Good Chromer??
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: Canton MI
Good Chromer??
Does anyone know of a good chromer, local (to me, SE MI) or otherwise? I have factory sidepipes on my car, one of which could use a clean-up, as some of the chrome is peeling. Strangely, the other side is nearly perfect. So, either one has been redipped/replaced or has somehow fared MUCH better than the other.
You'd think the "motor city" would have some chromers around but I haven't been able to find one. The few I have found have said its not worth the cost and to buy a new one. I find it hard to believe its more than $600 to redip these simple parts ($600 is the cost of just the three metal pieces for each side).
Does anyone know of anyone who does these parts? Like I said, I'd prefer local but would do mail order with the right referral. Just need some leads. I can't imagine everyone throws these out when they get a little ugly...
Thanks, as usual!
You'd think the "motor city" would have some chromers around but I haven't been able to find one. The few I have found have said its not worth the cost and to buy a new one. I find it hard to believe its more than $600 to redip these simple parts ($600 is the cost of just the three metal pieces for each side).
Does anyone know of anyone who does these parts? Like I said, I'd prefer local but would do mail order with the right referral. Just need some leads. I can't imagine everyone throws these out when they get a little ugly...
Thanks, as usual!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,359
Likes: 15
From: Confusion
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 22
From: Yooperville MI
Try A-W Custom Chrome, 17726 Nine Mile in Eastpoint, 586-775-2040. They do excellent work in-house, very slow but very good show quality.
Plating is expensive that's why most of it is done outside the U.S. now. Used die cast parts are not simple or cheap to plate depending on how much repair is needed after stripping.
Plating is expensive that's why most of it is done outside the U.S. now. Used die cast parts are not simple or cheap to plate depending on how much repair is needed after stripping.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 12
From: Frederick Maryland
Pauls Chrome, fast turnaround and quality work!!!
http://www.paulschrome.com/
http://www.paulschrome.com/
Paul's work is awesome. A friend with a '62 Lincoln 4-door convertible sent all his chrome to Paul's and it was absolutely flawless when completed.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,408
Likes: 792
From: Redondo Beach, California
The factory sidepipe covers are cast aluminum!!!!! It takes a specialty chrome shop to replate these items. First your used covers will have to have the existing chrome/nickel/copper plating removed by reverse electrolysis. Any standard chrome shop can do this. This gets you down to all aluminum. Next the aluminum is polished and then anodyzed. The anodyzation process is what most chrome shops cannot do. After anodyzation, the standard copper/nickel/chrome plating takes place. The reason for anodyzation is that copper cannot be electroplated on aluminum since the metals are dissimblar; aluminum in contact with copper forms an electrolytic cell (think battery cell) and the copper will peal off due to the corrosion.
