Chrome plating question
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 4
From: Celeste Texas
Chrome plating question
I stopped off at a local shop that does plating and got an estimate for most of the chrome on my 72. Front bumper and the little bumperettes, rear bumpers, front grilles, rear deck grilles and the air cleaner lid. He wanted $1360 for all of that. For those of you that have redone all this stuff does that seem normal? Any body use DFW area shops that did good work?
Bill
Bill
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,487
Likes: 10
From: Palm Beach Florida
St. Jude Donor '12
Plating has gone thru the roof, Due to tighter/stricter codes on all the chemicals that are used. I was quated $250 to just chrome the base of my air-cleaner.
Last edited by daanbc; Mar 29, 2011 at 10:19 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Before you 'jump', make sure that vendor's quality is good. Ask them for some names of customers that you can call/check out; or ask around at car shows to see if that vendor (or others) have done good work at a decent price. With chrome, quality is of primary importance; cost is secondary. So, find the least expensive source for great chrome work.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,197
Likes: 4,287
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Bill,
That price seems almost too good to me. Especially since the front grills are a lot of work to replate because of their intricate shape.
I agree that you need to check some of the shops references if you're not familiar with the quality their work.
Regards,
Alan
PS: PLEASE don't chrome plate the astro vents!
That price seems almost too good to me. Especially since the front grills are a lot of work to replate because of their intricate shape.
I agree that you need to check some of the shops references if you're not familiar with the quality their work.
Regards,
Alan
PS: PLEASE don't chrome plate the astro vents!
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 99
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
Before you 'jump', make sure that vendor's quality is good. Ask them for some names of customers that you can call/check out; or ask around at car shows to see if that vendor (or others) have done good work at a decent price. With chrome, quality is of primary importance; cost is secondary. So, find the least expensive source for great chrome work.
i would check with some of the local motorcycle guys (go to a local cruise in night where motorcycles hang) and see who does their chrome plating. those guys are about as **** as you can get about their chrome bike parts and accept nothing but the highest quality work for their stuff. go there and get a quote also and give serious consideration to using who they recommend.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,352
Likes: 787
From: Redondo Beach, California
Maybe have one or two pieces replated just to see how this guy works out.
Chrome plating prices have gone through the roof in most parts of the country due to environment laws. The shop does my plating here in Calfornia pays $46,000 a year in license fees. They are not a big shop, maybe 4 employees.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,352
Likes: 787
From: Redondo Beach, California
If you have a steel part that was cad plated, getting just one piece cad plated is hard to do at a plating shop since they usually want to plate many pounds at once. A good substitute for cad plating is to have the part just nickel plated (if the non-cad appearance is not important.) THe nickel plate, over steel, will be a lot more durable than cad and nickel plating is not expensive. Most of the cost goes into polishing and the chrome plate so with a simple nickle plate over unpolilshed steel, you're not looking at that much of a cost.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,239
Likes: 19
From: Chino CA
I think the only layer that can be skipped is the copper plate. The copper plate produces, when polished, the mirror like finish. In a chrome plate process, I believe the chrome layer is very thin. It's the nickle plate that is thick and provides the real substance (durability) of the plate layers. Nickel itself is very shiny and a thin layer of chrome brings out the high reflectance.
If you have a steel part that was cad plated, getting just one piece cad plated is hard to do at a plating shop since they usually want to plate many pounds at once. A good substitute for cad plating is to have the part just nickel plated (if the non-cad appearance is not important.) THe nickel plate, over steel, will be a lot more durable than cad and nickel plating is not expensive. Most of the cost goes into polishing and the chrome plate so with a simple nickle plate over unpolilshed steel, you're not looking at that much of a cost.
If you have a steel part that was cad plated, getting just one piece cad plated is hard to do at a plating shop since they usually want to plate many pounds at once. A good substitute for cad plating is to have the part just nickel plated (if the non-cad appearance is not important.) THe nickel plate, over steel, will be a lot more durable than cad and nickel plating is not expensive. Most of the cost goes into polishing and the chrome plate so with a simple nickle plate over unpolilshed steel, you're not looking at that much of a cost.
Price seems very good....scary good ?
Chrome comes in a rattle can now ya know....
Those parts are worth a fortune....I'd look at some of their work and see if they insure or warrenty their work....
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 4
From: Celeste Texas
I was checking out a new friends car that had some incredible bumpers so I asked where and then took the car load of stuff for an estimate at Quality Bumper Service in Dallas. There weren't any parts in the shop the day I went so I didn't have anything there to look at. He told me about the different metal in the front grilles and said I would have to paint them afterwards. Seemed to know what he was talking about but wasn't real friendly. The local bikers used to use Show-n-go but they have gone out of business so I am checking out other places. Right now I am looking at rechromed originals for about 75% of reproduction parts. Well that doesn't include the front grilles. I knew this would be an expensive process but wow was it ever. There is another place in Fort Worth called Al's Associates that was a little less but sounded better while I was talking to him. i haven't seen anything they do or made it over there yet.
Bill
Bill
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,352
Likes: 787
From: Redondo Beach, California
I don't think copper is needed for adhesion. Nickel plates very well directly to steel. I have some nickel only plated parts. Also, in the gun world, you can see nickel plated revolvers for sale. I'm very sure they don't have a copper underlayer.
Also, chromium plates very well directly to steel. It's called hard chrome plating. I was in Adelaide, South Australia, when the power steering on my Range Rover began leaking. The output shaft (input shaft?) had become leaking. (The power steering was all in the steering box.) The dealer dissassembled the unit, had the output shaft lathed smooth (it had grooves in it from dirt) and then had a thick layer of chromium electroplated on the iron shaft. The diameter of the shaft was still less than stock, so he had a custom made bronze bearing made. The cost of the repair was less than a new Range Rover part (remember for Australia we're talking big import duties.) Anyhow this is an example of hard chrome plating.
Also, chromium plates very well directly to steel. It's called hard chrome plating. I was in Adelaide, South Australia, when the power steering on my Range Rover began leaking. The output shaft (input shaft?) had become leaking. (The power steering was all in the steering box.) The dealer dissassembled the unit, had the output shaft lathed smooth (it had grooves in it from dirt) and then had a thick layer of chromium electroplated on the iron shaft. The diameter of the shaft was still less than stock, so he had a custom made bronze bearing made. The cost of the repair was less than a new Range Rover part (remember for Australia we're talking big import duties.) Anyhow this is an example of hard chrome plating.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: SHERMAN TEXAS
chrome
http://www.northtexasqualitychrome.com/
here is the place i take my parts to. they do outstanding work and for a reasonable price. highly recommended!
here is the place i take my parts to. they do outstanding work and for a reasonable price. highly recommended!
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,868
Likes: 13
From: Mascoutah IL
Hi Bill,
That price seems almost too good to me. Especially since the front grills are a lot of work to replate because of their intricate shape.
I agree that you need to check some of the shops references if you're not familiar with the quality their work.
Regards,
Alan
PS: PLEASE don't chrome plate the astro vents!
That price seems almost too good to me. Especially since the front grills are a lot of work to replate because of their intricate shape.
I agree that you need to check some of the shops references if you're not familiar with the quality their work.
Regards,
Alan
PS: PLEASE don't chrome plate the astro vents!
Why do you say to NOT chrome the Astro vents?? Are they not compatible with the chrome plating process, or you just don't like that look??
Thanks
Rogman
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,625
Likes: 4
From: Miami FL
Paul's Chrome gives a lifetime warranty and cost was $1600 for all the front & rear bumper pieces on my 69 vette. I now never have to write a chrome check again except for shipping. Paul's has been in the business for over 25 years.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,976
Likes: 6,202
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
I had my '69 front and 2 rears done at St Louis plating a couple years ago for $800 and the work was excellent. Give them a call and see what they say; it might be worth shipping.
Can the front grilles be chromed? Are they supposed to be?
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,435
Likes: 9
From: Kalamazoo Mi
the best place i have found is Fini Finish out of detroit
TOP notch work.
they took this pile of rusty and very badly dented bright work
into this
I dont know what a simple rechrome could cost. mine was kind of $$ but they had to hammer a lot of stuff out and even replace some metal!
TOP notch work.
they took this pile of rusty and very badly dented bright work
into this
I dont know what a simple rechrome could cost. mine was kind of $$ but they had to hammer a lot of stuff out and even replace some metal!
Last edited by Tact; Nov 21, 2011 at 04:45 PM.
