What Cani do about blistered and pitted chrome

[LouiseM]

The e-bay kit seems to be for gold not chrome plating - there is a chrome 'practice' piece but not the chemicals you need to chrome plate, or to replate large items such as bumpers etc. Reading the small print, the 'solution' is around £40 for a 100ml bottle so if you were planning to chrome plate rather than gold plate your Minor you'll need to spend more money. To be honest, if your chrome is badly pitted and blistered you're unlikely to get a great finish with the kit so if I were you I'd invest in some good second hand chrome as has been already suggested, rather than bottles of chemicals which may or may not work Good quality second hand chrome is likely to last longer than new items so keep a look out on here, on e-bay and at autojumbles etc. Someone on here might have what you're looking for so try posting in the 'wanted' forum too.

[Edward.21]

Ok thanks I'll take your advice

[bmcecosse]

E21 - as above - useless for your purpose. I used to have a plating shop - believe me - it's a LOT more than that pathetic wee kit!

[dalebrignall]

try using autosolv metal polish it will get rid of a lot of marks .

[dp]

It's a shame the chrome parts aren't available in stainless steel (hubcaps excepted) or aluminium which could be polished and lacquered. Something I haven't done but thought about was covering pitted chrome bits in aluminium fireproof tape. (Like a roll of duct tape but made of sticky aluminium foil). Only costs £5 or £6, would do all the chrome except the rear light clusters which are a bit too wide but wouldn't cost much to see what a bit of bacofoil looks like..

If I ever get around to it I'm going to make up the rear light clusters in fibreglass and paint them body-colour (or bacofoil them) since even filling the pits with filler and painting eventually shows blisters.

[chrisryder]

you can get the late rear lamp bases in 'chrome' plastic. they don't pit, but i dont know how long they stay shiny.

[mike.perry]

I had a demo overider sent to me, made from plastic, nice and shiny, lightweight, but it would not last long in a gentle collision.
I don't know if they are still available

[Alan Pearse]

Hi my son has worked in the auto body industry for many years, we are at the moment putting my 54 series II back on the road. the chrome on this car was fairly badly pitted and had some small blisters. i doubted what my son suggested but was more than happy with the result. CRINGE time, ONLY if you have good quality chrome this will not hurt it. BlISTERS take a piece 800 grade wet and dry use plenty of water rub down the blister until almost smooth, then take a piece of 1200 or 1400 wet and dry again using plenty of water rub gently until smooth, PITS use the 1200 or 1400 grade wet and dry until smooth then polish with autosol or peek chrome cleaner. you will think that using wet and dry will take the shine off the chrome if your carefull it will save you hundreds of pounds and can you put of replacing it for a few years.

[Alec]

Hello all,

just a point, chrome is not shiny, the shine is the base metal.

The general procedure for plating a bumper say, is to linish all damage out and then using finer and finer abrasives ending up with a mop and compound until the steel has a mirror finish. Good plating is a layer of copper, followed by nickel and then the final chrome layer. Many years ago nickel was the final finish but chromium is so much harder which is why it became popular, and done properly is extremely durable. It is a labour intensive process, which is why good plating costs money.

Alec

[ASL642]

Bull Motif sell plastic chrome overriders - PAN112A. We've had them on a car for nearly 10 years. They look as good as new. You can't tell the difference until you tap them

[chrisryder]

You can't tell the difference until you tap them

....or use them for what they were intended!

[ASL642]

You're not meant to play dodgems with them!

[chrisryder]

i've watched a frenchman parrallel park in paris. plastic overriders wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes there. that's why they all have pressed steel numberplates rather than plastic ones like us!

[Declan_Burns]

you can get the late rear lamp bases in 'chrome' plastic. they don't pit, but i dont know how long they stay shiny.

They stay shiny. Mine are still OK after 4 years but the lenses are bit delicate and the old seals are better so I re-used the original lenses and seals. There are however some signs of pitting-again a repro part quality issue.
[frame][/frame]
Regards
Declan

[IaininTenbury]

You can't tell the difference until you tap them

....or use them for what they were intended!

I first encountered plastic overiders after doing some work under the front of a car and then pulling myself out and up by grabbing an overider. You can guess the rest....
Also don't work when using an old fashioned A frame that rests on the bumper. Found that out the hard way too. I always check cars now oddly enough... They look very convicing till you try swinging on one!

[moggydriver62]

Over here if you want good chrome you go to a company that does boat parts.
Do you have them there? But its much more expensive.
kenny.