51BuickWoody Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 We had originally planned on taking our front/rear bumpers and a few smaller pieces to Tijuana to get chromed. However we're finding out it might not be such a great idea due to various reasons. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimm63 Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 I had the bumpers for my Riviera done by Tri City Plating about 15 years ago. Not cheap, but very good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivguy Posted March 15, 2022 Share Posted March 15, 2022 I had some motorcycle parts chromed back in the 1970's in Oakland. I haven't thought about a chrome shop in ages. I suppose that there might be one somewhere in the Bay Area or Southern Ca. It's a environmentally hazardous industry. Google and Hemmings magazine may be your friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretch cab Posted March 15, 2022 Share Posted March 15, 2022 Funny you mention Mexico. I used to live in central Mexico and had some chrome work done at a very reasonable price and good quality. When checking with a chrome shop be sure to ask if they can do bumpers. My last chrome shop I used in Florida could not do long items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted March 15, 2022 Share Posted March 15, 2022 I live in the SF Bay area too. Chrome shops are essentially extinct here. I believe what was the last shop in San Jose, closed its doors after doing my Buicks bumpers in 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric W Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 (edited) I had Royal Plating do 6 bumper overrides and 1 bumper for me for the Studebaker (linked in sig, see page 6). If you're able to get the parts to Tucson, they did a great job. It wasn't months and months I'd heard some say about plating services. More like a couple of weeks. Chrome Plating | Tucson AZ | Royal Plating Edited March 20, 2022 by Eric W clarification (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Where do you live? I missed it if it is posted. I had good work done at Faith Plating in Los Angeles. they plate many shopping carts, and you know that chrome holds up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 18 hours ago, JFranklin said: Where do you live? I missed it if it is posted. I had good work done at Faith Plating in Los Angeles. they plate many shopping carts, and you know that chrome holds up. I wouldn't recommend them at all. I used them back in the mid '80's for my Cadillac and their plating started having issues in less than 3 years. They wouldn't do anything since they only guaranteed it for year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 (edited) My chrome from Faith in these photos is over 20+ years old. Edited March 20, 2022 by JFranklin (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akstraw Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 I have used Tri-City, R&D Finishing, and Librandi’s, all with excellent results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalowed Bill Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 Plating is really one aspect of a restoration that you really need to be careful with. There are so many variables, that the process really needs a current update, regarding what is going on at any shop. Change in ownership, business focus, or even loss of a valued polisher, can change the whole dynamic of the company and the finished product. We are fortunate in the Seattle area to have two valued plating operations: Art Brass and Queen City, but frankly anyone else around here is just a crap shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingrudy Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 When I had the plating done on my '40 Buick I expected that people that did plating knew what they were doing. Not everyone. The work I had done first was two taillights, the pieces had some pitting and the plater did not repair the pitting before plating the pieces. They came out looking worse than when they went in. Van Nuys Plating in the San Fernando Valley just outside of Los Angeles did everything else I had done on my car. Five years later everything looks great. Ask the owner of the shop how they treat pitting and if they can't give you a good answer, move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 I’ve had work done by Librandi, excellent work and great communication. Also had work done by R and D, great detail work on pot metal parts. If you find a chrome shop to do your bumpers cheaply, you’ll never be happy. Theres a shop in the Houston area, Speed Chrome I think it’s called, reasonable if there is such a thing and guaranteed two week turn around, unheard of timeline in today’s world… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randiego Posted April 1, 2022 Share Posted April 1, 2022 Buick Woodie, Man you are coming to the forefront of our demise of good platers here in Southern California. I live in North Counth San Diego (Oceanside) and in the last 6 years, plating shops have gone by the wayside. EPA and State regulations have about wiped them out. Everyone that I talk to is sending their work out of state to Arizona or ? ? The last good shop that I had here in Oceanside sold out 5 years ago. He retired and I haven't heard anything about the new people who bought it. A couple of members I know, took their work to Tijuana, but finding the good chrome shop down there is reliant on someone that you know on this side of the border that has dealt with them and knows if they are good or bad. I heard of a good shop " San Diego Chromodora" in TJ, but I have not used them. What is interesting is that a couple of chrome shops here take in the work and then they send it down to TJ to have the work done. It is a dying industry here in Calif. due to the Environmentalists and the CARB (California Air Resources Board) who have screwed up a vital business for all of us car guys. Where are you located? I have a contact in our car club who just got some work done and I can ask him (tomorrow) Saturday, when we meet. He will know as he has had work done recently. The other plater that I know "Escondido Plating" recently retired due to health issues. I have heard of a plater or two in Los Angeles but not needing any work done, I will be doing the research when my next project comes up. Again, get me your location and I will try to help you with that issue. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panza Posted April 1, 2022 Share Posted April 1, 2022 I am also located in San Diego (north county) and I eventually would need a good plating shop. Somebody recommended me https://www.yelp.com/biz/sanchez-polishing-escondido I have not tried them yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted April 1, 2022 Share Posted April 1, 2022 There's a place called the "Bumper Depot" in Palmdale. They seem to have a good rep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PONTIAC1953 Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 I lived near Branson, Missouri, not too far away is Lincoln, Arkansas, Steve Whitney operates Whitworx fine metal finishing, 216 South Starr, Lincoln, Ar. 72744, phone 479 824 4446, or Whitworx@gmail.com , I was very pleased with the quality of their pot metal restoration and their high quality chrome plating process. Not cheap, but then high quality chrome plating never is. I have more pieces of my 1953 Pontiac Chieftain Custom Catalina's restoration and modification, that I will be sending to Whitworx. Charles L. Coker 1953 & 1954 Pontiac Technical Advisor POCI 2660 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 On 3/31/2022 at 6:27 PM, trimacar said: Theres a shop in the Houston area, Speed Chrome I think it’s called, reasonable if there is such a thing and guaranteed two week turn around, unheard of timeline in today’s world… It is Speed and Sport Chrome and they do good work. I used mainly Finishing Touch out of Chicago for the Chrome on my 1950 Buick Woodie. I used Speed and Sport for items that came up after I sent a majority to Speed and Sport. I was quite happy with both shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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