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Chrome or Spray Chrome

Started by ByronF, January 29, 2018, 09:52:14 PM

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Acmemopars

#20
Personally, I live very close (30 miles) to North Texas Chrome listed above and will be getting a quote to have them rechrome my back bumpers on my 57 Eldo.

Do you think they will be able to grind, sand and smooth out the corrosion and pits in the Aluminum ?
I'm assuming yes since this is their core business, but this is my only concern.

Thanks
Mike
Mike Nelson
Denison, Tx
CLC# 31194

57 Eldo Survivor
70 Sunroof Charger 1 of 1
56 F100

The Tassie Devil(le)

Each and every imperfection has to be ground out back to virgin material, then filled.

They simply cannot remove a complete layer of metal as it would re-shape the item.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

I would suggest you find a shop that has a track record of chroming those ends. Someone on the board should chime in. The average shop has NO IDEA what's involved.
Bob
1968 Eldorado slick top ,white/red interior
2015 Holden Ute HSV Maloo red/black interior.
             
Too much fun is more than you can have.

INTMD8

Agreed with many here, would never try to "spray chrome"

I see a lot of modified vehicles many of which have had body color matched painted bumpers which were once chrome.

The chips on those pieces are at least 500-1 compared to the body as the metal is so thick it has no give.(so it takes off the paint easier)

Even if the spray chrome looked good I do not think it would last very long.


And those aluminum eldo bumpers, I would not bring them to anyone that isn't experienced with doing them.

ByronF

Well it would appear that the consensus opinion is to re-chrome and not bother with some of these new fangled spray chroming processes. Probably very good advice. May have to do one bumper per year. I live in Canada and the cost of shipping to the US, having the work done, then shipping back and paying the exchange rate plus taxes at customs on the return is just too steep. So I have to use local sources and of course they know what the above procedure costs so they price accordingly. Charge what the market can bear I guess, but at least I have 3 shops locally and within reasonable distance that I can get quotes from. And one of them I do know does exceptionally good work based on the examples I have seen on vehicles on local cruise nights. But at least they have tanks big enough to do the whole bumper at once.

TJ Hopland

I can't find the process I'm thinking of but I believe at least one step of the process takes place in a vacuum chamber.  Does that ring any bells with anyone?  There must be some key word I'm missing in my searches.   Its most commonly used for an anodized look to plastic but apparently can also look like chrome.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

amolnayak

I have learnt the hard way that there is no substitute to good chrome. Especially if you live in large cities with pollution and humidity. In Mumbai we have chrome plants which will do the chrome job for a whole car for 1000 dollars but that chrome will pull off after 3-5 yrs depending on how good you take care of it. And then you have to do the whole process all over again. This really makes the base metal thinner every time. We also have good chrome plants now and they do a phenomenal job and that of course can be in the 5000 dollar range or more depending on the size of the car. I have realized that if you intend to keep the car long term just get it chromed at the best plant you can afford and no headaches for a long long time. 
1940 Lasalle 5227C
1956 Mercedes Benz 180D
1956 Fiat 1100 103E
1961 Rover P5 (now sold)
1992 Eunos Roadster V series special

Caddyholic

I company that I do some powder coating on 02 Buick wheels or me was getting set up for this process called future chrome. I dropped off a spare 61 interior door panel piece. Had ask if he could use it for practice. He did and I stop by weeks later to pick it up and it did not turn out very good. Parts of it look ok and part of it looked brownish. That was in 2015
He is now closed and I don’t think he ever got the process down pat.

https://www.futurechrome.com/
I got myself a Cadillac but I can't afford the gasoline (AC/DC Down Payment Blues)

1961 Series 62 Convertible Coupe http://bit.ly/1RCYsVZ
1962 Coupe Deville

fishnjim

www.spectrachrome.com
I contacted these guys a couple years back and what I refer to as "spray" chrome.   It was featured on one of the "Mobsteel" shows they did a '53or54 Packard.   
A 50 or 20 foot chrome job.   Spray like paint then spray water to activate.

Seville1957

Quote from: Acmemopars on February 01, 2018, 01:31:31 PM
Personally, I live very close (30 miles) to North Texas Chrome listed above and will be getting a quote to have them rechrome my back bumpers on my 57 Eldo.

Do you think they will be able to grind, sand and smooth out the corrosion and pits in the Aluminum ?
I'm assuming yes since this is their core business, but this is my only concern.

Thanks
Mike

Hey Mike,

I'm in the same boat with my 57 Seville, was quoted $6,000 to do my rear bumpers, OOUCH. But hey cars these nice deserve the investment, not some cheap spray chrome. That's like getting you girlfriend a wedding ring from a bubble gum machine!

Justin Norwood

I am looking at rechroming the front grill on my '47, but the wait time was "at least 12 weeks." I needed something faster, so I am trying out a powdercoat solution called: prismatic coating powders - super chrome uss4482. My flying goddess was just completed and I plan to pick it up in the next few days. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan

Flyer

I recently had chrome work done on my 1962 Thunderbird roadster at a shop in Terrill, TX, Morales Chrome, 972 524 3966. They did both front and rear bumpers, parking lights, and head light trim for $1200.00. The work looks very good, at least as good as it came from the factory. Theirs is a cash only business.

Justin Norwood

Following up on my experience with trying out Prismatic's "Super Chrome" on my flying goddess. Please see the attached pic - Prismatic on the left, my 70 year old pitted chrome on the right.

My assessment:
The Prismatic "Super Chrome" isn't good enough to pass for chrome. not even close, really. Even if you did the entire car in this powder coat, it isn't good enough. The Prismatic is metallic, but a dull gray. It isn't reflective...it is like looking at a smoked mirror. Maybe not even that good...it's one shade lighter than a gun metal gray paint.

Furthermore, when I asked if the powdercoat place would be willing to try more parts (e.g. grill), they declined the work citing the pot metal and how it causes bubbles in the powdercoat.

Net/net - I wasted $100 giving this a try. I then took my front grill, hood lip and flying goddess to a chrome shop that agreed to do those three items for $2,000 with a 6 week turnaround time. I feel robbed, but it is what it is. Thank the EPA for putting most chrome operations out of business.
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan

cadillacmike68

I don't think these "spray" places are using chromium, I'm pretty sure they are using aluminum. Most PVD processes are definitely aluminum. 

Now, aluminum can be polished up pretty nice. I have rims from my 40 yr old Raleigh Professional bike that look almost as bright and shiny as chrome, but they are just highly polished aluminum. However, they need a lot of care to keep looking that good.
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike