Nickel plating

[JustDave]

I have both a 31 and a 32 devaux,I’ve noticed these both have nickel plating on the interior bright finish window risers inside door handles dash bezels and knobs etc,it seems awful late to be using nickel was there a reason for this or was it just cheaper for the manufacturer,  thanks. Dave

[54Coupe]

Hudson used nickel on all the interior bright work clear up through 1947. I think nickel looks right on the inside of the cars of this era, and chrome is too flashy.

[JustDave]

I agree I believe nickel looks ideal on vintage car interior trim,sometimes chrome is a little to much

[Mark Shaw]

Buick used nickel inside and first used chrome outside in 1929.

[Rusty_OToole]

I suspect they used nickel on interior fittings because it was cheaper and the parts did not need to be weatherproof.

[Rusty_OToole]

Chrome plating used on exterior parts was called triple chrome. Copper, nickel, then chromium. It is possible to do a cheaper job with just nickel and no copper or chromium, sometimes called tea kettle chrome. It looks pretty good but is not weather proof and will soon rust if left outdoors.

 

Chrome parts are often stamped of thin stainless steel and not chromed at all.  Especially on cheaper cars. The more expensive cars got more cast white metal, chrome plated. The cheap stainless trim does not rust and can be easily polished, unlike the white metal parts that get pitted and cost a fortune to rechrome.

[Frank DuVal]

8 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

The cheap stainless trim

???? Stainless trim looks great for years and years and years. It is not cheap. Cheaper is aluminum stamped/extruded parts that are polished and coated. 

[Restorer32]

Many do not realize that chrome is actually clear.  Its only purpose is to protect the underlying nickel from tarnishing.  

[Restorer32]

I always tell clients "Don't complain too much about the cost of chrome plating.  Be happy you can get it at any price".  

[Restorer32]

1 hour ago, Restorer32 said:

Many do not realize that chrome is actually clear.  Its only purpose is to protect the underlying nickel from tarnishing.  

Also chrome is much harder than nickel so it does provide some protection from scratching etc.  You cannot polish chrome.  It's way too hard for that.  Those who say they are polishing their chrome are actually just cleaning it very well.

[bryankazmer]

It also changes the color.  Chrome has a bluish cast, nickel has a yellow cast.

[AzBob]

3 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

Many do not realize that chrome is actually clear.  Its only purpose is to protect the underlying nickel from tarnishing.  

Restorer32, If chrome is actually clear, why is there a color cast difference between a chrome plated part and a nickle plated part? If one compares a nickel plated part next to a chrome plated part, the nickel part will have a soft almost silver like appearance whereas the chrome part has a colder bluish appearance.

 

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by AzBob (see edit history)

[Restorer32]

OK, maybe transparent would have been a better word.

[Rusty_OToole]

Stainless trim is cheaper to make than plated cast white metal. But stainless is more durable.

[JustDave]

Thanks everyone I was always curious if it was a cost cutter or if there was a good reason,  thanks dave

[yachtflame]

From what my Chromer tells me, Nickel is brighter and shinier before the chrome goes on. The chrome actually dulls the finish slightly. 

[Stude Light]

On 2/20/2023 at 7:08 AM, Restorer32 said:

Many do not realize that chrome is actually clear.  Its only purpose is to protect the underlying nickel from tarnishing.  

Just to add some clarification to the fact that chrome is not clear. Chrome, short for chromium, is an elemental metal which is kind of a steel gray. When you nickel-chrome plate something the layer of chromium is extremely thin…maybe measured in millionths of an inch which is why it is considered “clear”. That very thin layer, that you better described as translucent, does change the hue of the nickel substrate since you’ve added a small amount of that steel gray colored chromium metal on top.

 

When something is hard chrome plated there is no nickel substrate and you get thousandths of an inch thickness of chromium which is a rather flat steel gray color and not very decorative.

 

Summary- the actual “color” and finish you get from chrome plating is all about the thickness of the chromium layer.

Edited February 23, 2023 by Stude Light (see edit history)