Good Chrome Shop?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,111
Likes: 32
From: Damascus MD
Originally Posted by 72TTop
Any recommendations for a good chrome shop for '72 rear bumpers. Looking for great quality/price.....prefer midwest but will appreciate all replies.
One is Frankford Plating in Philadelphia and the other is Space Coast Plating in Florida.
Both took a long time but the plating is outstanding. If you are having your car judged by NCRS let the platers know not to take out all the waves that are typical of original bumpers. Just take off the original plating and replate. GM bumpers were never as nice as the work these guys can provide.
Good luck and plan on waiting up to 12 weeks or more. Also make sure they do "blue" chrome regardless of who you go with. Some states have outlawed the type of Chrome the manufacturers provided.
Bill
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
From: Rochester MN
There's a place in Pine Island, MN that used to do all of the chrome work for the show "CHiPs." I forget the name? Pine Plating? Pine or Island, something... They might be worth calling. I've heard they do great work.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 866
Likes: 1
From: Northeast Ohio
Originally Posted by 72TTop
Any recommendations for a good chrome shop for '72 rear bumpers. Looking for great quality/price.....prefer midwest but will appreciate all replies.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,984
Likes: 185
From: CT
Originally Posted by SBR
I was wondering if any of those shops do flash chrome? It is for my air cleaner lid and I want it correct for judging.
All chroming is flashed. What you want is basic rack chroming, meaning no prep or buffing on the bare metal before it is plated. Show chrome is a three step process. Chemical stripping of the item, straightening of any parts, buffing, copper plate, them re-buff any defects, then nickel plate, then the flash of chrome. The stuff that came from the factory is basically rack chroming - hang it up on a conveyer and let it go through in assembly line fashion. To answer your question any chrome shop can do what you want, just explain clearly to them what you want.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,422
Likes: 792
From: Redondo Beach, California
I took my 68 air cleaner top in to be re-chromed. I didn't know enough about re-chroming at the time at the time to ask questions. The chrome shop buffed and polished the top and in so doing made the top "wavy." I've since learned that if the shop isn't careful they can create waves that are noticeable on large chromed areas. I can squat down, and eyeball along the top surface of my rear bumpers (C3) and can see wavy undulations where the polisher dug a little too deep in some areas. I have to go buy a new air cleaner lid. I was surprised how expensive they are.
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Michael S. Palmer
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,414
Likes: 766
From: Barrington IL
Originally Posted by GCD1962
All chroming is flashed. What you want is basic rack chroming, meaning no prep or buffing on the bare metal before it is plated. Show chrome is a three step process. Chemical stripping of the item, straightening of any parts, buffing, copper plate, them re-buff any defects, then nickel plate, then the flash of chrome. The stuff that came from the factory is basically rack chroming - hang it up on a conveyer and let it go through in assembly line fashion. To answer your question any chrome shop can do what you want, just explain clearly to them what you want.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,984
Likes: 185
From: CT
Originally Posted by pionexxxx
for the guy with the air lid, paragon on the net sales flash chrome repo's that are so correct it will fly with ncrs they even have the silk screening on the bottom! for 80 bucks it's worth it
Many times for the smaller items where you don't want show chrome it is less expensive to buy a new repro then to have your old one re-chromed. Any part you get back from a plater that shows "waves" is a poor shop that you should not deal with. The plating itself is easy, the prep is not and unless a place has a lot of experience with workers that have been there a long time, you will not get a good job. It's best to stick with the larger shops that you find in Hemmings or a large shop you know locally. Chances are they will cost a little more, but it's a small price to pay so that you don't wind up with a shiny piece of junk! I've delt with Nu-Chrome in Fall River, Mass for a number of years. The sales people can be borderline obnoxious at times, and at times you have to dicker on the price, but in the end they do excellent work on both steel items like bumpers and on restoring pot-metal parts. Their prices are middle of the road with other good shops. I'm sure there are other good ones out there (John Wright in Ohio is another good one)but get some feedback from people who have delt with them before handing over your parts