I'd take this with a grain of salt... Chrysler has been on shaky financial ground for a long while, I see this as more of a cost-cutting move rather than as a 'green' move. Same story at VW. Yes, chrome trim is little used these days on most vehicles, but it's still a very durable finish for some items. A hint for the custom guys... rolled pans don't need to be plated...
Not quite as nice as chrome but I think it looks damn good! BTW where do you get your chrome powder coating done? Dan
Up here we don't have a chrome plater at all I'm the state so we have to make do either send it out and hope it doesn't get lost or find other ways ,on my 35 olds I powder coated all the trim and the steering column ,the bumper I made from solid stainless stock bent it tig welded the license bracket to both peaces then polished it out.
There's nothing like real chrome. That axle looks phenomenal. I think especially on a hot rod, the details are all so important. There aren't that many elements or details generally where something askew can get lost in the grand scheme. The axle hangs right off the front of the car. Everything is a focal point. Additionally, if you put together a car that is really stellar, and something like that is off, it's going to stick out like a sore thumb.
pshaw! I've seen plenty of slow cars with no to little chrome on them. The chrome ones you don't catch up to.
In regards to that kick ass, chromed straight axle that @Just Gary posted, I totally get it, there is no true replacement for real chrome, that is done very well, and polished to a high standard. I have posted these photo's a couple of time's in the past week. I had this 50 Ford hood ornament, professionally re-chromed about 20 years ago, and I had a custom piece of plexiglass cut for it with a beveled edge, that catches the light nicely, when angled in the sunlight. I wrapped it up, and stuck in a drawer that doesn't get used very often, and I had totally forgotten all about it. About two weeks ago, I happened to open that drawer and rediscovered it. WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Back then, I paid $15.00 for it at a swap-meet, and then paid $150.00 to have it re chromed, and another $40.00 to have the plexiglass cut and polished. to me its a piece of artwork, that is just pleasing to look at and enjoy. Chrome is its own reward, purely because of how it looks. To me it reminds me of Captian "NEMO'S" submarine, the "Nautilus" from the original 20,000 leagues under the sea! Your results may vary! Hell, everyone's results may vary! Thanks from Dennis.
I think your piece of plexiglass is glass, plexiglass isn’t that clear and doesn’t have a green cast. That is beautiful.
Hey @the oil soup Close but no cigar! Trust me on this Amigo, this is truly plexiglass, its got a very slight green tint to it, and this piece has fooled a lot of people that think its glass. And I do appreciate your complement on this particular piece. The chrome plater and the plexiglass people did an outstanding job on it! Thanks from Dennis.
@NealinCA would possibly quote Mark Twain: “The news of the death of chrome is greatly exaggerated “, or something like that. Looks like a challenge to @Bandit Billy. “You ain’t got a thing if you ain’t got the bling”
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old chrome should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the bright.
When I was a kid in the '60s I attended a Catholic parochial school in a blue collar area. One of the other families owned and operated a chrome shop and an other family owned an electroplating (zinc plating - silver and yellow) shop. My brother Bob was friends with one of the chrome family kids and my brother Tom was very close friends with one of the electroplating family kids. So close he gave his eulogy at his way too soon funeral. That company was teetering on the verge in the late '90s and Dave (at that time heading up the company his Dad founded) turned to a local family with deep knowledge and a host of MBA types at the ready. They helped him navigate the company to ISO 2000 compliance and smooth sailing once clear of that. I remember riding my Schwinn to the chrome shop to have a set of forks chromed. I probably was 10 or 11 at the time. Stacks of weight machines all over the property. A big client then was the Universal Weight machine, a pioneering weight lifting machine. Both plating companies are still in business today in Commiefornia. I'm sure both companies have transformed completely several times to remain viable. At one point a vending machine company based here had truckloads of machine parts electroplated, but they are no longer. The chrome company is celebrating 60 years in business long past its relationship with the Universal Weight machine folks. Here is to fortitude and the entrepreneurial spirit. Have faith.
Chrome has a lot more uses than just for beatification of parts . Here’s a hydraulic cylinder ram that the modern chrome job has failed . In Agriculture machinery the hydraulic rams are out in the weather. When the chrome fails and the ram starts to rusting it’s not good . The rust rips the seals and then there’s a leak . Heavy equipment hydraulic cylinders have the same issues . So which is worse for the environment? Chemicals used to chrome stuff or hydraulic oil leaking out on to the ground?
Very good point. I sold hydraulic equipment for 38 years and you are so right. Cylinders are often chromed in the bore as well as the rods. A rusty, rough, pitted cylinder rod is a recipe for big leaks.
For my '29 I splurged and spent (for me) a lot of money on chrome and polished SS suspension parts, as opposed to my '34 which was all black. The axle is from Speedway, found in their "garage sale" section, the spring is a chromed Posie's Super Slide, the perches are SS, as are the steering rods, Panhard bar and it's brackets. The radius rods I scored on eBay from a guy in the Detroit area who had several sets he said had "second" quality chrome. That have some grinding marks that didn't get polished out, I put them to the inside. Problem solved. I LIKE all the bling, but honestly after a couple years I don't like it any better than the detailed and painted suspension parts I had on the '34, and, the spring is rusty from getting salty sand on it at the beach. Ah, the price we pay...
Does anyone know where my '38 coupe from the '60s is? Every piece of metal inside was chrome. Cost $100. Black TJ upholstery $60. It may be out there somewhere near NorCal. Wasn't the best chrome an old guy is Pittsburg Ca did it in a little shop in his back yard.
Well, there are still some good, talented chrome platers out there! Just got my pot metal vent window housings back from Super Chrome in Asbury Park, NJ. They did a great job in platting the housings that I cut and welded for my chopped Olds-Mad. When I did my 55, back in 84, I had a great welder do the welding, and I tried 4 different local platers, and none did a good job. Super Chrome did! Can't be happier!
And all this time, I have been under the impression that shabby, faded paint, along with neglected and rusty chrome were desirable to achieve the trendy "patina" look...
The Jalopy Journal
