Wavy chrome rear bumpers....
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,789
Likes: 7
Wavy chrome rear bumpers....
Yesterday I dug my rear bumpers out to do a final fit on my bodywork before spraying the color later next week. They've been in storage for a while and I have been planning to send them out for a re-chrome. But out in the sun, I could see that they are very wavy. So, now I'm wondering if they are even the originals....or maybe cheap imports. If they're wavy now, won't they be the same after re-chroming?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,301
Likes: 4,389
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi F,
The chrome plating and 'straightness' of original bumpers wasn't all that good… so yours could be originals or reproductions. It might take someone very familiar with bumpers to spot the difference.
Very good platers can make even original bumpers VERY smooth, straight, and wave free.
It's all about the amount of time put into the preparation and the skill of the person doing the buffing.
Regards,
Alan
This is a re-plated original.
The chrome plating and 'straightness' of original bumpers wasn't all that good… so yours could be originals or reproductions. It might take someone very familiar with bumpers to spot the difference.
Very good platers can make even original bumpers VERY smooth, straight, and wave free.
It's all about the amount of time put into the preparation and the skill of the person doing the buffing.
Regards,
Alan
This is a re-plated original.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,789
Likes: 7
I always enjoy seeing pics of your car Alan. That looks perfect. 
I wasn't aware the plater could get waves out. My pop had the originals on his 73 re-chromed 6-7 years ago and they are laser straight like yours. But neither of us recall the condition before plating.
I'll call the company he used and see what they say about the these. Thanks...
I wasn't aware the plater could get waves out. My pop had the originals on his 73 re-chromed 6-7 years ago and they are laser straight like yours. But neither of us recall the condition before plating.
I'll call the company he used and see what they say about the these. Thanks...
Last edited by FLA-C3; Feb 2, 2015 at 08:29 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
My '72 was an old show car, and the bumpers were PURRFECT, untill two small wrecks in front, NOT MY FAULT...
In the last summer I noted the right rear bumper seems to have developed a crack in the chrome surface on the top, out to the wrap of the curve, and in/hear the corner I can't feel any break in the steel under the chrome, but I can most definately catch my fingernail on the chrome surface, it's a real hairline crack, and since my house/garage faces west that bumper gets the sunlight the most, winter or summer, just that I have never seen chrome crack off the solid underlying metal....
NOW, a friend years ago here had a yellow ZR1, and he wanted the stock wheels chrome plated....and they did not last, totally different flex/heat characteristics between chrome and aluminum, is MY guess.....
In the last summer I noted the right rear bumper seems to have developed a crack in the chrome surface on the top, out to the wrap of the curve, and in/hear the corner I can't feel any break in the steel under the chrome, but I can most definately catch my fingernail on the chrome surface, it's a real hairline crack, and since my house/garage faces west that bumper gets the sunlight the most, winter or summer, just that I have never seen chrome crack off the solid underlying metal....
NOW, a friend years ago here had a yellow ZR1, and he wanted the stock wheels chrome plated....and they did not last, totally different flex/heat characteristics between chrome and aluminum, is MY guess.....
