?? the chemistry of pitted chrome ??

[Karl #35089]

I have one of those long-term restoration projects burried in the corner of my garage. I have been collecting parts for a few years now and after a few more years I'll probably put it together. Tonight I began wondering about some of the "new" chrome pieces I bought & what they will look like after years of being shelved in the box.

Anyhow, we've all seen door posts, bezels, grilles, bumpers, etc with various degrees of pitting or other deterioration. Does that "just happen" over time or are there (preventable) things causing it?

[Mike Yager]

Re: ?? the chemistry of pitted chrome ??

As long as the chrome is protected with a good coat of wax, this should not happen. Also, careful cleaning and keeping the chrome away from road salts, etc will keep is from deteriorating.

[Eric Fairclough]

Re: ?? the chemistry of pitted chrome ??

Moisture, rain, salt are the causes of pitting and rust. I have another car with chrome wheels that i have garage kept for years ( with a dehumidifier running ) and it's been rust free. I decided to store it outside for one winter with a waterproof vented cover and covered the wheels and now there is rust starting on them ( a small amount that can be polished off ) Dryness is the key to keeping chrome nice. Eric

[Larry Boden]

Re: ?? the chemistry of pitted chrome ??

Karl,
I have left more than one cast chrome part laying exposed on shelving in my garage for long periods of time. Mostly going it was big mistake. Surfaces that were up showed heavy signs of pitting and the same part had beautiful surfaces that were facing down. My garage is clean and dry, but, I live within a mile of the ocean. As mentioned water, and particularily sea water are evil. The wax idea is best but I suggest you also wrap your parts in dry newspaper or some form of covering and box them up until you need them.(I've noticed that chrome parts covered in a thin coat of lacquer always look fabulous when cleaned). In ten years you'll be a happy man. After working in a chrome shop for years when I was a kid I can atest to the fact that original is almost always better than redone. Edges and shapes have a way of disappearing in the replating process. I would suggest you avoid it at all cost.
Best Regards
Larry Boden

[Christopher R.]

Re: ?? the chemistry of pitted chrome ??

Factories used to put cosmolene (sp?) on parts that they thought might not be used right away. It's a kind of grease. Don't know if you need to be concerned. But if you are, smear a light coat of grease on the part before you put it away.