Notices
C5 General General C5 Corvette and C5 Z06 Discussion not covered in Tech

Chrome plating pieces

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 3, 2025 | 08:22 PM
  #1  
Dean-O's Avatar
Dean-O
Thread Starter
Instructor
Community Builder
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Mar 2025
Posts: 101
Likes: 12
From: New Hampshire
Default Chrome plating pieces

If I like a set of wheels or an exhaust but want it in chrome, can I bring it to a shop to get it chromed?
Reply
Old Mar 4, 2025 | 08:22 AM
  #2  
yamabob's Avatar
yamabob
Drifting
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,503
Likes: 906
From: Tulum, MX
Default

You can, this is a detailing sub here
Reply
Old Mar 4, 2025 | 11:45 AM
  #3  
Gixxerman's Avatar
Gixxerman
Moderator
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 15,280
Likes: 4,211
From: Northern Illinois
2023 Corvette of the Year Winner - Modified
2022 C7 of the Year Winner - Modified
St. Jude Donor '18 thru '25
Default

Moving you to C5 general for further discussion
Reply
Old Mar 4, 2025 | 09:51 PM
  #4  
hyperv6's Avatar
hyperv6
Melting Slicks
Community Builder
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 2,963
Likes: 1,704
From: North Coast
Default

Be aware the cost to chrome wheels is very expensive.

As for tail pipes you may want to check mist C5 tips are stainless. You can have them cleaned and re polished. . If they are chrome it may be cheaper to replace.

Note due to the EPA today’s chrome is not very good. Most wheels and parts that are chrome are done outside America. It is hard to find a good shop today here.
Reply
Old Mar 4, 2025 | 10:23 PM
  #5  
redzg's Avatar
redzg
Safety Car
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 940
From: Orlando Florida
Default

There are a number of spray chrome processes now, none of which are actually chrome, of course. Not sure of exterior lifespan, but should be a fraction of the price of actual chrome, particularly in modern times. There might well be someone in your neck of the woods that does spray chrome activation. As with actual chrome, surface preparation is absolutely key to final results. I would think with things like wheels, a spray chrome would be significantly easier to achieve, since you can use a non-metallic filler.
Reply
Old Mar 4, 2025 | 10:28 PM
  #6  
Dean-O's Avatar
Dean-O
Thread Starter
Instructor
Community Builder
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Mar 2025
Posts: 101
Likes: 12
From: New Hampshire
Default

Originally Posted by hyperv6
Be aware the cost to chrome wheels is very expensive.

As for tail pipes you may want to check mist C5 tips are stainless. You can have them cleaned and re polished. . If they are chrome it may be cheaper to replace.

Note due to the EPA today’s chrome is not very good. Most wheels and parts that are chrome are done outside America. It is hard to find a good shop today here.
How expensive could it get to chrome a cat back exhaust system?
Reply
Old Mar 5, 2025 | 12:17 PM
  #7  
Vetteman Jack's Avatar
Vetteman Jack
Administrator
Supporting Lifetime
Veteran: Navy
St. Jude 20 Year Donor
25 Year Member
Veteran: Reserves
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,541
Likes: 24,830
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Default

Finding a shop that does actual chrome plating may be difficult.

Calchrome.com offers chrome plating for wheels and parts, but shipping may be involved which gets expensive and the cost may make it cost prohibitive. But, give them a call and see what they quote for a price.

It may be cheaper to just purchase new chrome plated reproduction wheels and a nice used catback that has high polished tips on it.
Reply
Old Mar 5, 2025 | 01:11 PM
  #8  
USAZR1's Avatar
USAZR1
Race Director
25 Year Member
Community Builder
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,383
Likes: 3,389
From: Central TX
C5 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Default

Originally Posted by Dean-O
How expensive could it get to chrome a cat back exhaust system?
Most aftermarket exhaust systems are made of stainless steel so chroming that material is not an option. Secondly, if the catback system is mild steel, they can be chromed but shops won't accept a used system because of tank contamination issues. Chroming a new mild steel catback would probably cost way over $1K. Polished stainless steel looks like chrome and is far more durable.

Chroming aluminum wheels is a crapshoot and not something I would recommend. There are now powdercoating finishes that look like chrome and are far more durable, plus a lot less money.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-5

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Mar 5, 2025 | 04:36 PM
  #9  
AtkRWC's Avatar
AtkRWC
Instructor
Veteran: Army
All Eyes On Me
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 234
Likes: 122
From: South Texas, US Army-Retired
Default

Perfect time to upgrade to a stainless cat-back performance system. My cat back Magnaflows x-pipes have stainless but polished tips that look very sharp. Good luck with your quest.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Chrome plating pieces





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:48 PM.

story-0
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 most overrated Corvette track packages ever.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:46:45


VIEW MORE
story-1
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

Slideshow: Every 2027 Corvette engine explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:16:31


VIEW MORE
story-2
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-08 19:53:43


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE