Re-Chrome work

[Tom Skinner]

Greeting from Huntersville North Carolina, after the Lowe's Motor Speedway

Show. I had my 1948 Chrysler there with the Carolina Chrysler Club.

Fine weather, friends, and show, a great Day all the way around.

A Chrome Vender came over to look at a couple of Pot Metal Parts I have

that have minimal Pitting, a Hood Ornament and Tail Light Housing.

He wanted like $480 for both with a minimum 8 week turn around.

I used to get entire bumpers rechromed for $100, what happened?

I have a friend near here that said he would do them for alot less.

He uses good Strip, Copper, Repair, Copper Nickel, and Chrome technique.

I tried getting Quotes from other Plate Shops with Digital Images, and their prices were as rediculous as today's. I am in Construction and working for alot less right now, so how is it Chrome Shop's pricing is still climbing?

Maybe I'll open a Chrome Shop - hell at those prices I could do 4 little pieces

a Day and make around $250,000.00 Revenue a year, at 20% Profit I would

make $50,000.00 a year Gross Profit for the Company after I bought supplies and paid myself and a helper with the Overhead. What a Racket.

Are Chemicals so expensive that they are causing a spike like this?

Tom

[RobertKB]

I think as time goes on there are less and less places to get chrome work done. Supply and demand. I also think they have a lot of regulations to deal with as well and that is part of the problem leading to fewer chrome shops. I agree though that chroming is getting out-of-control expensive. I quite often think of restoring another car but when I think about chrome, paint, uphostery...... I stop thinking. Upholstery I could do but not the others. I think now-a-days it pays to look for a good original or a car that is already restored.

[Joe Flanagan]

You know, this scares the heck out of me. I have an entire car's worth of chrome to be done and I'm afraid it will be too expensive. I am painting it myself, and if it works out, I will have saved a boatload of money there. But I still am concerned about how much rechroming is going to cost. And now here comes the just-throw-it-out-there-and-see-what-happens question:

Has anyone tried doing it themselves?

[1955 plymouth]

I know of a company in Paducah, KY called Browns Chrome and they do alot of mototrcycle parts chroming for Harleys. They do a fantastic job, show chrome, and they don't normally charge an arm and a leg. Not sure if they will take on car parts or not? Give them a call.

Web page : http://brownsplating.com/index.php

[radioguy7]

Blame EPA regulations for prices climbing. I used to work for Safety Clean years ago in their fluid recovery division. Chrome shops are hit hard with the rising costs of disposal of hazardous waste. Plus the plating you get today is nothing compared to the quality of plating you got years ago. They lay the plating on pretty thin in my opinion these days.

[Plymouthy Adams]

bonifide chrome shops have a lot of overhead..the cradle to grave on chemical used in the process are under HAZMAT control and must be disposed of in proper manner..this is the expense..usually more than the chemical cost itself.

there was a big discussion on this on the AACA page just lately..pros and cons of the small shops verse the larger shops..

[Joe Flanagan]

After I posted the thread about doing it yourself, I did some research. Needless to say, I won't be messing with this stuff in my garage. Anybody seen "Erin Brockovich?"

[Plymouthy Adams]

I made a similar post on another forum...the online sites kinda imply that with their small do it yourself kits that you are not considered a plater and sorta skirts the entire HAZMAT issue...however in my line of thinking any order placed to that company for a kit will get your name and address on a governemnt watch list or investigation when they sieze the distributors records..then all hell will break lose and I just don't think it would be worth the bother..of course I could be wrong..big brother would never watch your shop activites right?

[radioguy7]

of course I could be wrong..big brother would never watch your shop activites right?

Why?? The government can listen in on your phone calls at anytime for any reason, why wouldn't they watch your house as well??

[Plymouthy Adams]

let them listen in, in the deep south..we have this going for us, it is correct to say anything bad about a person if we but only add "bless their heart" to the comment..it shows a deep concern for the individual.."bless his heart but he sured messed up that Plymouth installing a SBC..!!!"

[Joe Flanagan]

Except the FBI probably hires southerners who can understand the ways of your country, no? I read that if there were ever a spill in your garage or in your yard and there was later some kind of problem, like they picked up the presence of a hazardous material, then God help you. They monitor water and sewers, apparently for things like this and some of the chemicals used in the plating process they can detect to the millionth. My own small city government can make your life miserable if they want to. I can't imagine what the feds would do.

[jimainnj]

I can tell ya I sent both bumpers from 47 P15 to Pauls Chrome in Penn. they where not in bad shape no pit just worn out chrome the cost $1631. thats shipping, tax, ect. This will be my last project. The car will be in great shape

I'll be worn out. My El Camino 79 was totally redone by the PO, at $40,000

I got it for 1/3 that price and thats the way I'll go if I ever go again. Jim

[1949 p-15]

I got both of the Bumpers on my Coupe straightened and Chromed in Dallas for about $450.00 with a lifetime warranty about 2 years ago.

[greg g]

We still have a place here in Syracuse that is going strong. They recently got a contract from The Macy's store group to do plating on retail display items, so they should be aroud for a while. Its a family run place and the son has recently taken over from the father. They did my rear bumper two guards, my tail light and stop light bezels for just under 300 but this was 4 years ago. I did not pay for show quality but they did a very nice job with which I am very satisfied.

With a new generation taking over, they are now internet friendly:

http://www.sandysbumpermart.com/

[aero3113]

Greg, I just sent them a message to give me a quote on re-plating my rear fender stone guards for my 50 Plymouth.One has a crack so that will also need to be repaired,I will let you guys know what they quote for the work.

[Don Jordan]

I called a lot of places in So California to do my bumpers and it's like they all agreed on a price: $300 each. I did it because I'm in so far now what's an extra $600. I figure it will come out of my tax incentive rebate.

I took the trunk stop light in to another place and he wanted $300 just for the trunk light. I feel confident he would do a good job. He read off a litany of stuff he'd have to do - but it's getting out of hand.

[Tom Skinner]

Gents,

I did some research.

To do this yourself is about out of the question.

If I can find someone reasonable I will gladly pay them to rechrome my parts.

Buying old cars that need less work is now more desirable than doing alot of work (read Chrome) than ever before.

I saw that guys hands at the show - burnt to heck (Skin) from Chemicals.

I'd rather pay to get it done than burn my hands for life.

Tom

[Bingster]

I also e-mailed that place for a quote just to compare it with a shop in Des Moine. It's true that by the time you re chrome your parts, the price of the car escalates past what you could get outta it. That's fine if you intend to keep it, but even for a driver, it doesn't make sense to pay a lot for chrome on a so-so car. On my '47 Desoto I am doing a great deal of restoration to bring it back up to near factory standards, but I bought the car for a driver. That's the fun, to drive it. Also as a PR device for my business. A classic car attracts a lot of attention driving down a city street!

[BobT-47P15]

Seems like the last quote I got a couple years ago from a small area chrome

shop to do the front bumper was around $350. May be more now. Need to

get back with him to see.

[Plymouthy Adams]

met up with a plater at the swap meet..he gave me a quote for a couple items and they seem realistic..I saw examples of his work (at least what was on his table) this guy is pretty much in Don C's backyard...

[Don Coatney]

met up with a plater at the swap meet..he gave me a quote for a couple items and they seem realistic..I saw examples of his work (at least what was on his table) this guy is pretty much in Don C's backyard...

How far in my back yard?

[Plymouthy Adams]

just outside of Nashville...I have his card but it is in the van and I am inside ..will have to go get my stuff out of the car that I was able to snag at the swap meet and bring it in then..will let you know by PM..you may or may not know of this guy and before I whoop his name out here..would like to know a bit more of him...you may be the bean spiller..or the crown on his cap.....

[aero3113]

They quoted me $180-$280 to replate my stone guards. They said the one that is cracked will be around $280.

[JerseyHarold]

A few years back I heard that Canadian platers were less expensive because of fewer environmental regulations and the favorable exchange rate. Don't know if any of that still applies.

[steveplym]

I think my bumpers were rechromed in 1980. Seems my grandfather told me he paid about $100 a piece back then at a place in St. Louis. I think he said they are closed now.

Looking at all these prices I think I'll go out and put another coat of chrome polish on them.