Chroming a '65 Cutlass Tail Panel

[Mongoose]

I haven't received any answers to this question in the "Major Projects" section of the site, so I thought I'd post this question maybe more appropriately here...

While my '65 Cutlass convertible is in the body shop, I'm having the chrome re-done and the stainless polished.

What should my expectations be for the sections of the tail panel that have the satin/matte finish? Can a chrome shop reproduce both the matte and polished finishes on the same piece? Or will these sections have to be painted? I hope not the latter... that would look stupid.

[442scotty]

I have never heard of the tail piece being correctly replated...hopefully your post will bring out someone who has had it done right...Dont let the plater grind down the matte whatever you do! Those that are done that way look terrible. I had a NOS one not that long ago that I had purchased then sold back to the same guy. (had a flaw I didnt care for)

The NOS one looked like the matte panels were done seperate from the rest. Maybe Pauls has done one and they know how?

[2blu442]

There was a post a while back where someone had the matte area messed up by the replaters. I think 442scotty is correct that it will be difficult to replate right. But the factory did it somehow

You might do a search for the thread and talk with the person who had theirs replated. John

[marinus_]

If the tail panel is anything like the one on the starfire. It is aluminum and would most likely need to be anodized as apposed to plated.

[yammiman]

...There was a post a while back where someone had the matte area messed up by the replaters...

That was me - here is the post - http://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/...-65-442-a.html - I never discussed it with my plating guy so I don't know if they smoothed the matte area out before they chromed it or if the chrome process itself took the matte out - the guys that responded to the post seem to think they smoothed it out before they chromed it - if that was the case, you should be able to just have it rechromed and the matte should stay intact....

If you figure anything out, let me know - what does chrome look like if it was media blasted?

[TK-65]

The textured area was part of the casting before it was chromed. A local shop did my friends panel and lightly bead blasted it after it was chromed.

[ALLDUN5]

How much does rechroming a tailpanel go for these days?

[yammiman]

Wow, I guess my question a year ago wasn't so dumb after all!!

[ALLDUN5]

Only if it wasn't asked to begin with. I thank God for the insight, experience and willingness the people on here have to share it.

[yammiman]

TK-65 - think you could hook me up with the guy that blasted your friends piece? - you are from Michigan aren't you?

[Snowdog]

A shop in Chicago wanted $850.00 about 8 years ago.
I said no way.They were happy not to do it because
of the labor involved.

[yammiman]

Wow, that's a little pricey - I think I had all of the chrome on the car done for around $1200-$1500 (except the bumpers) - I just need the tail piece blasted now

[TK-65]

Originally Posted by yammiman

TK-65 - think you could hook me up with the guy that blasted your friends piece? - you are from Michigan aren't you?

Yeah, down here in Plymouth. The shop that did the chrome is A-W Custom Chrome in Eastpoint. They did all my side chrome. Tim, the guy with the rear panel, had them do his for him. They rechromed it then lightly bead blasted it to get the texture back. I dont know if they can do that without rechroming it first.

This is the number

586-775-2040

And if you havent found it yet, we have a forum for 65 guys. Thats where Tim posted the pics of his panel a few months ago.

http://ultra-hi-comp.proboards.com/

[yammiman]

Thanks TK - I'll give them a call - I'm going to get back into the car this winter - I'll post up some pictures on both sites - everything is done, I just need to put it all back together!!

[yammiman]

Just talked to A-W - they blasted it PRIOR to chroming it - Snowdog wasn't far off on what they quoted me - not sure what I'll do - thanks

[TK-65]

Originally Posted by yammiman

Just talked to A-W - they blasted it PRIOR to chroming it - Snowdog wasn't far off on what they quoted me - not sure what I'll do - thanks

That makes sense. Tim told me they did it after chrome. I tried to do the same thing with my air cleaner. I blasted it then had it chromed. It still came out smooth. I later learned they were flash chromed.

[Mongoose]

We are in an experimentation phase now...

The chrome shop made a mistake, and ended up buffing out the texture in the panels. Actually, they did the piece once, and things came out fine (supposedly, but I never saw it). The chrome bubbled on an edge, so they stripped it to re-chrome it. Apparently on the "re-do" one of the guys buffed the entire piece, including the textured/matte sections. So when it the re-chromed piece went to QC... the entire panel was brilliant chrome.

Definately a bummer for everyone involved.

So now we're exploring the remedy. After talking with the owner of the chrome shop we are going to try some things before I start looking for a replacement candidate to re-chrome. The chrome guy wants our local media blaster to tape off everything but the panels, and blow through the chrome and texture the underlying nickel. I asked why not remove all the chrome, then have the nickel re-textured, and was told that exposed nickel will tarnish very quickly. He would like to see if the blaster could go through the chrome in the areas to be corrected, and then when done, the chromer would de-chrome the panel and then re-chrome it.

Ok... worth a shot.

At the media blaster, he is willing to give it a shot, but first would like to try to "frost" the chrome finish, to see if we get the desired effect. If that doesn't work, he can try to go through the chrome and texture the nickel, while trying not to blast through the nickel too.

Ok... also worth a shot.

In the meantime I'll start surfing for a replacement piece of good enough quality to be re-chromed. My car is a Texas car... so was for what these pieces usually look like, was in pretty good condition. The finished piece currently has very few residual pits or imperfections. They aren't all gone, but there are very few.

BTW... are the beveled edges immediately around the matte panels supposed to be polished, or are they also a matte finish? I can't remember now that the entire tail panel has been chromed.

[Snowdog]

I Got one from John last month.
It cleand up very well I have the 2nd one

[Mongoose]

Looks nice from 6 feet. If you're interested in selling one, how much?

[Snowdog]

Im taking the emblem off of mine to put on
my new one. Here is my old one will post better
pic later today

[yammiman]

Mongoose - any update?

[Mongoose]

no... unfortunately not yet.

ProStrip is going to try texturing the chrome... they were having a guy at a sign shop do the taping off of the parts of the panel not to be touched. He thought he'd know something by mid-week, but I haven't heard from him. I'll call him next week before Thanksgiving to see what the status is.

If the texturing doesn't turn out... then they'll attempt to blast through the chrome and texture the nickel so the chromer can strip and re-chrome the whole piece. If that doesn't work, we move on to plan C, or D, whatever that is.

I also need to check on my motor mounts (solid)... ProStrip is going to powder coat them for me... the paint they came with was already scratched, and they hadn't even been out of their packaging yet.