| In this segment of Eastwood Garage , Dennis welcomes Fred Hespenheide from Paul's Chrome Plating to discuss the process of restoration for bright work parts that may not yet be available as reproductions. Even though much of the time and effort in restoring your classic will go toward the “mechanical” aspects of the vehicle, one of the most difficult phases of restoration deals with the “bright work” on your car. Proper restoration of chrome and gold plating can significantly enhance the appearance of your classic whether it is for you or if it is an attempt to increase the chances of gaining points on the show circuit. Today, we'll look at a variety of excellent examples of bright work restoration from Paul's Chrome Plating of Evans City, Pennsylvania.
When restoring vehicles from certain eras, especially from the 1950s such as Dennis's 1956 Lincoln Premier, the amount of chrome restoration can be overwhelming. Concerning the vast amount of bright work on these types of cars, one approach may be to purchase reproduction chrome bumpers and parts. After all, this method is certainly easier on the pocketbook. However, what if those parts aren't available as reproductions? Well, even if you can get reproduction bumpers and other “bright work” parts, they won't hold up as well as a good re-plating job. As Dennis has stated previously, the rule of thumb for bright work restoration is that “you get what you pay for.” At Paul's Chrome Plating, where custom show plating is their only business, there are a variety of show quality re-chroming and re-plating services available. Paul's has such confidence in this process that they offer a “lifetime” warranty on pot metal and steel parts. They offer a one-year warranty on aluminum and plastic refinishing. They also perform parts restoration and refinishing on stainless steel and offer 24K gold plating as well.
Much of the success in Paul's Chrome Plating is attributed to the “triple plating” process that is used. With the first layer, a plating of copper is fitted to make other subsequent layers “stick.” The next coating is of nickel, which serves as a corrosion protection and gives the metal its “luster.” Finally, the chrome plating is applied which seals the nickel and prevents it from tarnishing. Another interesting point about Paul's re-chroming process is that 90% of the labor in re-chroming and re-plating is in the last 10 % of the detail. While OEM chrome parts contain about thirty minutes worth of time and labor, Paul's spends approximately three hours on the same process. You can also be assured that the parts you receive back from Paul's will fit just as they are meant to fit because they have thirty skilled craftsmen at the facility. Each one makes sure that your part will fit perfectly when it is shipped back safely to you.
Finally, Dennis and Fred offer what could be the most stunning piece of evidence of the restoration work that can be accomplished by Paul's. This classic before-and-after treatment using the grill of a 1934 Ford is a showcase for the degree of repair that can be attained on a piece of bright work that may have once been considered hopeless. On the left side, the grill is broken and rusted. While on the right it has been restored and is without pitting or breaks. The shine on this original piece is brilliant and will last far longer than a reproduction part.
So, if it needs to be re-plated or re-chromed, look to Paul's Chrome Plating, Inc. You can call them at 1-800-245-8679, or visit them on the web at www.paulschrome.com . By the way, don't forget when you are looking for unique automotive tools and supplies for your automobile restoration, you should give the folks at Eastwood a visit at www.eastwood.com .
|
