Jeep’s Wagoneer model is a testament to family oriented trailblazers. Its comfortable interior and huge cabin design means there’s a lot of space for people and cargo to pile in for any adventure. This luxury SUV is a fantastic blend of classic style and modern convenience. We wanted to further advance the look of the Wagoneer and make the exterior feel as sophisticated as its interior.
Changing the appearance of this 2022 Wagoneer to be more prominent only required a few modifications. We started by creating bold trim accents using gloss black paint to erase all traces of chrome. To match these darker accents and provide a new demeanor we applied a window tint. After that we turned our attention to the lower half of the vehicle customizing the wheels. Let’s take a look at these mods more closely…
Powder Coat Wheels
For most custom builds we start at the base, so the wheels are one of the first thing to come off. We then applied a gloss black powder coat finish to the wheels. Powder coats are an awesome way to customize a vehicle because they offer loads of color options. There’s also a practical use to applying powder coats too. They help protect wheels from debris on the road and rust which extends their life span.
Painted Calipers
While the wheels were off we chose to paint the calipers black. Painted calipers add another layer of detail, but also protect the integrity of the caliper overtime. The ceramic coating helps combat rust and brake dust build up amongst other wear and tear. Most often if see you painted calipers they’re either red or yellow to standout and highlight the vehicles performance.
When you go to paint calipers we recommend you use a proper rated paint that can withstand the debris, heat, and friction. It’s also worth it to apply a ceramic coating to your painted caliper, so they don’t build as much brakes dust and are easy to clean.
Custom Chrome Delete
In order to create a chrome delete all the chrome accents are removed from the vehicle with care. After which, they are taken to a paint booth where a specialized technician coats each of them with an even layer of paint. Every inch of chrome on this build was colored a deep gloss black. Many newer cars have begun using black instead of chrome because it has a more serious tone and pairs well with each color scheme.
The first new accent you’ll notice is the iconic jeep grille rectangles. These are a really cool feature to customize on Jeeps whether with pop of color or blacked out. These rectangles and the trim around the grille were all painted black making the whole piece more cohesive. Doing this lends a larger appearance to the grille as a whole.
Connected to the grille is the headlight bezel, which is the section of trim around the headlight. Having a dark color around the headlight makes it look more streamlined accentuates the brightness because of greater contrast.
Below the main grille is the lower grille, lower light bezels, and bumper trim which were next up on our chrome delete list. All these newly black pieces tie the front end of this SUV together and create a stern face for the vehicle.
On the Wagoneer’s mid section are areas of: mirror trim, window trim, and lower body side molding. All these pieces needed to be modified in order to match the grille accents. Window trim in particular can be tricky to deal with because it’s thin and fragile, but our technicians work on so many blackouts it’s second nature to them.
Of course we can’t overlook the roof rails! Removing roof rails usually requires the removal of the headliner, so it’s something that you want an experienced tech doing. After removal they get painted with all the other parts and are reinstalled like nothing ever happened. Every piece counts when your doing a chrome delete!
The last part of the trim covered in the chrome delete is the bumper and rear hatch valance at the back end of the vehicle. The rear hatch valance is the section of the trunk where you lift to open it. Yes we think it’s a weird name for that too… but if you didn’t know now you do!
Blackout Lettering
The most prominent piece of the chrome delete is the blackout lettering. The gloss black lettering just commands more attention, even more so on lighter colors like silver. Having that rich dark lettering brings the final touch of the chrome delete together.
Window Tint
To finish up this build we installed a window tint film. Window tinting create privacy along with a strong visual appeal. Not only that, window tints provide protection for you, your vehicle, and your cargo from harsh sunny rays. We applied a 35% window tint to the two front windows since the back windows are already a bit darker from the factory. The new all around darker windows complement the chrome delete and complete this build.
Don’t forget, when you go to select your tint you need to keep in mind your local laws so you don’t get ticketed. We always recommend a professional install for this modification. Poor tint jobs will bubble and discolor over time. Make sure your window tint installer has a good warranty to protect your investment!
Interested in a blackout or chrome delete build of your own? We offer pickup and delivery across the contiguous United States. Learn more
