Is it better to rechrome, or buy repros?

[gordonra]

Ok, the paint is done with the exception of the color sanding and polish. Many other things to tackle yet, but I thought I'd see what I can get in process for chrome bits....

I haven't found anyone in Orange County, CA that can do the restoration work on a part that needs to be chromed.

All of my chrome is a little rough.... Is it generally cost effective to have parts rechormed, or better to buy reproductions when possible?

Not looking for anything more than a nice driver.

Suggestions greatly appreciated!

Rich

 

[Bill Blue]

Rich, if all your looking for is a nice driver, try cleaning the chrome with coke and aluminum foil. I use the diet variety as it does not leave the sticky sugar residue. Until you try it, you won't believe what it can do. Really brings up the shine and seems to minimize the rough spots.

As to repro or rechrome, it probably depends on your location and the market. Most fine that rechrome is expensive, but some repro bits are not of good quality and hard to find.

Bill

 

[mikephillips]

I find that the chrome on many repro bits really isn't that good. wear shows up fairly quickly so I'd say rechrome if you can find a good shop.

 

[AlpineIan]

Mike is right... it's less expensive to buy new repro parts, but I've noticed quality problems. If you have a good plater/polisher than rechromed originals are best. The problem I have is finding a good plater polisher... especially for those pot metal and small bits.

 

[odl21]

given all the issues finding platers, how hard would it be to chrome stuff yourself?

i don't know anything about it but i guess you'd need a source for chromic acid and probably a permit if you care. maybe an arc welder or something to provide current. i guess safety would be an issue and you'd need to get the ventilation all sealed and sorted.

do you need to copper plate the material first too?

what about nikel plating? any easier/safer?

i suppose the buffing takes time too so that may add to the cost of getting other people to do it.

 

[gordonra]

I imagine it is a very labor intensive process. Not the actual rechrome, but the prep and restoration of the old part.

Stripping the old chrome, welding the aluminum to fill the pits, smoothing, copper plate, polish, nichel, chromium....

Rich

 

[mikephillips]

Yep, chroming is actually the easy part. Getting the parts buffed out to a mirror finish, filling pits in pot metal, getting the part 110% clean, all that's the labor intensive part. I've done polishing of alloy parts, not to plate so they didn't need to be as precise, but it took a lot of time.

 

[Nickodell]

given all the issues finding platers, how hard would it be to chrome stuff yourself?

i don't know anything about it but i guess you'd need a source for chromic acid and probably a permit if you care. maybe an arc welder or something to provide current. i guess safety would be an issue and you'd need to get the ventilation all sealed and sorted.

Forget it. Firstly, chromic acid is horrible, dangerous stuff (I speak as a chemist who has used it under carefully-controlled conditions under a fume hood). Secondly, the process is something for the professional only. You have to get temperature, current density and chromic acid concentrations just right or it won't work, plus you need to know the thickness you've plated, so time is also a factor. Platers call it the Three T's - Time, Temperature and Thickness.

Secondly, you can't just plonk chromium onto anything. The process on steel is: acid pickle the steel to remove any existing plating and/or grease; hammer/grind/buff out any dings; copper plate onto the steel; buff; nickel plate onto the copper; buff; flash-plate the chromium (which is kept only a few microns thick as it is extremely brittle and will crack if too thick). Plating pot metal etc. is similar. Labor-intensive. That's why the platers get the big bucks.

 

[Bill Blue]

Not only do you have to nickel plate prior to chrome, in order to do a good job, you should plate with two different types of nickel. Top quality jobs use three, sometimes four types. To top it off, plating seems to be a nice balance between science and black magic. Very difficult to get a nice finish.

You could probably save some serious coin if you found a plater that is willing to plate the stuff you prep. But I'll wager he'd not guarantee results.

Bill

 

[gordonra]

Can anyone offer some price guidelines of what it might cost to rechorme various parts?

It might be a good reference for me and others to make a decision of buy vs. repair.

Rich

 

[serIIalpine]

Two bumpers straightened slightly re-plated and four early type over riders straightened and plated $500. One bumper and all the over riders are really nice and I may make them redo one bumper. Although it looks pretty nice.

I do believe the trunk hinges and door handles are available from rootes vintage spares in holland and they are supposed to be quite nice.

http://www.rootesparts.com/id103.htm

Eric

'62 SerII

 

[65beam]

cost to replate

i use a shop in middletown,pa for replating. a bumper with show chrome is 300.00 to 400.00 . they replated LeMans scripts at a cost of 90.00 per side.they made and plated a hatch spring for 90.00. replated hatch springs for 85.00.hope this gives you an idea of the cost here on the east coast for excellent work.

 

[gordonra]

Eric, did you use a local shop to do the repair and rechrome?

I have talked to Keystone in Onterio, CA, but I can't recall if they do repairs.

Rich

Two bumpers straightened slightly re-plated and four early type over riders straightened and plated $500. One bumper and all the over riders are really nice and I may make them redo one bumper. Although it looks pretty nice.

I do believe the trunk hinges and door handles are available from rootes vintage spares in holland and they are supposed to be quite nice.

http://www.rootesparts.com/id103.htm

Eric

'62 SerII

 

[65beam]

rechrome

guys, spend your money here in the states. most items are available from suppliers here in the U.S. shame on you guys !

 

[Bill Blue]

Look at this site:
jpcustomplating.com

They have a good breakdown of the prices charged for most kinds of work. I can also say they are environmental "good guys".

Bill

 

[Jaars]

Rechrome prices

Too give you some idea of what I payed. I had rechromed by a high class outfit in MA: 1 brake handle, 2 hardtop latches, 1 bolt, and 1 shifter bezel.
STRIP/PREP:
clean & bead blast- chem strip- glass bead- polish apply copper -repair file&block for detail- apply copper #2 cut & color buff 5 hours @ $55=$275
PLATING:
Copper, nickel, chrome 2 hours @ $55= $110
Total bill was $385.00
That shows you that the prep is the most expensive part of the whole process. It is not cheap but very well done.
Robert

 

[gordonra]

Thanks for the input guys. It sounds like the decision is largely personal preference for appearance and originality.

I'd guess that the reproductions are machined rather than cast. Can anyone confirm?

 

[suvacrew]

RPS vs rechroming

I have purchased a series of RPS parts and the peculiar things is that the castings are inconsistent.
For example, I have four (4) new RPS Softtop clamps/latches, none are identical!! Only one of the four will clamp onto a new RPS striker and 2 of the four will clamp to an old striker I got from Eric here on the board.
The repro tolerances are in my opinion suspect at best and require some modification.

I will opt for re-chroming going forward.

Good luck,
Don

 

[SIVAllan]

Thanks for the input guys. It sounds like the decision is largely personal preference for appearance and originality.

I'd guess that the reproductions are machined rather than cast. Can anyone confirm?

Here's a writeup on the chrome bits from

http://www.rootesparts.com/index.htm :

http://www.rootesparts.com/id184.htm

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Our remanufactured parts are all carefully crafted to the original, or better, specs. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]The chrome parts are all handmade. Instead of usng the ZAMAC , Zamac is Zinc Aluminium Metal Alloy Casting popular in the 1950-70's, we use brass for our chrome bits ![/FONT]

I've not ventured into the chrome issue - car isn't even running yet. These guys look good though.

Allan

 

[gordonra]

Ok,

I made a visit to a chrome shop in Santa Ana, CA. They are just a couple of miles from where I work and came with a good recommendation from a guy that sends machined parts to them frequently.

The fellow I spoke with gave me an estimate for $70 each for the exterior door handles, (includes buttons and lock covers). There is minor pitting, so there would be some minor resurfacing necessary. (Price of reproduction)

The boot handle has major pitting and would run $35-$40 (Price of reproduction)

Interior door handles with minor pitting $30 each.

I didn't bring the bumpers with me, but he estimated $200 each if they weren't in extremely bad shape. (Minor straightening ok)

Upper door front interior chrome with minor pitting - $50 each.

I inquired about the stainless trim for the grill, and eyebrow - $15-$20 each, and windshield trim about the same range. This is for mirror polishing, not plating.

Remember that these prices are with the inflated California labor.

Based on these prices, a guy might be as well off buying the reproductions if they are of known quality. I did just that for the exterior door handles from SS. Have to spread all of this out, but now I can get the door innards back together...