Customs Is there such a thing as PURPLE CHROME?? I'll explain!

John , thank you!! i just talk to dave richey over there and he handles specialty stuff and hes sending me pics of purple chrome wheels. 75$ for both, unfortunately theres a set up fee so that's why its a little pricey! But its worth it!!!

 

I love these!!

 

Dupli-Color has a product just for painting chrome called "Metal Cast"

 

I should think a powdercoated translucent tint over modern chrome repro stuff might actually make the chrome last a bit longer than it usually does?

 

I just used it yesterday for my air tank!! LOL!!! ITS PRETTY COOL!!

 

I know that wheel! Jake is on here from time to time, he's kinda busy though.

 

As far as I know, the only color variation attainable in actual chromium plating is black chrome, which is cause by an additive in the chromic acid solution. Any other color is a tint applied over the chromium plating.

IMHO, anything that isn't actual chrome plating, but still says it's some form of chrome with a prefix or suffux, is misleading.


Anodize is a completley different process unrelated to chrome plating. It can be made in many different colors, but only over aluminum for decorative purposes. It is a very durable coating.

 

Cosmic chrome. They have alot of different tints. Blue, chrome, red, yellow, etc.....I believe thats what the green is on the wheels of that 54.

 

Spectra Chrome is the stuff you want. Not real chrome but looks like. it also comes in 6 or 7 colors. I am buying the equipment as I write this. check out their web site. http://www.spectrachrome.com/. they have the color u want.

 

dope thread !

 

Just to throw a wrench into things, my '52 Chevy coupe (which was first customized in the '50s) had blue-chrome garnish moldings and I remember another custom from way back having some green-chrome interior trim pieces. The colour was super subtle and not nearly as recognizable as black chrome. It was almost like it reflected a bit more of the blue than the other colours if that makes any sense. God, I wish I had some pics. Gist of the story is ...they could do it at one time, so maybe someone out there could still do it. Keep looking!

-Dave

 

Ian I just got back from Andrews Powder Coating in Chatsworth. They do some crazy shit. They can powdercoat transparent candies over chrome-like/polished silver bases and they come out badass! They just did a bicycle frame in a purple pearl with a black candy over it. It looked amazing and durable as hell. I'm thinking about this for my caps. Talk to Scott or TC, both very cool guys. Or hit up Dave(jivindave). He's a hamber and he works there. powdercoater.com John's guy in Huntington sounds like a great option. But its worth a try to call APC and see what their price is. Keep it in the SFV.

I dont know if you ever saw the bullet caps I used to run on my Olds before the Radirs. They were chrome and I did a candy blue fade on them with duplicolor Metalcast paint. It went right over the chrome. That shit lasted a couple years with very minimal chipping. It was cool for a while. But the next thing I do is going to be more durable, like powdercoat.

Edit: Opps just went back a page and saw that you already used the Metalcast stuff on your tank. Here's mine anyways.

 

Thanx guys for adding to this thread!!! colored chrome is definitely cool and different and it seems a lot of people VVanna knoVV more about the options and different methods used, thanx for all the help!! SPECTRACHROME is expensive right???

Eryk, im gonna call them this morning!! That John guy NEVER got back to me and i emailed him tVVice..... FUCK HIM!!! Im gonna keep it in the SFV for sure......I hate to do anything out of the valley!!

 

No worries dude. Talk to Scott or TC. Tell them that Eryk just had his bicycle frame and tank done a couple days ago. They're really nice guys who dig customs.

 

Talk to scott, nice guy, im gonna bring him my pieces this vveek!!

Thanx man!!

 

I seen a lot of chromed exhaust pipes that take on a purple or blue cast near the cylinders. I assume that when the chrome surface gets up to 700 degrees F or more that a thin layer of chromium oxide forms that is just the right thickness to reflect (interfere with) blue or purple light waves.

The trick would be to find the right temperature and the right amount of time to 'bake' chrome to get the intended color. The second trick would be to get the color uniform over a relatively large area.

Chromium oxide is a lot harder than any paint, but the downside would be that... rub too hard and the blue or purple is gone, and you are back to shiny 'silver' chrome.

Piper106