The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk chrome plating costs

Had an idea that I might chrome plate my front bumper. It is presently painted and in perfect shape. The local plating shop quoted me $490.00 plus 14% sales tax. Has anyone ever been given a quote for the same work? Anyway now I think I really do like my painted bumper!

buy a new chrome bumper for about $110.00 or so.

I had my original bumpers chromed for $175 each. I'm told the original bumpers are thicker than new repos....don't know for sure though.

We looked at this chrome problem. The shop all want about three time what the repo parts cost. The trouble is that alot of this new chromed stuff is junk. I've seen part that rusted with in a yr after they were installed. One guy told me he got a new part in a box with some rust on it, before it was even installed. I think the market is full of stuff that is shoddy, and some of the companies are taking advantage of the growing number of guys restoring trucks, by cashing in. If it wasnt for the mess and the chemicals involved, I had thought about doing some of my stuff in house. I have also been looking at just cleaning up the parts and having them power coated.

I got a quote yesterday for my front bumper. $321CAN including tax. -shrug-

Colin

Hey Bill
Ray Man is right a new bumper is $110 at www.truckandcarshop.com .That is in their 2002 catalog and they are situated in California. They also usually show up at the Monroe swap meet in May, but you'll have to inquire if they will be here this time. 1 800 CHEVY-47 is their number. Quality is always the question that comes into play. I've heard about good and bad from replated jobs as well.I've seen stuff that was plated less than a year and it was pitting and peeling and yellow already.I am going to get the new one and if it is thinner, oh well, I guess I could spray my old one silver and place it behind the new one ,and remove the old one when I'm showing it.I was going to get the guy from the truck shop to bring me an order from California to Monro ,as long as he's coming this way.

olblu, that seems kinda high. Unless I heard from reliable sources that they do great work, I'd be hesitant. Did they see your bumper? Maybe it needs a lot of prep work? The cost is all in the prep, that's where the manhours are. If you want it super shiny with a glass like smoothness, there's a lot of prep work.
I just learned all this looking for a chrome shop for the grille I recently fabricated. The place I ended up taking it to basically quoted me $15 per foot, give or take depending on condition of steel. I'm paying $180 for the grille and EVERYTHING is more expensive in San Diego (at least compared to most cities in the states).
Check around some more. Ask guys at the cruise night or swaps or car clubs.
As others said, I've definitely heard bad stories about plating experiences. It'd really suck to spend a few hundred dollars to find out the repro would've lasted as long. Do some homework on shops in your area. Good luck.
-David

Yes they have seen the bumper - it is good. I bought a repop chrome bumper for my 53 and the outside face was nice but inside was very rough. It was also considerable thinner.

Seen the repop chrome grills, will stick with my original, may have the front bars chromed or may consider powder coating, same with the front bumper. The repop grill is such thin "chrome" metal, and for $350 bucks, not worth it. Anyone have any experience with powder coated grilles?

The problem with most of the repops is that they are cheap Chinese or Taiwainese chrome plating, and the metal they're stamped from is not nearly as thick as the originals were.

If you do go with a repopped chrome bumper, one way to keep it decent longer is to paint the inside of the bumper with Rustoleum silver. The back surface on these has little to no protection from the elements, and this little trick will preserve the bemper for much longer than if you don't do this 15-minute trick. I did this to my old '67 GMC Suburban, and it came out looking great. Do this before you install the bumper, and the repop will last much longer.

Chrome cost drove me to powdercoat and I'm very happy with it. I've used it on my 50 GMC grille as well my 55.1 Chevy grille. It looks great and is easy to keep clean. Only problem is that you'll need to choose a color; the chrome powder looks cheap. I use powder on every metal part of the truck that can be removed and sandblasted. If there was a filler that could be coated I would have all of my body panels coated. There was an instance where my man failed to mask off the spindle surfaces which contact the axle and king pin bearing; I totally wore out both arms with a new bastard file before I ever started to see metal. Powder is incredibly tough.

I did buy repro chrome bumpers for the 55.1, from Jim Carter's. The chrome looks really good but there was little if any prep before they were plated. Specifically, when metal is stamped it leaves a sharp razor edge around the perimeter and they didn't bother with a deburring operation so the edges will soon be rusting. The metal is noticably thinner than the original bumpers.

I bought two repro bumpers from Filling Station. They are heavy, well chromed and look like they will really last. I secured some Chrome Polish from Griott's Garage; super stuff! About three coats and you are good to go, unless you drive through salt piles on a regular basis!
"Home chrome" processes are usually ineffective and are very toxic. Even the chrome guys are dying off because of the process.

Hey Olblue,If you want a good chrome place try www.Paulschrome in Pa USA.I have had good luck with those folks.Painted is also good,especially if it is in perfect shape.

Refering to powder coating, has anyone powder coated a bumper with success?

I know im going out on a limb here ,but have to tell you guyes im an electroplater......yes its true we do exist and after reading all off your replies id thought id add my own soap box blues 4 you all.after owning my own shop in aussie land i can understand why platers charge what they do it often sounds more expensive than exchange aftermarket parts because it is. a new part often has no blemishes or rust pits to polish out and are mass produced which means the overseas chrome shops are tooled and geared 4 the part,there are basicly two types of shops industrial jobbing,or restoration works (tradsmen and apprentice run) the resto shop will always cost more and you should recive a better job (most times) iv seen perfect painted bumpers that looked easy. Once the paint was stripped back ,pit rust city...so many hours off polishing labour is expensive not to mention you need to know what your doing, and then after the polishing it only takes a scratch or a scuff and you have to start the whole process again!thats even before it gets to a vat!

I prefer original parts instead of repros. Sparks Plating in OK quoted me $200 to do my rear bumper and bumper guards. He was hesitant to quote without seeing the parts which is understandable. I told him that if there was a problem that would make the job cost more that I wouldn't hold his feet to the fire on the quote. I did tell him that if it's going to be a lot more to call me & talk about it.

aussiechevy you make a good point. We also have an environmental problem which does raise the prices. I don't think we are getting hosed by the shop it is a costly process which is out of my budget.

Yes I have powdercoated bumpers. Beats the hell out of paint.

thats cool olblu we have same hassells here, with env costs ect - but as a tip for guys trying to get ur stuff done at an accep price , try to remove the paint before you take it to a chrome plater (they like it) paint strip or wwire buff is ok but DONT SANDBLAST the stuff your going to chrome as it actually makes it more expensive and labour to polish the sand pits out.