I wasn’t sure where to ask this question. Chassis Restoration? Color Is Everything?? So I’ll ask here. Have any of you had any plastic trim pieces rechromed? I’m sure someone does it. Hoping for a good recommendation. AND No I don’t want to spray it with a can. I’ve seen many things sprayed with various brands of “chrome” spray paint. They’re all some variation of silver paint. Thanks Guys! Mark
Yachtsmanbill, myself, and I think a few others have had good luck with MOLOTOW liquid chrome pens. I touched up a poorly prepped part of my Riviera's rear bumper with one, and it looks really good. On the exterior of a car, it'll need to be touched up a few times a year. I did a couple of scratches on my daily driver F100's bumper for a test, and it lost some of it's "sheen" after a few months of driving on winter roads, so I just laid another coat on top. For interior chrome I think it'd be the cat's a$$. Check the second link to the thread, and I think my bumper repair is on page 2. https://www.dickblick.com/products/...Z7jd8OS2Ek9d334IH_6aIEVjOp6n9feBoCwQoQAvD_BwE http://v8buick.com/index.php?threads/chrome-pen.326529/page-2#post-2763672
I just checked into this for the 69 car and I only came up with one company in the US that still does this. They were very expensive and had an 8-10 month delivery time. There is a new process out there that actually plates silver on the parts and then clears them. Then you can paint over them for dash bezels etc. The parent company is based out of Phila, and they have "artists" that can do the painting processes for you. There was 1 guy in NC that quoted a 2 week delivery time for a 69 GS dash cluster. We did not discuss price. Good luck. Duane
Thanks for the reply 1972Mach1. My need is more than a pen for touch up. I saved the thread you referenced to read later. Duane, thank you. Do you happen to have the name of the company? I assume Phila is short for Philadelphia? I’ve attached a picture of the pieces I’m needing done. The light bulb is to help show the size of the parts. These are trim pieces that go on the grill of a ‘73 Scout II. I’m planning on going with a chrome bumper so I really don’t want a “sliver paint” look on the grill trim. Mark
Jay Leno was pitching this a while back, it looks pretty good. https://www.nbc.com/jay-lenos-garage/video/spray-on-chrome/n35122
Yup bob retired. I had one bezel in the box still from him. Apparently he did it on the side at his "real job" that he retired from. DL
Mueller is about 20 minutes from me and the other dash place they mentioned isn't too far either. Who knew??
You can't take parts to them though. They have a contract exclusive with another company you ship to first. Then you wait 10 months.. or longer now since other shops have closed. And like Duane said $$$$
Exterior chrome is usually electroplated. It's much thicker than the vapor (vacuum) deposited 'chrome' for interior parts. The interior 'chrome' plating is actually vaporized aluminum. I'm in the optical coating trade for a living. Mirrors are vapor coated with aluminum or gold depending on what wavelength they're needed for. If non-original would work for you, those bezels could be fabricated from stainless tubing, welded and polished.
If non-original would work for you, those bezels could be fabricated from stainless tubing, welded and polished. That might be the way to go, They certainly would be more durable, and make a better product. I will see if I can find my info. Duane
Here is info on a North American company called Custom Creation Paints which has simplified the same chemical spray-on process as discussed/shown in the Jay Leno video (describing a German company's process).
