Rechromed Bumpers?

[superbirdtom]

I am no expert on chrome at all but I remember year one selling repo cuda bumpers and then they stopped as the chrome went to crap in a couple years. maybe the supplier was scrimping on some of the process. but there is chrome and show chrome and there is a big difference in prep and material and price , there is a term triple plated. i wish someone on here that is a chrome expert would chime in. SBT

[Ghoste]

Triple plated is smoke and mirrors for the process 68beepbeep mentioned.  Layer one is copper, layer two is nickel, and layer three is chrome.  Show chrome used to mean the same thing, triple plated and it applied to all shiny chrome plating.  Regular chrome or non triple layered was more about industrial chroming sometimes also called flash chroming.  Chromium is a very hard material and is used to plate high wear surfaces in industrial applications such as flash chromed driveshafts in various pieces of machinery.  Today the terms have become well blurred over and misused to the point that triple plating and show chrome are more likely used to tell you that teh cost is going to be higher becuase they'll (hopefully) spend more time in the preparation phase.  Prep is everything.

[superbirdtom]

PREP! is the key word we all have used, also fit . I had a 70 coronet rear bumper that was in pretty good condition dent wize , the chrome just wore off.. so took to local chrome shop near seattle , they re formedit , and rechromed it . took it home didn't fit, took it back they said it will be 300 dollars to get it just right . @#$%^ went to queencity plating and it came out beautiful, they even chromed the inside. hey it was 500 bucks . and that was back in 1990. the other fools were 175. . I believe it is all in the metal straightening process,  tnks for the info I am learning more than going to the chrome shopand picking up my chrome.

[68beepbeep]

Triple plating is copper, nickel, and chrome. Some places put very little of the three. Some only strip the chrome back to the nickel and ad a small amount of nickel, then chrome it. When plating anything chrome, its all in the prep of the base metal (the bumper).Chrome amplifies what it is applied to. A rough surfice or a sandbast finish etc. The correct way to plate a bumper is to start with a decent amount of copper, plated to a shine or polished, then a "good" amount of nickel, applied in a cyanide nickel solution, "not an acid solution", and a liberal chrome plate on top. Yes, chrome is very hard but, what dulls the finish the fastest is extremes, meaning~hot to cold (the chrome moves at a different rate than the nickel), driving,(sand and stone pits), weather, (acid rain etc.) and last, harsh cleaning (fine dirt on rags or in cleaners or wax).  Nothing last forever but with care you can make chrome last.  And yes, the bumper is completely submerged in all three of these steps, so it will be plated on the inside. The inside base metal was not polished so it will look rough, some shops will spray a silver paint over the unfinished side just to give it a cleaner look, this is normal. Plating is electrically applied so remember, just like any current, it finds the shortest path, meaning, those deep or resest areas will have less plating, so make sure you clean and apply a good wax to those areas.~Steve~

[superbirdtom]

thank you steve. what i notice about factory new chrome like ford truck bumpers. about two tears ago they started to hose down the backside with something like ziebart. a thick waxy substance. Up here in alaska the elements are severe especially here where it rains 200 inches a year.

even trucks 6 years old the inside of the bumpers and brackets and bolts are so rusted when we replace a bumper we just go ahead and order all that stuff as it is less time than breaking knuckles and pb maxing bolts . I use hammerite silver to coat the inside of bumpers.  anyway thanks for the good insight.  SBT

[Captain D]

Yes, very good insights. If I may ask further...with all of the chrome "cleaners" out in the market today, which of them would be good to clean/maintain the life of the chrome, yet, not be harsh that would damage the chrome as Steve has mentioned?

He mentioned "harsh cleaning," and I can definitely understand fine dirt used in a rag that may hinder the chrome, but what would be the best wax cleaner out in the market today to preserve the life of the chrome?

Thank you again,
Aaron

- With all of the repro chrome bumpers out there today being sold by different sellers at different prices, especially on e*bay, one wonders if they're all from the same factory (for lack of a better term), yet sold by different distributors. Therefore, in buying repro bumpers, is there really much of a difference in whom to purchase from?

[68beepbeep]

A good way to clean chrome that has no wax on it (or very little) is to use DuPont #7 polishing compound (not rubbing compound). Use the can that's round and not the upright rectangular can. The round green can has a white paste compound, the other is a brown liquid, not the same. First , wash the surface, then with a clean slightly wet rag apply a little compound. When finished just wash with water, dry, then use a good spray wax, remove the wax with a clean dry cloth. I use a soft tooth brush to remove dried wax in those tight areas. On a new chrome surface, just apply the wax and skip the compound. I hope this helps to answer your question.~Steve~

[superbirdtom]

Yes, very good insights. If I may ask further...with all of the chrome "cleaners" out in the market today, which of them would be good to clean/maintain the life of the chrome, yet, not be harsh that would damage the chrome as Steve has mentioned?

He mentioned "harsh cleaning," and I can definitely understand fine dirt used in a rag that may hinder the chrome, but what would be the best wax cleaner out in the market today to preserve the life of the chrome?

Thank you again,
Aaron

- With all of the repro chrome bumpers out there today being sold by different sellers at different prices, especially on e*bay, one wonders if they're all from the same factory (for lack of a better term), yet sold by different distributors. Therefore, in buying repro bumpers, is there really much of a difference in whom to purchase from?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GO WITH WHAT 68 BEEPBEEP SAYS!

[Ghoste]

As far as comparing where various repro parts come from, Mike at BEA and Bill from A&M seem to have the inside track on what was made where and whether or not it's junk.

[resq302]

As far as comparing where various repro parts come from, Mike at BEA and Bill from A&M seem to have the inside track on what was made where and whether or not it's junk.

  two of the best people in the restoration parts business.

[Captain D]

Great info! Thanks guys! I'll save this information, for it will definitely be useful down the road. I also sent Mike, from B/EA Parts a question regarding his suggestion/recommendation. Thanks again!
Aaron