Chrome Plating Shop? and/or over restoration.

[jbell]

Any recommendations for chrome plating shops for small parts?  There is one shop in Austin (where I live) but I can't find too much info on them.  Mail order isn't a problem for me.  Not necessarily  looking for the cheapest shop, but one that will do a good job polishing before plating, reasonable turn around time, knows to plug threaded fittings and won't lose small parts.  Thanks.

[leafman60]

http://www.gravesplating.com/index.html

http://www.icp1927.com/


ICP is particularly good with exhaust parts.

[clubman]

http://www.gravesplating.com/index.html

http://www.icp1927.com/


ICP is particularly good with exhaust parts.

 :1: :1: on Graves. Just finishing up my third restoration with their plating. Absolutely the best quality, not cheap, lead times are getting longer due to popularity. My "go to" replater, just plan ahead and be prepared for sticker shock.

[leafman60]

Plating prices are very expensive. If you can buy a new part, you will get off much cheaper than re-plating.

I had the experience of visiting one of the plating companies mentioned above several times and got to know the owners. In the main office, they kept a library of books and catalogs for motorcycle parts.  Whenever they received a request for plating bids on a part, they would research what the part was worth, how rare it was, what the price of a new part would be etc, and then price their plating accordingly.  They priced on what the market would bear, not on a cost-plus basis.

Of course, you often have no choice. Many parts submitted for plating are no longer available. Also, the plating job done by a good plating company is usually better than the factory work. Many use a triple coat process that involves, copper, nickel and chrome.  The copper layer is the key since it can be polished to a very fine finish so that the final chrome coat looks as smooth as calm water. Many factory plating jobs do not use the copper layer.

[leafman60]

By the way-


This topic brings me to an issue I have many thoughts about - over-restoration.

When doing a bike or car restoration, should one try to capture the essence of the original build or produce the best work by today's refinishing standards which typically exceed the original quality?

I've been in many auto museums and seen antique automobiles that have been restored with impeccable chrome and wet-looking clear-coated paint. They look fake to me! These vehicles never looked like that in "real life!"

Ditto for motorcycles.

One of the most egregious practices is the fashion of clear-coating the polished aluminum cases of classic British motorcycle engines. Of course, wet-look chrome and base coat/clear coat paint are also popular on bike restorations.

The kicker is this.  I've been to antique car and bikes shows where these "over restored" machines beat out the more homely-done originals in competition for trophies!

Check out the bikes shown at the Quail Gathering at Pebble Beach each year.

Is restoration work like horsepower where too much is just about right???

[John Ulrich]

A chrome shop works to show standards vs production standards used by manufacturers years ago.  A few new OEM Guzzi pieces I sent out to be redone because they looked "crummy" next to show chromed pieces.

[Chuck in Indiana]

By the way-


This topic brings me to an issue I have many thoughts about - over-restoration.

When doing a bike or car restoration, should one try to capture the essence of the original build or produce the best work by today's refinishing standards which typically exceed the original quality?

I've been in many auto museums and seen antique automobiles that have been restored with impeccable chrome and wet-looking clear-coated paint. They look fake to me! These vehicles never looked like that in "real life!"

Ditto for motorcycles.

One of the most egregious practices is the fashion of clear-coating the polished aluminum cases of classic British motorcycle engines. Of course, wet-look chrome and base coat/clear coat paint are also popular on bike restorations.

The kicker is this.  I've been to antique car and bikes shows where these "over restored" machines beat out the more homely-done originals in competition for trophies!

Check out the bikes shown at the Quail Gathering at Pebble Beach each year.

Is restoration work like horsepower where too much is just about right???

David, you've hit on a sore spot with me. I totally dislike over restorations. To me, a restoration should be like it came from the factory, not "better."
When I built the Great Lakes for Paul, he said he wanted it to look like an antique. I asked him if he was sure about that.. they weren't shiny, didn't have Phillips screws, modern instruments, etc. Fortunately, antique airplane people must agree with me.  It won "outstanding antique" at the second biggest airshow/fly in in the country. The only antique parts were the engine and the driver.
Case in point. My current and last antique airplane project came from a museum. It had really shiny polyurethane paint,  and these ridiculously over done velour covered seats.
1-005 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr
Looking at the one original 1930 factory drawing available, the seat frame was made from 1 1/2" square spruce covered by #7 duck.  Ripping all that crap off is next on the schedule.
I already have all the shiny stuff off the airframe, and have been restoring it properly for about 6 months now.
Artsy foto..
2016-03-08_02-59-06 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr
The instrument panel is set up for instruments that hadn't even been invented yet. That's gotta go, too.

[leafman60]

I agree, Chuck.

[boatdetective]

I've got a friend who restores cars that win Pebble Beach- quite literally.  They are very aware of over restoration. He's mentioned that the paint jobs are not even considered- it's just expected that the finish is perfect. The whole market has gone away from lacquer and accepts the new polyurethane paints - you can't expect someone to spend millions of dollars in restoration and then tell them they need to use an inferior, fragile finish.   Some of the details they look for are interesting. He mentioned how Italian coachwork typically was aluminum hand hammered into wooden molds. As a result, the judges run their hands up inside wheel wheels to feel for hammer marks. Another point was fiberglass hoods and trucks on older Porsche race cars and GT40s. The panels were relatively thin and made from light cloth. They look to see if the original light cloth was used and they take points off in there are no resin goobers!

Getting back to chrome. I used two different palters for my boat- and you can tell the difference. Quality triple plate is deep and "blue".

[jbell]

Thanks for the info.  I am not in the business of show bikes, just doing home grown rideable old bikes.  I definitely agree about over restoration but can understand not wanting to spray lacquer on a five or six figure resto job.  I've seen arguments over thread per inch counts in upholstery stitching.  Just not my thing.

[TodkaVonic]

I used Badger Metal Finishing. It's near Milwaukee, WI.

They quoted me a price based on some photos I sent of the parts I wanted plated and then asked for a bit more once the parts arrived at their shop. I found that distasteful.

The turn-around time was about 6 weeks and the parts look terrific, so all in all I'm content.

[leafman60]

Yesterday, I happened to see one of the Barrett-Jackson auto auction programs on television. 

They rolled out several 70's muscle cars.  I saw a Camaro and Dodge Challenger and several others. The super-high-gloss paint and chrome made these cars look weird to me.  The only word I can find to describe the look for me is "fake."

These vehicles never looked this way.  In fact, no production vehicle today looks that way. I just purchased a new Tahoe
and it doesn't look that way.  These over-restored cars look like they're made out of plastic or something.

[giusto]

Never been a fan of that kind of restoration.
I like original paint, and chrome...I'll take a bike cleaned up in it's original condition every time over any re-paint-chrome bike.
Trendy description now is "patina"  (dictionary= a green or brown film on the surfaces of bronze or similar metals produced by oxidation over a long period) To each his own. My good friend Charlie has been restoring Harleys for many many years...he will search and wait years to find a correct part in original condition before painting or re-plating...his bikes are perfect...every nut and bolt. I'm glad I met him when I was really getting into old bikes...though I had similar sentiment for original conditions brought on buy many years buying, trading and selling vintage guitars/stringed instruments.

[canuck750]

David, you've hit on a sore spot with me. I totally dislike over restorations. To me, a restoration should be like it came from the factory, not "better."
When I built the Great Lakes for Paul, he said he wanted it to look like an antique. I asked him if he was sure about that.. they weren't shiny, didn't have Phillips screws, modern instruments, etc. Fortunately, antique airplane people must agree with me.  It won "outstanding antique" at the second biggest airshow/fly in in the country. The only antique parts were the engine and the driver.
Case in point. My current and last antique airplane project came from a museum. It had really shiny polyurethane paint,  and these ridiculously over done velour covered seats.
1-005 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr
Looking at the one original 1930 factory drawing available, the seat frame was made from 1 1/2" square spruce covered by #7 duck.  Ripping all that crap off is next on the schedule.
I already have all the shiny stuff off the airframe, and have been restoring it properly for about 6 months now.
Artsy foto..
2016-03-08_02-59-06 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr
The instrument panel is set up for instruments that hadn't even been invented yet. That's gotta go, too.

I agree with your view on restorations, keep it as it came from the factory.

Of course I have not followed that maxim on my Eldorado rebuild as a lot of what I have done is non-stock but I do like modern (ish) disc brakes, electrical, tires etc...  But Eldorado's are not particularly rare, nor will they command the prices of the early Tonti Sport or LeMans bikes, at least that's how I justify messing about with the originality of it. As for the rarer beasts I think they deserve to be returned to how they left the gates at Mandelo.

[leafman60]

Never been a fan of that kind of restoration.
I like original paint, and chrome...I'll take a bike cleaned up in it's original condition every time over any re-paint-chrome bike.
Trendy description now is "patina"  (dictionary= a green or brown film on the surfaces of bronze or similar metals produced by oxidation over a long period) To each his own. My good friend Charlie has been restoring Harleys for many many years...he will search and wait years to find a correct part in original condition before painting or re-plating...his bikes are perfect...every nut and bolt. I'm glad I met him when I was really getting into old bikes...though I had similar sentiment for original conditions brought on buy many years buying, trading and selling vintage guitars/stringed instruments.

Ditto

[Gliderjohn]

I used Graves back in 1989 on my T--3. All the rechrome still looks great. :1:
GliderJohn

[tris]

Not pointing any fingers here - but generally the whole subject of under/over restoration or customisation puzzles me

Surely the goal for any of us is to produce to the best of our ability (unless the plan is to sell it - preferably at a profit) something that WE like

There's a thread running currently on this forum discussing a "scramblerised" Centauro.

Personally I think the builder took a beautiful bike and ruined it - plenty of others disagree with that statement

Overall, what does it matter what anyone else thinks 

 

[leafman60]

Personally I think the builder took a beautiful bike and ruined it - plenty of others disagree with that statement

I have that reaction many many times.

[John Ulrich]

Surely the goal for any of us is to produce to the best of our ability.

Damm right.  If I'm restoring something it's gonna be better then something originally slapped together by workers who may not have given a hoot.  I gotta chuckle when my Corvette pals replicate the factory drips and stuff because the process was sloppy when built.

[leafman60]

my Corvette pals replicate the factory drips and stuff because the process was sloppy when built.

That's absurd if anyone does that.

Still, the issue is -do you use modern materials and capabilities to restore something to a condition way beyond what was originally done by the factory in a non-shoddy way.

[Rusnak_322]

Yesterday, I happened to see one of the Barrett-Jackson auto auction programs on television. 

They rolled out several 70's muscle cars.  I saw a Camaro and Dodge Challenger and several others. The super-high-gloss paint and chrome made these cars look weird to me.  The only word I can find to describe the look for me is "fake."

These vehicles never looked this way.  In fact, no production vehicle today looks that way. I just purchased a new Tahoe
and it doesn't look that way.  These over-restored cars look like they're made out of plastic or something.

You can't use that as an example. the Bj auction uses big $$ lights and HD cameras to make the cars look as good as possible on the block.

Also, the cars that came from the dealership didn't have 100's of hours of detailing and new polishes and wax. If you are trying to sell a car to a bunch of rich guys, you want it to shine as much as possible, but they could look as crappy as you remember if those guys actually used the car like the car was meant to be used.

BTW: I like shinny stuff. no way would I ever pay someone to make my chrome look less then the best.

[canuck750]

You can't use that as an example. the Bj auction uses big $$ lights and HD cameras to make the cars look as good as possible on the block.

Also, the cars that came from the dealership didn't have 100's of hours of detailing and new polishes and wax. If you are trying to sell a car to a bunch of rich guys, you want it to shine as much as possible, but they could look as crappy as you remember if those guys actually used the car like the car was meant to be used.

BTW: I like shinny stuff. no way would I ever pay someone to make my chrome look less then the best.

I have been watching the Barret Jackson for years and the good fortune to attend for a day years ago. The night before along with some friends we watched the Friday night cars on the TV. On Saturday we then saw the sold cars under the tent. I was very disappointed to find that most of the glittering cars on the TV were far from great in real life. Poor paint and fit of panels, incorrect trim and fasteners and the list went on and on. Sure there were some fantastic restorations but I saw far too many 69 Mustang Mach 1's Boss 302's and Camaro Z28's that sold for over $100K and were a 7 to 8 out of 10 at best. Lots of shiny chrome and paint far too bright but the 'details' that make a great car fantastic were just not there.

[John Ulrich]

That's what's great with the auction world......show ponies next to pigs with lipstick.  I spent a week going from one auction to another seeing the variations of condition....I love every minute of it.  The buyers determine their worth.