CAN YOU RE-CHROME PLASTIC

Old April 16th, 2008, 08:19 PM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
gabes455olds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 12
CAN YOU RE-CHROME PLASTIC

Hi guys,

I just bought a 77 header panel for my cutlass and it's grills and headlight bezels probably aren't in the best of shape. Does anyone know if I can rechrome those things???
gabes455olds is offline  
Old April 17th, 2008, 02:51 AM
  #2  
Registered
 
Bluevista's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Northeast Ohio
Posts: 4,430
Paul's Chrome Plating does that I think. I saw an episode of "My Classic Car" TV show and they were showing how they have perfected a technique to put real chrome on plastic in the same way as steel. They say they are the only ones with the process becuse they invented it.
The link is to a place that has a link to them. Their site has music on it and it always freezes up my PC.

Allan


http://www.musclecarrestorations.com...ls_chrome.html
Bluevista is offline  
Old April 17th, 2008, 05:39 AM
  #3  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
gabes455olds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 12
thanks
gabes455olds is offline  
Old April 17th, 2008, 09:10 AM
  #4  
Registered User
 
tpawlik's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Streetsboro, OH
Posts: 100
Pauls Chrome can do it, but you will need a second mortgage to pay for it! I sent them the two plastic armrests from my 62 Starfire. They wanted over $800 to rechrome both. I found CV Vacuum Platers online, they did a beautiful job replating and repainting both armrests for a little over $200. www.cvvacuumplaters.com
tpawlik is offline  
Old April 18th, 2008, 08:59 AM
  #5  
Registered User
 
oldsracer67's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 34
Check out Hemmings, I don't remember who but I had the plastic H/O emblems re-chromed and they look great.
oldsracer67 is offline  
Old April 18th, 2008, 10:46 PM
  #6  
Registered User
 
Ragtopbird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 4
Hey for $115 buck and do it at home not a bad deal http://www.alsacorp.com/products/kil...llerchrome.htm
Ragtopbird is offline  
Old April 19th, 2008, 04:29 AM
  #7  
Registered
 
Bluevista's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Northeast Ohio
Posts: 4,430
Yeah that Paul's Chrome Plating is expensive, must be because but they put on actual chrome instead of vacuum plating. I need some interior pieces done too, will have to check out those vac plating dudes.


Allan
Bluevista is offline  
Old June 18th, 2008, 08:22 PM
  #8  
Registered User
 
ottoparts's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5
Smile good plastic chroming place.

Hello, there is an excellent plastic chroming place in Auburn Washington that i have used for alot of plastic parts.with a very quick turnaroud time.. www.profinishinc.com
ottoparts is offline  
Old June 19th, 2008, 05:08 AM
  #9  
Past Administrator
 
Oldsguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Rural Waxahachie Texas
Posts: 10,008
Check out the August edition of HOT ROD page 102. There is an article that uses that process and mentions a company called AutoInstruments, probably in California. It has some good pictures.
Oldsguy is offline  
Old June 19th, 2008, 07:35 AM
  #10  
Geezer
 
Texascarnut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: So. Central Texas
Posts: 360
Check out Caswell Plating at: http://caswellplating.com/ You'll find a miriade of do it yourself, environmentally safe, plating options for all materials including plastics.
Texascarnut is offline  
Old June 19th, 2008, 07:55 AM
  #11  
Old(s) Fart
 
joe_padavano's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,259
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.
joe_padavano is offline  
Old June 19th, 2008, 09:28 AM
  #12  
car guy
 
gearheads78's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 5,656
Never used them but I have been told Mr G's in Ft Worth Tx does good work.
gearheads78 is offline  
Old June 19th, 2008, 11:26 PM
  #13  
Just the facts...
 
BILL DEMMER's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: THE GREAT WIDE-OPEN
Posts: 1,259
apparently, there is also a third method...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9mh6t0ILvE&



bill
BILL DEMMER is offline  
Old June 20th, 2008, 05:05 AM
  #14  
Past Administrator
 
Oldsguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Rural Waxahachie Texas
Posts: 10,008
interesting, that stuff went on awfully wet!
Oldsguy is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
rroth01
Interior/Upholstery
19
August 10th, 2011 06:45 AM
Flye
Interior/Upholstery
12
February 28th, 2011 12:30 PM
JimpeBoy
Cutlass
5
January 12th, 2011 06:06 AM
gearheads78
Interior/Upholstery
28
January 24th, 2009 09:42 PM
Allan R
General Discussion
15
July 21st, 2008 11:34 AM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: CAN YOU RE-CHROME PLASTIC



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:23 PM.