Can any one refer me to a chrome shop that can properly rechrome and air cleaner lid like it came from the factory. The lids were not show chrome and not a flash chrome. Thanks for any help john
-
-
Re: Rechroming and air cleaner lid
John, I can't help you with a re-chromer. But it might help if you tell the board what year and engine the air cleaner is for.Bob -
Re: Rechroming and air cleaner lid
The lid I'm concered about is the 67 tri power and the 66 427. ThanksComment
-
Re: Rechroming and air cleaner lid
John,
I've had a 66 lid at Frankford Plating (advertises in the Driveline)since early January. The original silkscreen was probably a 9 on a scale of 1-10. I was assured that they could mask the entire bottom and NOT do the triple chrome treatment to the top. John (the owner) said it was perfect and ready to ship, but that was three weeks ago and I haven't seen it yet. There's more to all of this, but I'll wait until I see the finished product. If the lid turns out well, the rest will be history.
JBComment
-
Re: Rechroming and air cleaner lid
Jody,
Keep us posted never heard of anyone saving the silk screen.
KevinComment
-
Re: Rechroming and air cleaner lid
I seem to recall a posting on this Board some time back in which a member commented that his plater had stated that he would use lead to mask off and preserve the underside label. I'm not sure how that worked out.
Best regards,
CharlieComment
-
Re: Rechroming and air cleaner lid
I know of a chrome plater in PA that does nice work. I can get his name if interested. I had my chrome lid redone in flash chrome process (63)last year.It is an original lid.There isn't any way you can rechrome a lid and save the silkscreen. If you mask it off the outline of the mask shows. Paragon Reproductions does re-screening the lid if interested.I had them do mine , it came out nice. I have had no point deductions on my air cleaner since I have had this done.Comment
-
Re: Rechroming and air cleaner lid
My lid came back today. The top looks great and is certainly not over chromed. The bottom: Everything is intact and the silkscreen is untouched, it appears that the entire bottom was soldered shut with something to the inner diameter edge of the lid. The inner lid edge appears to have excess solder (or whatever)on the entire circumference of the lid. The hole transition is perfect, chrome on top and the original finish on the bottom
I think I can use a mandrel and two rubber mounting devices in a lathe and possibly cut the excess material off of the edge. There's a scratched nickel sized area on the bottom where the conducting device must have been attached and a little obvious cleanup around the original inner edge surface. I'll try and post a picture soon. Unless I can clean up the inner diameter edge I doubt that I would try this again and I have another good lid that I'll hold on to for now.
JBComment
-
Re: Rechroming and air cleaner lid
Hi John:
It is my understanding that "flash chrome" uses a base plating of copper followed by chrome, and that "triple chrome" uses copper, then nickel, then chrome.
At one time I thought flash chrome was simply chrome applied directly on bare steel, but I have been told that that even flash chrome requires a base coat of copper. Maybe some others on the board can comment on this.
In any event, on some original air cleaner lids that I have inspected, a thin base layer of copper was visible under the peeling chrome.
I have seen some original lids that had remarkably nice looking chrome that was hard to distinguish from "show" chrome. I think the main difference in the finished appearance is that for show chrome, the underlying copper and nickel are polished after they are applied, so the finished chrome is extremely smooth.
On GM flash chome there was probably no polishing operation on the copper, so, in theory, the fine surface imperfections of the underlying steel were still visible in the finished chrome. I can see these in some original lids, but other original lids I have seen look very smooth. My guess is that there was a lot of unit-to-unit variation in GM's process.
I think that some judges get a little carried away when they declare the chrome on some restored or reproduction lids to be "too good."Comment
-
Re: Rechroming and air cleaner lid
'Flash' or 'smack' chrome simply mean the thickness is thin. Here's a link to a PE's comments about the process. Note, he says he's seen shops apply the chrome directly to underlying steel without intermediate layers...
Flash Chrome DiscussionComment
Comment