The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk painted or chrome emblems?

Where late 50s emblems painted or chromed?
If some where painted could you take the paint off and buff the chrome underneath?

I thought they were all chrome. Maybe the PO had emblems like mine. They are nasty looking. I have thought of painting mine. How do they look?

I don't see why you couldn't remove the paint and buff them up. Unless the chrome is bubbled and the emblem had been ground or filed. Then re-chroming is in order. Or buy some new ones.

if you're talking about your 58 GMC, they were chromed pot metal, I don't recall the GMC even having any painted detail like the Chev

Bill

I have some 58-59 GMC factory emblems that are painted white.

They were offered both ways. There won't be any chrome on the painted ones under the paint.

That's what chrome shops are for...

My 56 Chev had chrome but recessed areas were painted a flat black... When I got the truck with the original emblems most of the paint was gone but you could still discern the paint. Like the fender emblems - the raised letters and outlined areas were chrome but the background behind the letters is black. Horn pad, front hood emblems are the same...

Chrome shops too much money, if they will even do it on pot metal. Clean, smooth, fill/fix and rechrome= big$$$. Chrome is nicer looking. but as they say "chrome won't get you home". Anyway the best way = watch/place ad in forums and ebay. Find the quality you want and bid. Sell yours. As far as "take paint off and buff" they painted the chrome to hide something bad. Nobody paints good chrome. You did not say but some of this advice depends on what pieces you are talking about?? Bartamos

I was looking for the hood piece and the gmc on the front fenders
thanks

My painted GMC emblem was looking pretty bad so I removed the paint, there was no chrome under the paint only pot metal, so I guess I will paint it again, due to the ridiculously high cost of chroming.

Canuck: those are fairly easy to find on Ebay. I don't think you will have any trouble finding them if you look and search every day. Also look for people parting 58-59GMC's on your local craigslist. Aye?

Hello all,
Can anyone tell me what the original paint code was for the hood and fender Emblems for a 1957 Chevy 3100 truck?
Thank you! Jon

I just received a quote from Finishing Touch Chrome in Chicago, Il. For the hood, fenders, horn button, four door and two window handles, and the turn signal rod to rechrome was "gulp" $4100.00!!! If I do not want to have them do it they charge $75 to ship it back to me. I had to ship it to them for them to get an accurate quote! Jon

are you kidding? they gave you an unreasonable quote and are holding your parts hostage? three words Better Business Bureau

nothing to do with Bad Business monster, a lot to do with foolish consumer, you expect that business to be out of pocket the return freight cuz a customer doesn't like the quote? what's "reasonable" for a specialized, heavily regulated service?

yes Jon, very foolish to ship off the parts without checking a number of other places and without finding out what REchroming costs generally - always more spendy than replacing the pieces with good used or even new repros, which are available for all those pieces .... I'd let'em keep the parts and get the repros, lesson learned

Bill

Bill,
Yes, I agree..not a smart move...
I think I got suckered in thinking with so few and small parts it would not be too bad. They would not give a quote until they saw the parts. I can't imagine what it must cost then for the cars and trucks which are made of chrome...

those glittering rigs that go for megabucks at Barrett Jackson, cost megabucks to build .... chroming is very tedious exacting work, much of it by hand, small parts are harder than large .... think of the shapes of all those parts compared to a bumper, the original chroming has to be ground off, by hand, without damaging the shape, if there's pitting they have to fill the pits first or grind them smooth, if possible - I'd be much suprised if anyone would give a quote on rechroming without seeing the pieces first .... and even with painted pieces being cheaper to do than previously chromed ones, having something chromed will always cost double or more what a new part will cost, if available

but Chicago? surely there's at least one chrome shop in CA or AZ, and surely lots of 'rod shops' around that could have said what they do for chroming .... but now ya know, and as I said, repros work fine for those things, especially the signal lever, a $13 item including a new correct knob!

Bill

Hi Bill,
I heard that Cali. is not the place to have chrome done because of the strick laws on the chemicals that have been outlawed. But having a new hood and fender chrome will answer the color question I asked about what the original colors were for them!

Thank you again Bill.

Jon

Bill,
I am looking through all the companies selling the hood emblem. They are only for the V-8. I would think there were more in-line 6's than V-8's. Know where to get a new one? Thanks!
Jon

I think $410 is reasonable for your pieces. $4100 is crazy. I would call to make sure they haven't "mistakenly" added a "ZERO".
John

bigbad,
Yup it is $4114.22.
Break down:
Fender emblems: $1258.69
Hood emblem: $792.75
Outside door handles: $513
Horn cap: $285
Inside door handles $$465.94
Window cranks $ $548.63
Vent locks $196.88
Turn signal rod $53.16

Maybe this chrome place is for the high and mighty people...

Pretty sure they could be done cheaper here in Ca. A good friend of mine has a shop in San Bruno. Every Thursday a plater from the valley swings by his shop and picks up and drops off chrome pieces. Chrome isn't cheap, but it shouldn't be anywhere near that expensive.
Good luck to you
John

Hey bigbad,
What is the name of the shop your friend owns? Does he do the three layer?

The name is Cantwell and Associates. Dave Cantwell is across the street from K119 tools on Walnut Street. He is right off of San Mateo and San Bruno Ave. He doesn't do the chroming, it is picked up at his shop. Dave does a lot of metal pollishing, welding and fabrication. He is by far the best welder I have ever come across.

Getting back to your question... I am sure they can do the triple plating.

John

Hey all,
Just got another quote from a place in California called Artistic Silver Plating (ASP). Got an estimate for the same parts for $1050.

Does anyone know why the companies only are making the hood emblems for V8s only?
Thanks!

Jon

look around here and see how many have scrapped the 235 for a small block - only V8 emblems are reproduced cuz that's what sells

Bill

Thanks Bill,
That confirms my thought...

Jon

Hi all,
Found a place in southern California that rechromes parts. They will rechrome all my parts for $1055. Hood and fender emblems, horn button, and all door items.
The rep said in his email back to me.it will be
"refinished to driver quality."

I understand the chrome will not look perfect but does anyone have a photo of "driver quality" rechrome looks like?

ALSO:
Is cadmium plating pricy??

Thank you!
Jon

aside from probably not being triple plated, "driver quality" doesn't look any different than any other quality, it mainly means they won't try to [can't] eliminate all the pits and imperfections that happen in the old pot metal emblems, if they're pretty rough surface now you'd do better to find better ones

cad plating may be unavailable in CA due to the toxicity of it, and it can be as costly as chroming - can't imagine what you'd need cad plated that wouldn't be cheaper getting new, like nuts and bolts and hood hinges. used hood hinges replated will be grief, repro ones are good quality and won't have worn pins

Bill

Cool,
Thanks Bill. hind sight is 20/20 and If I could do it over on this resto. project, I would pay closer attention to detail and take even more detailed photos then the over 700 I have right now. It is tough to do a stock resto. when you don't have all the pieces to the puzzle. Dad had the truck painted back in the 80's and alot of the parts that should not have paint...got paint. But I came up with a thought..I was looking at "Fee-Bay" and have you ever seen detailed Brochure of the 57 Chevy truck...in color? The whole debate over the fender emblem direction issue ends there when you see those old ads.
If I can find a brochure, I think that will answer alot of questions...
Thanks! Have a great weekend!
Jon

Hi all,
Got my chrome back today from Artistic Silver Plating(I will post some photos soon). Was $1150 for everything. I know we have talked about this before but I would really like to find out if anyone knows what red to use on the fender/hood emblems. I have heard Coca Cola to cardnal red. Anyone know? 57 Chevy 3100.

Thanks again,

Jon

I had some Pot metal emblems and division bar trim chrome done for my 57 GMC. After getting some prices locally, I called Superior Chrome Plating in Houston. I emailed pics for a quote and got my stuff plated for 1/2 the price the others quoted. Not 100% perfect, but very good for the money. Also fast turnaround- 2 weeks vs 6-7 weeks.

I had a bad experience with Superior Chrome in Houston and will never pass the opportunity to warn others. "Not 100% perfect, ..." doesn't even begin to tell the story.

there was a number of threads in the past about Superior's less than superior business practices - things might have changed since, but from the reports in those threads, the change would have to have been a 100% change in staff and ownership .... might have happened, someone in Houston should find out

Bill

it's the old story, you get what you pay for!
cheap price normally = cheap substandard job

Sorry to hear about those who had bad dealings with Superior-No complaints here. The pot metal they did for me was Fine for a Nice Driver. That's my experience. My problem was with Nu Chrome. Took them 7 weeks for my grill, and it was Unacceptable! Took them another 7 weeks to be redone to acceptable quality. Your Results May Vary.

OK So I think I solved my issue. I ordered the red decal stickers from fillingstation.com for a 54 Chevy. Was told the colors are pretty close to the original chevy red. I then will take the decal to a paint shop and have them matched.
Hope this will work.

I believe it is a match for Cardinal Red-a stock Chevy truck color in 1961 for example. The correct paint should not be glossy. It should nearly flat.

If the shop does TRIPLE PLATING they can fill in the scrathes and also remove dents. The COPPER fills in the scrathes and they sand it down if it doesent cover they stick it back in the Copper tank to build up the Copper which in turn fill in the scratches, then comes the Nickel over the Copper and then the Chrome plate. You always get a better deeper shine with triple plating. So buyer be where when doing plating and ASK the Simple question
DO YOU DO TRIPLE PLATE OR JUST NICKEL CHROME? I am in the process of getting my S/S side strips done as they had some door bangs on them a good chrome shop can fix any ripped or dented strips you bring into them. I have had excellent work from this shop at what I thought was a reasonable price. When it comes to popmetal parts buy repop if you can and save your self some headaches.
62Blue
Don