jjahn

I took 2 headlight bezels/rings and the front license plate support over to a chrome shop for an estimate. The price I was quoted was $375-$380 per bezel and $375 for the front license plate support. Do these quotes sound high? I'm just curious since these are the first pieces I've taken for chrome plating. I also realize the bezels are pot metal which is more expensive due to the extra processes required for completion.

Thanks for your input.

Jill

dugsgms74

Seems high but w/o seeing their current condition its hard to say.

John McGraw

Too high in my opinion.

Also, I would never re-plate any pot metal part which there was a viable reproduction part made to replace it. Headlight bezels definitely fall into that category. There are some real nice bezels being reproduced, for a whole lot less.

I quit having pot metal plated over 15 years ago, unless a part just is not available. I can not even begin to tell you how many pot metal parts that I have paid to plate, and then ended up not using because they still were not acceptable, or how many times pitting came back after just a year or so.

That is WAY too high for the license support plate. There is no easier piece to plate than that piece. A flat piece of steel!
If that price includes the bumperettes, the price is probably still twice what it should be, unless the part is really trashed, and in that case, buy new.


Regards, John McGraw

John McGraw

As a point of reference, I just bought a pair of new US made 57 headlight bezels from Paragon last week, and they were absolutely perfect and were less than $150 for the pair!


Regards, John McGraw

BobT59

Way too much... I bought the same parts for my 59 from Zip Corvette for alot less and they were great.....

Frankie the Fink

I have two fresh-in-the box chrome C1 headlight rings I'll let go for $100+shipping just to get 'em off the shelf. Had a wild hair to put them on my '61 and the motivation to do that just fizzled - never even tried it.

As much as I like original parts; sometimes it doesn't make sense to try to resurrect them and often the results when you DO try are just sub-par...

65 vette dude

Those prices are crazy high. I agree with John, chroming pot metal is a real crap shoot, and the results aren't always that great. I would call Dick at Virgina Vette's, and get a price to chrome the license tag holder, and buy the bezels repro if they are available for your car. Pauls's has a good rep for chroming pot metal. They did a part for me many years ago. At the time, they had 3 levels, good.....better.....best. I chose the good level of course, and it came back better......but far from perfect. Paul's told me level 3 was very labor intensive, but was close to show quality. I don't remember the price, but it was very expensive.

jjahn

Hi Frankie.

Are the bezels NOS and would you consider them show quality or driver quality even though they're fresh-in-the-box? Can you send me a picture please? I'm planning to get my 59 judged. Thanks a lot.

Jill

jasonsamara

Well I sent my door posts and windshield pot to Pauls chrome. I can't believe what it costs either! But, they are one of the best and I don't plan on taking that windshield apart again so I'm trying to quality of dollars. Now with the bezels, license plate, deck latches, mirror etc I bought repro.

jjahn

Thanks to everyone for their input. After reading all of the comments, I called the vendor and let him know that I wanted to get 2nd quote from someone else before making my decision. Needless to say, I'll be picking up my pieces from him later this week. Thanks again.

Jill

Frankie the Fink

My rings are not NOS; they are repros and may not be up to the standard needed for judging. IIRC, they are GM-licensed pieces however. If you're still interested I'll dig 'em out tomorrow afternoon for some pics...

jjahn

Hi Frankie.

One other question...do you remember if the repop bezels are chrome or painted since the 61 bezels are generally painted? Thanks.

Jill

rfn026

GM licensing simply means the company paid GM for the legal fees. GM could care less about the quality of the part.

I'm leaning more an more to the repro stuff. If you install repro chrome just make sure you put the original stuff on the shelf. In the future a different owner may want to rechrome the original parts.

The old Bloomington Gold trick was (and still is) to replace all the original parts with repops once you get your certificate. Then put the OEM stuff on eBay for a high price. It's traditionally been a way to fund the cost of the restoration. At least it helps.

Richard Newton
Car Tech Stuff

Frankie the Fink

[QUOTE=rfn026;1589370522]GM licensing simply means the company paid GM for the legal fees. GM could care less about the quality of the part.

[/QUOTE]
I think I was quite clear on that point in my post.

I have a '61 and the headlight rings are painted from the factory. Thought I'd try some chrome ones on a lark but did NOT realize that the fender windsplits on a '61/'62 are too far rearward to meet the upper tab in the 1961 factory position. I wasn't going to move those so the chrome headlight rings never left the garage. This should show you what I mean.

Sooo...those rings came out of the box and tissue paper...placed on the car as a test fit and went right back into the box. They are basically new, never been on the road and not NOS but as good as repos get.

tominohio

I have used Pauls for many pieces of pot metal over the years on my 1966 and every piece has been Flawless!
Also it should be noted I'm very picky which is why I do almost everything myself including painting.

mrg

Per? .. . . Off that charts high .. Cheesis

John

jjahn

Hi Frankie.

Sent you a PM.

Jill