Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

[Keith B.]

Folks: While the 66 is off getting painted I took my original 45 yr old bumpers to the Chrome Plater today. He told me they were the nicest original non rusted bumpers he has seen in years. 40 yrs in the high desert of CO must have something to do with it.........

The front bumper cross brace bumper bar made of steel stock is ofcourse chrome plated but the underside of the bar is rough or modeled and chromed while the top side is smooth and shiny chrome like the bumpers. My Chrome shop states this is wrong and this one must have been made on a bad day back in 66 and should be smooth and shiney chrome on BOTH sides. THE TIMJG states, " the bar is chrome plated and quality of the plating should be evaluated". It does not speak too whether both sides are smooth or one side should be rough or course. What is correct ? I have attached three pic to illustrate this.

Plater states he can strip and re-plate as is with one side rough/course and otherside smooth but he feels after doing several others over the years both sides should be Smooth. Thoughts..........

[Don H.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Keith-
you had me out in the garage, under my car, with flashlight, looking at the crossbar on my 65. I learn something new about these great old cars almost everyday it seems. My crossbar is rougher on the underside than on the top side, which is smooth. However, mine is not as rough underneath as yours appears to be.
I'm going to guess that your bar is how it was made originally, and your plater is well intentioned, but mistaken. I will be interested to hear what others say.
If I were you, I would be leaving my original bumpers alone. But I guess if you are doing a full resto, you have to have them redone.

[Keith B.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Thanks Don, appreciate you going to that effort. I'm very interested into what other original bumper braces look like and hearing from some of our judges.

Yes, it was a bit difficult taking those bumpers into the Chrome Plater as they are in very nice org 45 yr old condition. However, I directed them NOT to take out the wavy lines, leave the small imperfections and welds underneath, and don't touch the pointy ends or tips of the bumpers. These are the areas the Judges loved when it Top Flighted at our recent NW Regional. The chrome was getting very thin though and with a brand new lacquer silver pearl paint job, new chrome bumpers is just like polishing your shoes while wearing a brand new suit.

[Jim D.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Plater states he can strip and re-plate as is with one side rough/course and otherside smooth but he feels after doing several others over the years both sides should be Smooth. Thoughts..........

There is no difference in the surfaces on my 65 bumper bar. Both sides are very smooth.

[Don H.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Keith,
I don't know if you have dealt much with chrome shops, but I have. Believe me when I say that the chances are very good they will muck up your parts despite your explicit instructions. I have seen it way too many times. You tell the counter guy exactly how you want it, and by the time the parts go through the strip process, and get into the hands of the polisher with head set on and that big 20 hp wheel in front of him, what you said is ancient history. They start polishing, and pointy ends, ripples, waves, etc go bye bye. Once they are all smoothed out, they might as well be reproductions. If it were me, no way my wavey and pointy original bumpers, old thin scratched chrome and all get anywhere near a chrome shop.

[Jim D.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Once they are all smoothed out, they might as well be reproductions. If it were me, no way my wavey and pointy original bumpers, old thin scratched chrome and all get anywhere near a chrome shop.

Stevie Wonder can tell the difference between re-chromed originals and repo. bumpers. If you want your bumpers to look like crap, which it sounds like you do, keep your old ones. I hope you would ask your painter to not paint the lower portion of your car, don't polish anything but the top surfaces and put in a few runs for good measure. Sorry to rant but I still don't buy into "as delivered" when it's synonymous with "pizz poor quality".

[Don H.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Ha !
they don't look like crap, and they are not pizz poor quality. In fact, they look great. And much better than repros.
And much better than shiney new all smoothed out re-dones, with softened corners.
But, thanks for your insight,
DH

[Keith B.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Appreciate what your saying Don and your experiences must be accurate. I have to hope for the best. This is a small two owner person shop that I have been dealing with for 12 yrs and doing first rate Chrome plating since 1975. They have seen my car and I went in there today with my printed out instructions and had them attach it to the work order. Then the owner personally took me out back to the lone plater who would be doing my bumpers and let me explain what I wanted done, ie: just rechrome them , leave the imperfections. The plater understood and all I can do is trust them now. Two of the four bumpers were dull and spidery lines showing in the top chrome. Funny thing is when the car was being judged the initial exterior team thought they were repo bumpers until I produced all the factory documentation for my 39,000 org mile L-36 from the org owner.......didn't hurt either when Roy Sinor came over and took one look at my bumpers under question and clearly stated those are Factory Originals...........

[Don H.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Keith,
sounds like you will come out just fine, and your bumpers will still never be mistaken for repros, even though they are shiney new looking.
good luck
DH

ps. you know that they can't just rechrome the bumpers. They will have to be repolished after they are stripped. That is where the trouble comes in. But sounds like you have the attention of the owner, and his polisher. You should come out alright.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Folks: While the 66 is off getting painted I took my original 45 yr old bumpers to the Chrome Plater today. He told me they were the nicest original non rusted bumpers he has seen in years. 40 yrs in the high desert of CO must have something to do with it.........

The front bumper cross brace bumper bar made of steel stock is ofcourse chrome plated but the underside of the bar is rough or modeled and chromed while the top side is smooth and shiny chrome like the bumpers. My Chrome shop states this is wrong and this one must have been made on a bad day back in 66 and should be smooth and shiney chrome on BOTH sides. THE TIMJG states, " the bar is chrome plated and quality of the plating should be evaluated". It does not speak too whether both sides are smooth or one side should be rough or course. What is correct ? I have attached three pic to illustrate this.

Plater states he can strip and re-plate as is with one side rough/course and otherside smooth but he feels after doing several others over the years both sides should be Smooth. Thoughts..........

Kieth,
Send your bumpers to me and let me send you an extra set I have that are not so good.
I am going for perfection and the factory ones were not that good. I spend a bundle on getting chrome rdone right and would appreciate a set that will look over restored.

DOM

[Keith B.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

DOM: Not sure of the intent of your message or if your just being factious but the entire point of my message is the bumper brace and whether the factory had both sides smooth as my Plater states or if one side is rough/course like my original one shown in my pics. Looking for comparison and typical factory standards for this one part.............the bumpers have gone in today to be re-chromed, after 45 yrs chrome parts get tired and worn..............

[Domenic T.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Kieth,
Actually Im not sure either as to where I was going with that, its late. But I think if it was rough on the bottom someone wasn't doing their job the way it was supposed to be done.
I love original but hate poor workmanship and have not yet tried to build mistakes in my work.
I do understand what you are trying to do and admire it. on the other hand if my car had something done the way it was supposed to be done I wouldn't try and repeat the mistakes that were made on a similar parts
.
I joke about the forman that pats his guy on the back and says you were a little lazy today and I see you cut a few corners, your work looks like hel*.
I'm going thru the expence of over restoring my car and guess I would have been fired back then for doing good work and being conscientious about doing so.
But as they say here " do what makes you happy". Also it's nice to poke a little fun once in a while.

DOM

[Russ S.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Keith, My original untouched bar is just like yours-maybe not quite as deep of pebbling. Mine also has deep scratches I believe from the forming of it. I was going to have mine rechromed but after this post I am going to leave it original.

[Joe R.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

We seem to have lost the definition of "Restore". Thought this was the site for the "National Corvette Restorers Society".

Damn computers. Every time I think I'm making progress the computer runs me off somewhere on the wrong site!

JR

[Alan D.]

Re: Chrome Plating of front Bumper Bar

Well Kieth you also forced me out into the cold. My original one is more of a satin finish on the bottom. One also notices a straight line where the metal was bent with many small lines perpendicular which must be from the tool holding material during the bending process.
The inside has lines and again lighter chrome.

Also note I lost 4pts front & 2pts rear at last show for to much chrome where before new chrome got 0 deducts. Note; the GM NOS where never any good so stay with the originals and if needed do the new chrome.