46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) Is there an easy way to tell what is stainless and what is plated or aluminum or otherwise? I'm going to polish all my stainless and chrome while I'm waiting on the rewiring job. Could anyone give me a rundown on what was generally done in these years? Some pieces are obvious to me, others, like the horn ring, switches and hooks inside, dome light bezel, and dash pieces, I'm not sure. My guess was plated, because the pitting in it. Stainless usually has no pitting correct? Would the bumpers have been plated? I'm not really trying to spend that much money to re chrome, wondering if working from 80-3000 and buffing would give a nice enough finish. They are straight and smooth. Edited March 7, 2021 by 46DodgeDeluxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobT-47P15 Posted March 7, 2021 Report Share Posted March 7, 2021 Your bumpers should be chrome plated....also probably your hood and trunk ornaments. Trim on dash, horn ring, door handles probably all plated. Normal side/hood trim should be stainless. Back in the 1970s I owned for a while a 1951 DeSoto two door hardtop with "factory air"......had the clear plastic tubes in the rear package tray. Never did bother to get it working, but it seemed to be all there. Nice car you have. Good luck on the resto work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt den Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 i found an owners manual for your car. it is in poor condition, but it can be easily read and is all there and not torn. patina is the word. these are available on line in new condition for reasonable prices, some with jackets and other items that came with the car when new. you can have the one i have for free. pm me if you want it. i also have the manual for the power steering. if your rebuilder needs any info let me know. it is for the 1953 chrysler, but probably not many differences. i am impressed that you pulled out the whole dash. nice to see a complete one from the other side. i want to put the clock in mine so now i see how it goes. the antenna for this car would normally be on the front driver side fender, so if no hole there i wonder where the antenna wire went? i think A/C is a very rare option on these cars. howard hughes had one with an air filtration system built into it. i will watch your thread with great interest. capy den Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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