Has anyone chromed the 67-68 chevy grill hoops/bezels?

[jorgensensc]

I have a set of painted steel hoops. i need a set of headlight bezels still. i know I can buy the aluminum repops, but for the same money would chroming the original steel ones be worthwhile? Just wondering.
Shawn

[Spray-Bomb]

Not unless you chromed the grill trim too
It would look off balance having chrome headlight trim & having polished aluminum grill trim

IMO, I think the polished aluminum looks fine & there is no reason to chrome the stuff

But I like painted trim

[jorgensensc]

I planned on doing both headlight bezels and the grill hoops. I won't be running the fender/hood trim.
Shawn

[cdowns]

getting things chromed is very expensive!! its not unusual to get prices that are 5-10 times the cost to chrome over new repop prices
best way to know for sure is to take your pieces in to your chrome guy and find out// i'd guess those pieces your asking about are over a thousand dollars to cxhrome

[jorgensensc]

Originally Posted by cdowns

getting things chromed is very expensive!! its not unusual to get prices that are 5-10 times the cost to chrome over new repop prices
best way to know for sure is to take your pieces in to your chrome guy and find out// i'd guess those pieces your asking about are over a thousand dollars to cxhrome

You think so, really? I paid 2500 for everything to be rechromed on the Belair. Except of course the stainless trim pieces. Hmm. I'll have to call him up and see what he says.

Has anyone done this yet? Would it look about the same as the aluminum, or do you think it would look better? Would it be worth only a slightly higher expense?
Shawn

[Longhorn Man]

personally, I would prefer alluminum. Chrome looks good when its new, but after a few years, not so much. Alluminum just needs polished and it looks as good as day one.

[Livrat]

I prefer to take the steel ones and have them chromed.. Heres a pic of a set on a 67.. unfortunatley not the best picture..
I have a set out right now being powder coated in what is called "near chrome" just to see what they will look like..

[jorgensensc]

Livrat,
How bad was the damage to the pocket book if you don't mind me asking?
Shawn

[PICKMUP]

I have a set of each NOS painted steel that I had chromed. They look super. Used ones have so many problems with rust, pitting & dents that I used up an NOS set. They were pretty expensive to chrome because those thin grill ovals are a bear to buff and the labor runs the price up.
Chrome may not hold up well on a daily driver. Be sure & coat the inside after they are done to help protect them.
Aluminum fades with age and looks dull...and they cannot really just be polished because they are anodized for protection. If you polish through the anodizing, you have raw aluminum that really fades fast.

[suville]

I had a quote from the California bumper guys at the Monroe swap meet for $90 a hoop and $25 each for H/L doors but that was a couple years ago. Had a shop in Mt.Vernon ruin a set of H/L doors so its a dicy endeavor if I do it I will step up and pay someone like Queen City Plateing and am seriously considering the "chrome" powder coat, did some engine tin valve covers, oil pan on the 500 Cad and like it!

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by suville

I had a quote from the California bumper guys at the Monroe swap meet for $90 a hoop and $25 each for H/L doors but that was a couple years ago. Had a shop in Mt.Vernon ruin a set of H/L doors so its a dicy endeavor if I do it I will step up and pay someone like Queen City Plateing and am seriously considering the "chrome" powder coat, did some engine tin valve covers, oil pan on the 500 Cad and like it!

I agree. That "chrome" look powder coating that is out now looks every bit as good as the NOS/repro aluminum ones and should hold up better than the aluminum or the chrome.

[Dusty_case]

Hey livrat I will like to see how they look powdercoated

[special-K]

Alot of guys are chroming original steel pieces.It looks sharp and these aren`t daily drivers.Repro aluminum is cheaper,but not the same appearance.

[Livrat]

Originally Posted by jorgensensc

Livrat,
How bad was the damage to the pocket book if you don't mind me asking?
Shawn

At the time it was $100 but that was in 1987.. not sure how much they would be today..
I was quoted $125 from the powder coating shop to do mine in the "near chrome" Will see if I like that or not.. they should be back next week.

[Brad]

The platers around the Portland Metro area are quoting me $125-150 for the hoops and $85~ for the buckets. Rather spendy, but the price of chrome will never go down!

[jorgensensc]

I just got off the phone with my chromer guys. They quoted me 65.00 per piece, headlight bezels and hoops. I am curious about the powdercoating though. I have something at the powdercoaters I am picking up Wednesday or Thursday. I will have to look at the near chrome.
Shawn

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by Dusty_case

Hey livrat I will like to see how they look powdercoated

Curious to see what they look like also.

R/

[PanelDeland]

Just a thought(thinking on the keyboard).What about super polishing a set of aluminum ones,I mean getting them absolutely brilliant and having them coated with a clear powder coat.Keeping the air from the aluminum should stop the oxidizing and keep them looking good.(Or so it seems).Anybody know?

[special-K]

^Good thought.You should try that more often.
I`ve wondered that about polished aloomneeya,too.I`ve had one vehicle that had two-stage powdercoat on it and the clear seemed to lift easily.That has made me gun shy.It could have been a flawed application/bad batch...I dunno.But,mostly it popped where it was bolted.Like when the bolt or nut got tight and turned a bit it popped the clear.This wouldn`t matter on these pieces.The bezel screws don`t get tightened like a bolt.But,I did have a few places where it was getting little blisters in the middle of the piece.Maybe there was too much or not enough time between coats.Follow me?
I`ve powdercoated (had it done) polished stainless and it held for over 15 years.It was on VentVisors on my`90 Blazer.It finally popped around`06 in one spot.It didn`t look like they blasted it or hit it at all before shooting.
I think that $300 worth of chrome will seem worthwhile when you see it.I haven`t seen that powdercoat chrome where I thought it was chrome,yet.

[nds1968]

I took my steel grill trim pieces to the best chrome guys around Pittsburgh or at least that's what I was told and they wanted $630.00 to do the four pieces. They said it's really hard to buff the hoops.

So I went to fall carlise and looked at all the aftermarket ones and then bought the best ones. There is a big difference with the aluminum when you place them side by side. Got a great price too over mail order.

[suville]

The problem with polishing the Alum. and clear powder coating the polished surface has to "profile" to adhere to so most will not warrantee it out the door, wanted to do a polished intake but after discussing this with two different coaters decided to black powder it they can blast that so it will stick cant blast a polished surface cus it aint gunna be polished anymore!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by nds1968

I took my steel grill trim pieces to the best chrome guys around Pittsburgh or at least that's what I was told and they wanted $630.00 to do the four pieces. They said it's really hard to buff the hoops.

So I went to fall carlise and looked at all the aftermarket ones and then bought the best ones. There is a big difference with the aluminum when you place them side by side. Got a great price too over mail order.

Was that Paul`s Plating that you spoke to?They are as good as it gets.

[Livrat]

Originally Posted by PanelDeland

Just a thought(thinking on the keyboard).What about super polishing a set of aluminum ones,I mean getting them absolutely brilliant and having them coated with a clear powder coat.Keeping the air from the aluminum should stop the oxidizing and keep them looking good.(Or so it seems).Anybody know?

I tried that once... well at least the polishing part...
The grill hoops are so thin by the time I got the anodizing off and started polishing I ended up with a bunch of holes where I buffed through on the edges.. not a pretty sight...

[nds1968]

No, My uncle used Pauls Chroming for his 66 Nova. He lives right by them. They did a nice job but they were not cheap and it took them a few months to get a couple small pieces done. I got a price from two brothers in Imperial, Pa. I forget there name but a couple guys I know only use them. After that price I didn't care to get them chromed.

[Brad]

Livrat, you need to update your profile and take that '68 SWB out!