-
-
Re: Chrome plating
That's a good question. I also have these parts, NOS, that I bought for my '59 in 1971 and haven't installed yet. I looked at them recently and they are still as perfect as they were when I bought them. That tells me that it isn't a matter of age causing pitting, it's a matter of exposure to the elements. Since these parts will be kept clean and never exposed to road salt like the original ones were, I doubt they will pit under pampered collector car use. If, in ten or twenty years, any minor pitting would start to show, they could be re-plated then before it got severe. If you re-plated them now I would suspect that you would get the same life out of the new plating that you would out of the original.
tom -
Re: Chrome plating
Tom,
I think you hit the nail on the head. I suspect that deterioration of chrome plating is in large part due to how it is treated and what elements it is exposed to - over time. Waiting until they are showing signs of degradation will definitely postpone a rather expensive process. I don't know if plating science is better today than years ago. I suspect that the original chrome was done quickly and a more deliberate process would provide for a deeper and more resilient coating. There is one factor that I am familiar with and can speak to with experience. If a piece is pitted it will cost more to restore. The chrome shop has to smooth out all the raised spots, fill in all the "pits" and then work the entire piece perfectly smooth before the plating process can begin. The prep work is labor intensive and expensive. If parts are "perfect" now it may be less expensive than some time in the future when they are pitted. You would have to ask a plating shop about the difference in the cost.EdComment
-
Re: Chrome plating
As long as chromed parts especially pot metal parts, are stored dry and at a reasonable temperature they will stay just as they were when first chromed. The procedure is the same as it was years ago as long as you use a reputable platter. That's with careful polishing, copper, nickel and then clear chrome to protect.
JRComment
-
Re: Chrome plating
When parts are "rechromed" you run the risk of losing the piece detail........sharp edges etc.Comment
-
Re: Chrome plating
First to Stephen; If the plater is good you will not lose any detail!
Second to Joe; Why you think the plating of yesteryear is better? Just curiousComment
-
Re: Chrome plating
Terry, I've used 4 or 5 platers.... they were all "recommended" and a few appeared in the Driveline. In each case some detail was lost, edges etc. So who do you recommend....Comment
-
Re: Chrome plating
I ve used Paul's and Custom Chrome in Grafton Ohio, both with great resultsComment
-
Re: Chrome plating
You're lucky you bought the stuff before it turned to crap. In 1974 I ordered the 4 eyebrows and grill surround pieces for my 1960 from the local Chevy dealer. Every piece had casting flash still on the edges and none were completely covered in plating. Sent them back and the replacements were even worse. I ended up having my originals re-plated and they're still perfect today. I've always found "NOS" stands for Not Originally Satisfactory enough to be put on a production car.Comment
-
Re: Chrome plating
Jim------
It depends when the parts were made. If you purchased NOS parts manufactured in 1960, they would be identical to the ones installed in PRODUCTION. 14 years later, things are not the same. Tooling wears out and makes progressively inferior parts. GM will rarely refurbish tooling for older applications, especially older LOW VOLUME applications like Corvette.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
-
Re: Chrome plating
Funny, but how true. They never would admit it, but they would turn back parts from the assembly line to service and sell them over the counter. I have seen it several times, for instance, once with a condenser unit with a tag that read " return to service' and another time a door `82 that had primer wiped off and "SERVICE" written on it.Comment
Chrome plating
Comment