nickel plating

[Guest]

I agree that a car that had nickel originally should be restored using nickel. To add to Peter's posting smewhere else in here about Packard garnish mouldings being restored in a finish that's too shiny, the same can be said for interior hardware. Most closed classics of the 20's & early 30's has their interior hardware nickel plated - not chromed! It is offensive to sit it the back of a formal town car and have all this chrome glaring at you. The idea behind nickel plated hardware was for it to portray an essence of subdued elegance. Chrome interior hardware just ruins the effect.

[Guest]

I agree...I NEVER understood why we would ALLOW and not deduct for CHROME where it wasnt originally, but DID deduct for the wrong paint (Chuck is in for a bit of a surprise when he finds one of our older HANDBOOK and DIRECTORY "judging rules" sections....!

[Guest Chuck Conrad]

Peter, I'm not surprised by anything these days. All I can do is tell you what the rules say today. I too think the cars look better the way they were originally presented, but it seems our rules allow otherwise.<P>I also have no idea why the rule was made that "The Clubs accepts chrome plating as a suitable replacement for nickel." It has always bothered me, but I see no way to go back now that the horse has left the barn. I hope that people who restore cars that should have nickel on them will do the right thing and plate them correctly. At this point, all we can do is encourage.<BR>

[Guest]

Lets hope that the membership sets a standard of nickle plating the parts that were nickle plated and chroming the parts that are to be chrome (and the various finished in between). I just again saw a lovely 1927 Lincoln touring at the CCCA meet two weeks ago in Clevland. The car is done in ash colored nickel and is a knock out. The same car in chrome is flashy, though not correct. I recall there was a variety of finishes on our 1931 Cadillac (and spending lot of time to do each correctly). This weekend, a friend and I brought his 1936 Cadillac Town Cabriolet to a local car show. Great pains have been taken in doing the grill correctly in a combination of chrome and brushed chrome (stunning when done correctly). The first several times the car was shown, the brushed portion was painted (which was thought correct from other restored cars), though later a really nice original demonstrated the finish to require being redone. In relation, I often see 1941 Cadillac with shinny black inner fenders and underside of the hood verses the satin black you find in an unrestored car. I usually appreciate the quality of the work, though it is a shame the proper finishes are often not chosen.

[Guest]

JOHN :<P>As I noted earlier, I personally think it is idiotic that we do NOT take off for "authenticity" for chroming interior fittings that were nickle. Especially since we did...until relatively recently, deduct for the wrong kind of paint finish (enamel, etc. in place of the traditional nitrocellulose lacquer).<BR> <BR> B U T<P>It is a long-established rule, and there is a reason for it. The reason is...we have to face facts....people who spend big bucks to restore their cars, MUST consider what kind of events they are going to be displayed in. MOST events these days are PUBLIC car shows, where the way to win is to come up with the most spectacular-appearing car. <P>We know from old photographs, production orders, etc...that the classic era was a VERY conservative time. Sure, for example, the old Packard ads in FORTUNE showed cars in all kinds of wild colors. But...MOST of them actually came off the assembly line either black or dark blue or dark green...VERY conservative, and rarely did you see white-walls.<P>That is NOT going to get you very far at a public car show. I know some of you guys may choke a little to hear this from me...but we in the CCCA must show a little flexibility...even a a "trace" of over-restoration is personally annoying, but we have to live with the fact we in the CCCA with our judging events, are not the only "game" in town. If we start getting TOO demanding with quests for historical accuracy..we are going to lose a chance to look at some otherwise VERY interesting and OTHERWISE historically correct restoratons.<P>Pete Hartmann

[Guest]

As replating the nickle on my 33 Pierce Arrow is down the road a ways ,I am not in a big rush but wish to do the right thing. Ive had experts tell me to use chrome and others say nickle. I feel nickle is a little more pleasing to the eye, but chrome may hold up better. One Restorer told me that nickle was much cheaper than chrome, but the local plater said they were the same price. Would nickle be easer to replate and not lose the detail? And Peter, I love Packards also, Do you know someone who is an expert on 1927-28 that I could sent some photos to to help identify its series and year? thanks, Doug33

[Guest]

I did not add that the Packard was a dual windshield phaeton owned by my mother in the late 1920s and early 30s in So. Calif. thanks again Doug33

[Guest Chuck Conrad]

Doug33:<P>If you are going to the trouble to restore a car, it doesn't cost any more to do it right, and that will eventually pay you back. If it was nickel, do it the way it was originally. The car will look right, and you will have every right to be proud of your restoration.<P>We're only custodians of automotive history. We should never change that history. It's part of the car.

[Guest]

I went to the 100th anniversery Cadillac/Lasalle meet at Detroit a couple weeks ago. In my book, the most outstanding car there was a 1923 Cadillac touring car that was all original. It was painted dark mossy green with black fenders, original black interior, blackwall tires, and all original NICKEL PLATING. If this car had had chrome on it, it would have been ruined!!! In my book, it outshined all the gaudy red v-16's with twin spotlights, dual pilot rays and chrome wheels. By the way, did you know where the term "gaudy" comes from? I'll tell you. It comes from the Spanish artist/architect Antoni Gaidi. He is best known for his architectural works that are scattered about the Barcelona landscape. You may have heard of the Sagrada Familia, a church designedd by Gaudi that is being built in Barcelona that was started in the late 1800's & in only 1/2 done. In any case, his works were, and still are, marked by dazzling brilliance,<BR>showiness, and extravagance. The term that something was "gaudy" came from his name. <BR>A quick look at my dictionary defines "gaudy" as "ostentatiously or tastelessly ornamented." I this this definition applies to the way some cars are restored today. Using stripping colors for main body colors, over chroming, and using chrome instead of nickel are examples of this. Also, someone please explain to me, why would a car have twin spotlights AND dual pilot rays? Does that make any sense???? If these restorers tried driving these cars at night with all the lights on, the battery would be drained in 1 hour, unless they put a heavy duty generator on the car!!!

[Guest]

Your 1933 Pierce Arrow was most likely chrome plated brightwork on the exterior (unless it is a custom order car). Nickle may come into play in the interior plating (dome lights, door handles, dash pieces) and/or under the hood (nuts, bolts, spark wire looms). Chrome is a plating that goes over nickle and came to play as nickle was hard to care for and keep bright. Most cars american cars by 33 used chrome or stainless for exterior plating.