New Repro '51 '52 Moustaches

Got your attention with the title - as I was drawn into 1 more '51 than I expected, I begin the search that I have seen many times on here - the quest for the Moustache bar & bar ends. I search the auction listings, even consider buying an entire parts car for those few parts on the very front end.

I also notice that there are many smaller cast pot-metal parts available in reproduction. So someone (or someones) is doing this.

My questions are:

1. Anyone know a supplier of custom castings? Anyone know who's doing the repros of the '50-'52 50-70 series tail light rings, the "Dynaflow", "Super", and "Roadmaster" fender scripts, etc?

2. Is there enough interest in doing / funding a run of '51-'52 Moustache bars?

3. Need to confirm if the end pieces are the same for all, with different center sections (I can do this).

4. Anyone familiar with the path of making replica parts - as far as trademark/copyright or other rights - does GM care for "a cut" of items of this nature (especially since these actually have the Buick name cast right into the front)?

By the time one spends hundreds on what may or may not turn out to be a reasonable "core", and spends hundreds more on a re-chrome job that may or may not yield acceptable results, pit or crack again, etc., new versions of these parts may have some market, even if they turn out to seem fairly expensive. There's other costs that could be avoided like buying / transporting / storing a whole parts car (mostly) for these few parts, time spent scanning listings, working with other sellers, shipping from people who may or may not know how to pack such things, etc.

Ask on the Pre-war side, Eric. (Excuse yourself first for asking about your "modern" car)

They make all kinds of stuff over there.

Thanks - will give that a try.

If you can find an art foundry, that is usually your best bet for these type of parts. You can have it made in brass and then have them chromed.

You will have to look for the parts you are searching for, there are no repops.

They will be expensive if found and most likely will still need to be rechromed.

You want to go with a good chrome shop so they won't grind the lettering off.

As to your question 3 above, the end pieces and center pieces are interchangeable between the series 50 and 70 cars. The series 40 are completely different- end pieces and center piece, and will not fit the series 50/70 and vice versa.

I had 3 of these chrome plated recently. One was in decent condition, as far as pitting.

But the other two had some pretty bad looking pitting, and also there was a rust stain on each side, where the hood meets the fender.

My plater was more worried about the rust stain than anything.

He promptly took one to a polishing wheel that was setup with a sanding compound on it, and dressed both rust marks off to clean metal, then did the 2nd one.

His report? Fine, they will make!!

Apparently, when this happens (the rust stains) it can rot the base metal so badly it is useless.

I lucked out.

But, there is more...

All three had various cracks, which I understand is quite normal from hoods being slammed on them.

He uses a repair shop that repairs the cracks while the old plating is removed.

All three came out "show quality", at a cost of $800 each...for all 3 pieces of each bar.

And the lettering is crisp...they know how to achieve that!!

I have another decent one, pit wise, but not cracked, it is broken into 3 separate pieces!!

I am reluctant to try to get it done, since it may not fit right after being repaired.

I added a shot of one of the three I had done, which is on my 51 Super Estate Wagon.