[joe_padavano]

First, there are two kinds of "chrome" plating used on plastic parts. The first (which is what most of these parts have) is actually a thin coating of aluminum. The process is called vapor deposition and the bare plastic parts are put in a vacuum chamber while vaporized aluminum flows in and condenses on the parts. They are then polished. Many vendors can restore this coating, but at a price.

The other method is true chrome and is usually a much more expensive custom process. The process starts with vacuum deposition, as above, but using copper instead of aluminum. This copper coating allows the normal process of nickel and then chrome coatings to be applied. The result is phenomenal but at a price.