What do you do with your old arm rest bases?

[bull]

Are they worth keeping anymore? Does anyone take them for cores and actually replate them? Should I just throw them in the can? I hate throwing OE Charger stuff out, even if it's shot, but I need to make some room...

[twodko]

Hey Bull,

I had a pair out of my car replaced with new bases. They were in good shape except for the chrome. I just lightly sanded and sprayed them with some bright silver. I ended up giving them to a member who neede a daily driver pair.

[Troy]

You can get them replated - although I'm not sure there's much of a cost savings vs the new ones (although you'll still have original equipment). I also have a bunch sitting around that I can't figure out what to do with.

Troy

[bull]

Yea, I think it's pretty much a wash price wise between having them plated and buying new ones. I see that CV Vacuum Platers is no longer with us due to the repro business and I wonder if the place that took them over is doing vacuum plating. I got a bunch of extra bases as an incidental catch when I was buying up arm rests. I'll probably just pitch the ones that have busted tabs and hang on to the rest.

[bull]

I finally heard back from a guy at www.instrument-specialties.com, the place that took over for CV Vacuum Platers, and they said they charge $45 each to replate arm rest bases so four restored originals would cost you $180 compared to four new ones from BE&A which would cost you $162 $170 (referenced the wrong part).

Pretty much even, unless the following sentence means anything to you (copied from my reply email): "The repros are cheaper but the originals give you the satisfaction of a made in USA part, not chinese repro."

[68blue]

I painted mine with a leafing silver as most of the part is covered. Looks good.

[elacruze]

I finally heard back from a guy at www.instrument-specialties.com, the place that took over for CV Vacuum Platers, and they said they charge $45 each to replate arm rest bases so four restored originals would cost you $180 compared to four new ones from BE&A which would cost you $162.

Pretty much even, unless the following sentence means anything to you (copied from my reply email): "The repros are cheaper but the originals give you the satisfaction of a made in USA part, not chinese repro."

If I have mine done, I'll keep the OEM parts and replate them. Thanks for the link.

[bull]

I'm going to check around too. This place says it can do them for "as little as $35 each": http://www.chrometechusa.com/autoplate.html

[drifter69]

putting new stuff on but keeping the original stuff packed up just in case someday the car goes back to an original car. You never know what the future holds for these cars so I really dont want to seperate the original stuff.