyway. Hope this helps!

Thank you! I appreciate the information. If you could get me a pic of how to access the screw in the rears, I'd really appreciate that.

 

Also, when you say the clips will break ... does that render the trim useless then? I ask because I am hoping to work out a swap with anyone wanting black window trim in exchange for their chrome. Can you elaborate a bit on the clips and how those work?

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

[EpicLT]

57 minutes ago, Jason23 said:

Thank you! I appreciate the information. If you could get me a pic of how to access the screw in the rears, I'd really appreciate that.

 

Also, when you say the clips will break ... does that render the trim useless then? I ask because I am hoping to work out a swap with anyone wanting black window trim in exchange for their chrome. Can you elaborate a bit on the clips and how those work?

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

Yeah I’ll post up a picture later (I’m out right now) of the screw on the rear and how to access it. I would say that they probably aren’t useless because when I say they break, I am talking about the tiny little middle piece. I’ll see if I have a picture of that too. 

[EpicLT]

Here is a picture of one of the broken clips next to one of the amazon ones I bought. I circled the middle to show where the tiny little lip should be. 

[Jason23]

2 minutes ago, EpicLT said:

Here is a picture of one of the broken clips next to one of the amazon ones I bought. I circled the middle to show where the tiny little lip should be. 

Ahhhhhhh....excellent pic! I see now. So the clips aren't part of the trim, rather clipped into a channel on the trim. So, if you break clips uninstalling, you simply take out the broken clips and replace them with new ones and the trim is ready for reinstall. Thank you for the excellent info and forth coming pic on screw. I REALLY appreciate it.

 

What would I search to get these clips? Do they have a formal name or part number? Amazon? Ebay? Other?

[Jason23]

Never mind! Found them (I think)!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Swordfish-67313-15pc-Moulding-Chevrolet-Silverado/dp/B01NBF1A4T/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=silverado+window+trim+clips&qid=1554482024&s=gateway&sr=8-4#customerReviews

[EpicLT]

4 minutes ago, Jason23 said:

Never mind! Found them (I think)!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Swordfish-67313-15pc-Moulding-Chevrolet-Silverado/dp/B01NBF1A4T/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=silverado+window+trim+clips&qid=1554482024&s=gateway&sr=8-4#customerReviews

Yeah I looked at those but then I found this one with 25 pcs for only like $3 more. I just bought this so I had more than enough to replace every single clip if necessary and I also sent some to the guy with whom I traded. 

 

Rexka 25pcs Belt Moulding Clip for GM 11547339 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2014 - On https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B7FYR98/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Yt4PCbQBAC9BD

 

they worked perfectly and even looked the same color as the original ones. 

[EpicLT]

Also, forgot to address the clips being detachable. Yes, you’re correct. The first broken clip that I tried to take out of the trim was honestly kind of difficult. By the end, I could remove them in 10 seconds. You’ll learn as you go how to just maneuver a small screwdriver to compress them and they pop right out. The new ones just push in and it’s easy to tell exactly where they go because the old ones will have left marks most likely. Even if they didn’t, you can line up the trim with your door and see where the clips go because there are small raised portions on the door (under where the window trim would be) where the clips go. Looking at the picture, you can see a small change in the door that I circled for example. 

[Jason23]

9 minutes ago, EpicLT said:

Yeah I looked at those but then I found this one with 25 pcs for only like $3 more. I just bought this so I had more than enough to replace every single clip if necessary and I also sent some to the guy with whom I traded. 

 

Rexka 25pcs Belt Moulding Clip for GM 11547339 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2014 - On https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B7FYR98/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Yt4PCbQBAC9BD

 

they worked perfectly and even looked the same color as the original ones. 

Perfect! Thanks!

 

2 minutes ago, EpicLT said:

Also, forgot to address the clips being detachable. Yes, you’re correct. The first broken clip that I tried to take out of the trim was honestly kind of difficult. By the end, I could remove them in 10 seconds. You’ll learn as you go how to just maneuver a small screwdriver to compress them and they pop right out. The new ones just push in and it’s easy to tell exactly where they go because the old ones will have left marks most likely. Even if they didn’t, you can line up the trim with your door and see where the clips go because there are small raised portions on the door (under where the window trim would be) where the clips go. Looking at the picture, you can see a small change in the door that I circled for example. 

Again, great info and detail. I appreciate it very much. 

 

Now to find a trade partner...

[EpicLT]

I’m sure you will find someone ... it seems like there are a ton of people that are trying to dechrome their trucks. 

[Jason23]

11 minutes ago, EpicLT said:

I’m sure you will find someone ... it seems like there are a ton of people that are trying to dechrome their trucks. 

Yeah. Armed with the info you've provided me, I think I'm going to go ahead and throw it out there on the "Wanted" board.

[tyler.frost92]

If youre interested in chrome door handles, I have a set of takeoffs with less than 500 miles.