Chrome or De chrome

[747mopar]

Wanted to get some ideas, my vent window frames and gas cap for my 69 charger are both full of micro speck pitting and am trying to figure out what to do. I'm going with a brushed look on the stainless trim so I'm debating on painting the chrome and giving it the same brushed look which leads me to the question "how do you de chrome" or should I just blast them? I've already wasted enough time looking for god ones so I really want to figure something out, I'm also open to getting them re chromed if anyone knows of a good shop that does pot metal plating. Thanks for any help

 

[usaroadrunner]

Wanted to get some ideas, my vent window frames and gas cap for my 69 charger are both full of micro speck pitting and am trying to figure out what to do. I'm going with a brushed look on the stainless trim so I'm debating on painting the chrome and giving it the same brushed look which leads me to the question "how do you de chrome" or should I just blast them? I've already wasted enough time looking for god ones so I really want to figure something out, I'm also open to getting them re chromed if anyone knows of a good shop that does pot metal plating. Thanks for any help

i was thinking of the same thing on my trim 747. i saw on tv that chip foose used a scotch brite pad on the trim and of course it turned out amazing that is the only way i have seen it done. then he painted the bumpers in the same silver shade as the trim and used the same method dragging the scotch brite pad thru the paint to look like the trim. it looked pretty good. just a suggestion... good luck 747

 

[Photon440]

Here's a good bit of info on what's required for pot metal refinishing, 747mopar.

http://www.iversonautomotive.com/Services/Types/Potmetal

 

[snakeoil24]

If you Re Chrome the parts it will look great, painting the chrome parts will look like you painted them. Chrome is expensive, but nothing replaces the look. Tri City Plating in Tennessee or Elizabeth Plating in Tennessee for pot metal, is going to do a great job. This is a very time consuming process. Owning antique cars with Chrome is always expensive.

Pot metal is basically the predessesor to Injection Moulded plastic Trim.

1. Zinc Pot metal casting with a great deal of impurities.
2. After casting Air bubbles rise to the surface and slowly eat thru the casting to oxygen.
3. First step is blast out all the corrosion pits. "everyone of them"
4. Wash
5. Plate with Copper.
6. Fill and repair imperfections with Silver Solder.
7. Sand and Buff.
8. Wash.
9. Plate again in Copper.
10. Buff. Fill any remaining imperfections.
11. Plate again with Nickel.
12. Buff and wash.
13. Chrome Plate.
14. Wash, Buff and pray that nothing reappears thru the plating. Very high failure rates with Replating Pot metal.

 

[GrabberOrange69]

Chrome. Monocolor painted trim is so 80s/90s. Chrome is back in. It was cool in the 60s/70s, it's cool now.

 

[747mopar]

If you Re Chrome the parts it will look great, painting the chrome parts will look like you painted them. Chrome is expensive, but nothing replaces the look. Tri City Plating in Tennessee or Elizabeth Plating in Tennessee for pot metal, is going to do a great job. This is a very time consuming process. Owning antique cars with Chrome is always expensive.

Pot metal is basically the predessesor to Injection Moulded plastic Trim.

1. Zinc Pot metal casting with a great deal of impurities.
2. After casting Air bubbles rise to the surface and slowly eat thru the casting to oxygen.
3. First step is blast out all the corrosion pits. "everyone of them"
4. Wash
5. Plate with Copper.
6. Fill and repair imperfections with Silver Solder.
7. Sand and Buff.
8. Wash.
9. Plate again in Copper.
10. Buff. Fill any remaining imperfections.
11. Plate again with Nickel.
12. Buff and wash.
13. Chrome Plate.
14. Wash, Buff and pray that nothing reappears thru the plating. Very high failure rates with Replating Pot metal.

Funny you should mention them, I was talking to Hunt about who did his bumpers and it was the company you mentioned so I gave them a ring and they only do steel. I've watched it done before "yeah" it looks pretty labor intense but mine are in really good shape and would need very little work. I do agree, nothing replaces chrome but I'm not a chrome lover either and would be happy if there wasn't one piece of chrome on the whole car to be honest. Thanks

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i was thinking of the same thing on my trim 747. i saw on tv that chip foose used a scotch brite pad on the trim and of course it turned out amazing that is the only way i have seen it done. then he painted the bumpers in the same silver shade as the trim and used the same method dragging the scotch brite pad thru the paint to look like the trim. it looked pretty good. just a suggestion... good luck 747

I'm going to try it on a junky set I have instead of the nice ones. I picked up some chrome paint today and this is the plan, blast the frames for good adhesion, epoxy prime, paint chrome, scuff, and then apply a durable clear over it. I'll let you know how it goes, I used 400 grit on my trim to get the look I wanted "scotch brites didn't seam to do much".

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Here's a good bit of info on what's required for pot metal refinishing, 747mopar.

http://www.iversonautomotive.com/Services/Types/Potmetal

Thanks Photon, I'll check it out.

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Chrome. Monocolor painted trim is so 80s/90s. Chrome is back in. It was cool in the 60s/70s, it's cool now.

Going for the brushed look my friend "no monocolor", sorry chrome isn't in for me but I would definitely keep it if it were good.

 

[Budnicks]

Wanted to get some ideas, my vent window frames and gas cap for my 69 charger are both full of micro speck pitting and am trying to figure out what to do. I'm going with a brushed look on the stainless trim so I'm debating on painting the chrome and giving it the same brushed look which leads me to the question "how do you de chrome" or should I just blast them? I've already wasted enough time looking for god ones so I really want to figure something out, I'm also open to getting them re chromed if anyone knows of a good shop that does pot metal plating. Thanks for any help

I've done the buffed look too, on some old trim that the chrome was dull but not rusty or flaking off, it was really easy, just a red scotch-brite pad & some time, wipe down with lacquer thinner {you can also clear them if you want, but don't need to}, I actually like that look... not everyone follows trends, not everyone has the same tastes, just do what you like... I've seen them Black Chromed too {I'm sure it wasn't cheap either} that looked really good on a dark painted car, not sure it would look good on a bright colored car thou, I've thought about doing that also...

 

[Montclaire]

How about chrome powder coat, or alclad and clear?

 

[747mopar]

How about chrome powder coat, or alclad and clear?

Yes I am thinking about that but am going to try this first to see how it comes out. One of the members here did it on his bumpers and it looked really good.

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I've done the buffed look too, on some old trim that the chrome was dull but not rusty or flaking off, it was really easy, just a red scotch-brite pad & some time, wipe down with lacquer thinner {you can also clear them if you want, but don't need to}, I actually like that look... not everyone follows trends, not everyone has the same tastes, just do what you like... I've seen them Black Chromed too {I'm sure it wasn't cheap either} that looked really good on a dark painted car, not sure it would look good on a bright colored car thou, I've thought about doing that also...

I would love to just scuff the chrome but it's pitted enough that it wouldn't look good. I'm with you on the trends, someone's got to be different.

 

[conv67bdere]

I do agree, nothing replaces chrome but I'm not a chrome lover either and would be happy if there wasn't one piece of chrome on the whole car to be honest.

747Mopar - you and I are very much in agreement on this when it comes to cars . . . the brushed look works very well for me ! !

( well . . . except the polished aluminum wheels . . . ( smile ) . . . )

 

[modernistsouth]

Have you seen the Alsa Corp pigments and paints? I've been looking at them and they look very promising. I don't know anyone who's tried them, though. http://www.alsacorp.com/index.htm

 

[CudaChick1968]

Any chrome shop can strip the chrome for you cheaply and quickly. When you get it back, it'll be bare and ready for your finish.

 

[747mopar]

Thanks everyone for the input but the nail was put in the coffin today "$275.00", no that's not for both that's a piece and once you break these vent windows down you only have the one piece that runs up the side of the window and the window channel "$275.00 EACH" no wonder I hate chrome. The gas cap and bezel were $100.00-$120.00 but a brand new set is about the same amount. I'll be painting them for sure now but will have to experiment around to see what works so they don't look cheesy.