Chrome Auto Paint
Nothing looks as good as chrome
Nothing turns heads like chrome plating on your cherished show car. Almost any part of the vehicle can be chrome plated, whether in the interior (door handles, dash panels, shifters), exterior (bumpers, grills, headlights, mufflers, exhaust tip, brake system, door handles) or in the engine (intake manifold, alternator, carburetors, battery box). Cars, trucks, SUVS and motorcycles can all benefit from chrome plating.
It's hard to give price estimates, because the cost for chrome plating will vary between parts, shops and procedures. The in-shop time for chrome plating also varies depending on the type and size of the job.
The process of chrome plating
Chrome plating is a fairly simple procedure. First, the parts are cleaned and sandblasted if needed. A 'reverse-plating' procedure is used to remove any old plating. Once cleaned, the parts are buffed on a wheel until the base metal is super smooth. Any scratches or pits will be visible through the plating. You can save money by doing the preparation work yourself.
Once the parts are ready to be plated, they are hung by copper wires and dipped into two vats of degreasers / cleaners, rinsed, and then dipped into a vat of copper-plating. The copper allows the chrome to stick to the underlying metals. Next, the parts sit in a nickel vat to build up thickness. Finally, the parts are rinsed in water before going for a dip in the chrome vat. When dried, the newly plated chrome parts are polished to an impressive shine.
Re-plating
Almost all restoration projects require re-plating on certain parts. Vehicles made from the 1950s to the 1970s featured shiny chrome plating on the exterior and interior trim, completed with a hexavalent process. Over time, these finishes get scratched and damaged to the point where they need to be replaced. The problem with this is that the new chrome plating may not match the old parts, as today a different (and less toxic) method of chrome plating is used. The new process, called trivalent plating, produces chrome that is slightly darker with a brownish tint, compared to the lighter, bluish tint of hexavalent plating. But unless the chrome parts are held side-by-side, you won't notice the difference. It's very hard to find body shops that still do hexavalent chrome plating.
Chrome care
While the chrome plating on your big-block Chevy may look tough, chrome-plated parts are actually not that durable. Plating needs tender loving care or else it will discolor, tarnish or even flake off. Take care of your chrome with the following tips, and it will look shiny for years to come:
- Avoid using any harsh cleaners or abrasive materials when cleaning.
- Wash plated parts by hand with mild soap and water.
- Do not buff chrome plating or use excessive wax coatings because this could damage the finish.
- Small scratches should be touched up using clear paint to prevent corrosion.
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