I'm posting this for discussion and not to trash the company that sells them. I've been using Classic Parts for years and they have been satisfactory.
I decided to buy a new 1954/55 rear bumper from Classic Parts rather than having my original bumper plated. The picture is of the two middle bolt holes of the bumper I received. The outer two holes looked normal. The heads of my new bumper bolts will cover the imperfections. I sent the picture to Classic Parts and they checked their stock. They sent me pictures of what they have in stock and it looks almost identical. They said their bumpers come from Taiwan not China. They said the discoloration and rust, that I noted, was the copper under plating. I suspect this means it either didn't get the chrome plating or was buffed off during finishing. I was given the option to exchange what I have with another bumper. My plans are to use a very small amount of poly or vinyl (not silicone) sealer underneath the bolt heads to hopefully keep any moisture from causing rust. The bumper has a 5 year rust-through warranty so I decided to keep the bumper. The company said I should save the original shipping box if I return the bumper for warranty.
"Adding CFM to a truck will only help at engine speeds you don't want to use." "I found there was nothing to gain beyond 400 CFM."
What's with the gouges on the same sides as the discoloration and rust? I'd be even more concerned with that. If it's covered up by the bolt heads, your plan on using some sealer is probably the best bet.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Wow. New bumper? It was oviously bolted down at some point b4 you received it. Maybe thats how they are shipped or chromed or something? If they sent you an identical pic of what they stock, then its just what they are, unfortunately. But if covered like you described, no one will ever know, but you. Well i guess all of the Stovebolt community now, and anybody else who has bought the same thing. .. Rust-through warranty? It dont say rust warranty? Im sure they made the fine print to appease them, not the consumer. But whatever. Hopefully the price was right, and if you dont find it acceptable, in the future, you still can get your original one, chromed.
Here is a bumper picture from the Classic Parts stockroom looking at the two middle holes. Disregard the oily film. They are coated for protection. I started thinking about how these bumpers are made. Steel, formed, holes punched, some grinding, finish sanding, cleaning bath, drying, copper plate, drying and then chrome plating. When, in the process, did these holes get messed-up? I'm certainly no expert but maybe the bumper is held at the two holes for plating and the chrome cannot flow underneath whatever is holding the bumper or the bumper is moving/vibrating slightly in the fixture. Even with the imperfections, the bumper is still a bargain.
I was searching the net to see what people today recommend to clean and protect chrome. It surprised me that one person said chrome needs to breathe. Wax should not be used. Well call me Rip Van Winkle, when did this happen?
"Adding CFM to a truck will only help at engine speeds you don't want to use." "I found there was nothing to gain beyond 400 CFM."
My guess is they bolted the bumper to something to dip it and this is why the plating is the way it is. If you've been in one of these plating operations (and most of the ones I've seen are hot any time of year and pretty nasty), you know they have a large tank of an acid mix into which they immerse items being plated and then have to haul them out again to rinse them a couple of times (different tanks). Small items may be on a wire which goes through a hole (in the part being plated), but larger items can't be done that way. When my grille bars were plated they ran two wires...one on each end through the holes.
Chrome won't rust but it will oxidize. When that happens, air and water can reach the metal underneath and it will rust rapidly because it was stripped before being plated. A friend who did plating until he passed away always told me to wax any chrome plated part with carnauba or brazil wax at least every month. He claimed that was about the only way to protect from oxidation and he also always said to paint the back side of any bumper, grille, etc well and if possible to take it off and paint it again every 3 to 5 years as paint doesn't adhere to chrome well. He said if you couldn't remove the part to paint it with epoxy (catalyzed) paint and hope for the best. From what I was told something about the chrome plating process was changed around 1975 and it wasn't universally agreed to have improved things.
~ Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
My father took me to a local plating company when I was very young. I remember it was nasty inside, hot and all the windows were open. The unused building still stands today but it's behind a tall chain-link fence. An environmental warning sign posted in the front.
Classic Parts said that they and the manufacturer do not have specific instructions for caring for the chrome just keep it cleaned and waxed. Carnauba wax is what I'm staying with.
"Adding CFM to a truck will only help at engine speeds you don't want to use." "I found there was nothing to gain beyond 400 CFM."
My guess is they bolted the bumper to something to dip it and this is why the plating is the way it is. If you've been in one of these plating operations (and most of the ones I've seen are hot any time of year and pretty nasty), you know they have a large tank of an acid mix into which they immerse items being plated and then have to haul them out again to rinse them a couple of times (different tanks). Small items may be on a wire which goes through a hole (in the part being plated), but larger items can't be done that way. When my grille bars were plated they ran two wires...one on each end through the holes.
That makes sense. Since it's electroplated, there has to be something connected to conduct the electricity. I worked on designing repairs on the plating shop at the local Air Force Base years ago. They had a heat recovery wheel in the exhaust air stream that was supposed to transfer the heat to the incoming make-up air. When we went to look at it, the entire wheel was a heap of rust flakes laying on the bottom of the enclosure, and they were recirculating that acid laden air right back into the shop. Surprised that the guys who worked there had any skin left. LOL.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
