Looking for a friend for a chrome substitute. He is on a budget build with a 33 Studebaker and would like to use some kind of spray chrome on the grill. I have seen some new products that appear very reflective, much like chrome, but I have no experience with this new stuff and all the spray can material I have used was only about 80% reflective and quite soft, also it wouldn't take a clear coat worth a damn. Anyone had any experience on this new stuff?....Tedd Hydrochrome.....

 

There was a business locally doing the "spray chrome" and hydro dipping...they are now out of business. I don't know the reasons for their demise so it may or may not be due to the quality of product. I took a tour of their shop while they were operational and it seemed they were still trouble shooting the process - cloudiness, off gassing interactions, etc. Some of the stuff looked good, some not quite as nice as far as sheen/brightness.

The process, whether done professionally or with rattle cans, requires the surfaces to be perfectly smooth as any imperfections will be obvious on the finished piece. A gloss black base coat is then sprayed on...allow to off gas...then the chrome paint is sprayed on lightly. It's semi transparent and relies on the black base coat to help provide the mirror/chrome finish. Finally a (lacquer?) clear coat is applied to protect the easily worn "chrome".

I would be reluctant to use the spray chrome on pieces subject to flying road debris/stones as the coating isn't as resilient as proper chrome plating. It's certainly a lot cheaper, and I'm sure a reasonable finish can be achieved at home. Just don't expect to replicate triple chrome plating's shine. Also, the finish can only be brightened as one would any clear coated paint job. Metal polish would obviously be useless (and damaging). I use the stuff on my scale models but can't think of anywhere on a car I would want to.

 

Thanks for your reply, I'm just trying to help out this friend who has never built or restored anything, is short on funds, low on experience and hasn't a clue what he's getting into. I'm tying to be tact full and not insult him, but help him when I can, we all have seen projects fail on any one of the four mentioned issues.... Tedd

 

The closest I've seen to the look of real chrome, was done by a company in PA, called "Coat of Chrome". It is a spray on technique, using specialized spraying equip. I believe it is the same way they make mirrors.. Anyway, I had a bunch of interior pieces done for the Candy Gold 61 Olds I built (it's in the "projects" forum). Not really cheap, but less than chrome. You need to send him pieces that have been bodyworked, to perfection, and coated in epoxy primer, sanded to a 1000 grit finish. (IIRC, it may be that he prefers black epoxy?). The parts, he will finish with an automotive urethane clearcoat, so that is the situation with strength, and durability.