Chrome Platers

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Doppleganger

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You fellas know of any decent platers still open for business? Used to be a place I sent stuff to on the left coast....near Seattle. Guy who ran it was in rehab more than the shop so the quality was either museum or wtf. No idea if he's even still open....or above room temperature for that matter.

A backup question is.....whats the quality of new bumpers? Since most everything is chi-com, my guess is they're either thin or poorly plated - dunno. My front bumper is really nice except the one side is bent into the fender. I tried pulling it out with a come along but destroyed anything I attached it to...and it never budged. Good steel. Rear bumper is painted....not sure what I'll do with that when the resto begins.

Another thing would be new handles.....I'd just buy new if I thought they were as good as the originals.

TIA
 

Craig 85

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I have a friend that uses Sherm's in Sacramento for the chrome on his '51 Merc. I called to get an estimate for my front bumper and it starts at $700 not including any repairs.

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Doppleganger

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Last time I had a front bumper done it was on a '67 1800 coupe.....which is basically a 5' wide 2"x2" c-channel that needed little to no work. It was $1500, so that price doesn't sound too bad. But I see 'new' bumpers for <$300 so thats what makes me wonder what kind of quality they are.

Thanks.
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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There’s a place in Jackson, MS that does it, and a place in Madisonville, LA. There’s also a bumper restoration place in Nashville.
 

Joe T

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Most of the common stuff has gone repop.

LMC or whoever has 2 different “grades” on these trucks. The better bumper is $50 more.
 

Doppleganger

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I wonder if their 'better' is OE quality? Then the issue of how long would the chrome stay on it. I've seen some reviews of these aftermarket bumpers as "thin as cat hair". I backed out of a new Westin rear bumper because of poor reviews.

Well....nuts. Will probably have to bite the bullet when the time comes and have mine straightened / replated.
 

Joe T

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I dont blame you. If that is the only part you need done that is of significant cost go for it.

My 87 is getting the repops including that chrome Westin you mention. Its very original survivor and that's my only doubts about it. It has different mounting hardware. I don’t see a problem with the front one.

I may check into redoing my rear chrome bumper but I dont know if that black center plate is detachable... anyone know?
 

78C10BigTen

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There is a chrome guy here in PA that my friend takes his edsel parts to but i dont know the name.
 

Rusty Nail

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I got turned onto Modern Plating after they became the SIXTH (and final) plating company I interviewed while shopping for a ZINC Chromate plated brake booster.

Na2Cr2O7

:headbang:

https://modernplatingok.com/

Edit :

I mailed the Blue Ox's brake booster away to MODERN PLATING , yesterday.
(November 07,2019)

The quote is $55 U.S with at least a one week turnaround. I told em it wasn't broken but I haven't driven the truck in ten years but it is going to be famous on the internet, no rush at all. ;)
I gave em the tracking number, and said thanks. It is probably there already. :waytogo:
 
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Rusty Nail

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Bunch of sorry assed mother fuckers.
I talked to some guy on the phone TWICE about plating a brake booster.
I mailed it to them and the fuckers arent gonna plate it AND want 9 bucks to mail it back.

Mother fuckers.

The more trouble I have installing a zinc plated booster into the truck, the stronger my resolve grows.
 
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Rusty Nail

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There's always this solution.


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We're on the same page Brother.

**** that dumb ****, i've got way better things to do. Who knew a simple zinc brake booster would be such a frickin chore? I could have PAINTED IT a long time ago but I had tunnel vision on zinc plating.
Lesson learned,hrm.

Scored the perfect paint even! :headbang:

Game over man, I am sooooooo over it already..gah!

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Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.






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Doppleganger

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OH-MI: Just like it sounds
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Bunch of sorry assed mother fuckers.
I talked to some guy on the phone TWICE about plating a brake booster.
I mailed it to them and the fuckers arent gonna plate it AND want 9 bucks to mail it back.

Mother fuckers.

The more trouble I have installing a zinc plated booster into the truck, the stronger my resolve grows.

Was the booster apart? How would they plate it assembled?
 

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