I have had both, when the car was yellow the chrome looked better, now that its Orange and Black the black bumpers popped better. it's all personal preference, HEY IT'S YOUR CAR, ENJOY IT!!
With the '73 brackets I like the painted bumper. The chrome bumper would look good if you used the early brackets to tuck it in more.
I like the painted bumper! I don't see anything wrong w/ painted bumpers on classic cars. I like the way that tail panel looks, being all one color. I've been kicking the idea of doing mine similar when I ever get around to having in painted.
Personally, I like chrome, but that painted one looks good on your car with that color. The good thing is that you have 2 bumpers and you can always switch back and forth if you decide which you like better.
Chrome bumpers look much better on Mavericks. Some cars look good with painted bumpers, but not Mavericks/Comets. What would make that car look much better is to black-out the tail light panel.
I think these cars are not unlike many others of this era. Color matched wheels and bumpers make them look "sporty".. and chrome bumpers and other accents make them look "classic". Personally.. I think that if one end has color matched bumpers?.. the other end needs to be coordinated just the same to make things look right. Same with chrome too.
Here is my friends Comet with painted bumpers. Now imagine what it would look like with chrome bumpers.
That's what i was talking about, if you paint the bumpers you have to delete the remaining chrome on the car or it just doesn't look right. Here's to me chrome bumpers done right:
I agree with the chrome looking better. With all the other trim on your car, it seems like your missing something on the front bumper.