Good Quality Chrome Parts, Where to Get'em - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

*lakeroadster* · 11-02-2009, 08:15 PM

Looking to buy a chrome grille and chrome front bumper for my '65.

For those of you that have bought these:

A) where did you get them,
B) did you buy them recently and
C) are you happy with the quality of the parts you received?

Thanks in advance.......

terd ferguson · 11-02-2009, 08:53 PM

The best quality chrome I've seen is old factory pieces. Every repop chrome piece I've seen in person has started to rust after a year or two. I can't remember which one, but one of the catalog places had bumpers "guaranteed for life".

My philosophy is to only buy old factory pieces. For right now, they won't look as good as a repop. But they'll look better than the repop will in two years.

63 & 64 Bowties · 11-02-2009, 09:08 PM

Actually, I have a LMC bumper that's been on my 65 K-10 for at least 7 or 8 years that still looks brand new. It was their "premium chrome" whatever that means. If I remember right, it's about $50 more than the standard chrome bumper.

terd ferguson · 11-02-2009, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Actually, I have a LMC bumper that's been on my 65 K-10 for at least 7 or 8 years that still looks brand new. It was their "premium chrome" whatever that means. If I remember right, it's about $50 more than the standard chrome bumper.

The "regular" ones will rust up. I've never seen a premium bumper in person. Good to know that they're good quality.

watahyahknow · 11-02-2009, 09:40 PM

in the old days they had better chemicals to clean the metal and they used thinker chrome .
theve chromed a toyota landcruiser here once and they told us they used gold plating for the last verry thin layer to bring up a better gloss and prevent rust .
the maker of that story and owner of the carmagazine chrome and flames was french and allways considered excentric so he might as whell sucked the goldplate story out of his tumb , might be a nice thing to ask a plater though

mbgmike · 11-04-2009, 08:15 AM

Actually the chemicals to clean steel before plating have not changed a lot and if anything they are better. The So called Premium bumpers sold by LMC are the same bumpers we sell as our regular bumper. Re-plating a factory bumper is the best way but it does cost. It also depends on the shop. The aftermarket bumpers have a lot more quality control then some of the plating shops. We use a company here that also does the work for a British Bike Shop.
Their customers are so picky on the restoration of the plating so we use the same outfit. Their are many great plating shops in the US and alot of crap ones. If you want the best it will cost.
Even with the Premium bumpers we have had some returns lately. Three this year so far which is not bad. Mainly the outer chrome layer flaked off around the bolt hole.

watahyahknow · 11-04-2009, 01:11 PM

the teutels from occ are allways verry happy with there chromer forgot there name though

11-02-2009, 08:15 PM	#1
lakeroadster Account Suspended Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: High Plains of Colorado Posts: 2,485	Good Quality Chrome Parts, Where to Get'em Looking to buy a chrome grille and chrome front bumper for my '65. For those of you that have bought these: A) where did you get them, B) did you buy them recently and C) are you happy with the quality of the parts you received? Thanks in advance....... Last edited by lakeroadster; 11-02-2009 at 08:16 PM.

11-02-2009, 08:53 PM	#2
terd ferguson Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Concord, NC Posts: 531	Re: Good Quality Chrome Parts, Where to Get'em The best quality chrome I've seen is old factory pieces. Every repop chrome piece I've seen in person has started to rust after a year or two. I can't remember which one, but one of the catalog places had bumpers "guaranteed for life". My philosophy is to only buy old factory pieces. For right now, they won't look as good as a repop. But they'll look better than the repop will in two years. __________________ "I never apologize. I'm sorry, but that's just the way I am." - Homer J. Simpson 1955 2nd Series Chevy "King Of Trucks"

11-02-2009, 09:08 PM	#3
63 & 64 Bowties and a few others Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 5,638	Re: Good Quality Chrome Parts, Where to Get'em Actually, I have a LMC bumper that's been on my 65 K-10 for at least 7 or 8 years that still looks brand new. It was their "premium chrome" whatever that means. If I remember right, it's about $50 more than the standard chrome bumper. __________________ Bill US Army Vet -193rd Infantry BlueRidgeMuscleCars.com “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” Gandhi

11-02-2009, 09:40 PM	#5
watahyahknow Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: the netherlands europe Posts: 4,335	Re: Good Quality Chrome Parts, Where to Get'em in the old days they had better chemicals to clean the metal and they used thinker chrome . theve chromed a toyota landcruiser here once and they told us they used gold plating for the last verry thin layer to bring up a better gloss and prevent rust . the maker of that story and owner of the carmagazine chrome and flames was french and allways considered excentric so he might as whell sucked the goldplate story out of his tumb , might be a nice thing to ask a plater though __________________ i got a job again and having fun at it too idea's for the trucks and the order of things to do are taking shape and get closer to being realized , a few more months and i be able to start building for real i complete 2 of the trucks intoo running fashion one custom and one basicly stock the thirth will be sacrificed for parts

11-04-2009, 08:15 AM	#6
mbgmike Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Pasadena,Tx /Pto Pta DR Posts: 5,415	Re: Good Quality Chrome Parts, Where to Get'em Actually the chemicals to clean steel before plating have not changed a lot and if anything they are better. The So called Premium bumpers sold by LMC are the same bumpers we sell as our regular bumper. Re-plating a factory bumper is the best way but it does cost. It also depends on the shop. The aftermarket bumpers have a lot more quality control then some of the plating shops. We use a company here that also does the work for a British Bike Shop. Their customers are so picky on the restoration of the plating so we use the same outfit. Their are many great plating shops in the US and alot of crap ones. If you want the best it will cost. Even with the Premium bumpers we have had some returns lately. Three this year so far which is not bad. Mainly the outer chrome layer flaked off around the bolt hole.

11-04-2009, 01:11 PM	#7
watahyahknow Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: the netherlands europe Posts: 4,335	Re: Good Quality Chrome Parts, Where to Get'em the teutels from occ are allways verry happy with there chromer forgot there name though __________________ i got a job again and having fun at it too idea's for the trucks and the order of things to do are taking shape and get closer to being realized , a few more months and i be able to start building for real i complete 2 of the trucks intoo running fashion one custom and one basicly stock the thirth will be sacrificed for parts



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