Documentation for start of chrome plating

[alsfarms]

I heard that Cadillac and LaSalle switched from Nickel plating to chrome plating for 1929.

Can anyone provide a document from GM that supports that conversion to chrome from nickel for the model year 1929, (or for that matter when that change took place if not for 1929) I am sure the change from Nickel to Chrome took place quickly to all automobile manufacturers.

Al

Edited November 7, 2023 by alsfarms
Clarity (see edit history)

[Steve Moskowitz]

Oldsmobile introduced chrome plated radiator shells in 1926( actually in late 1925)  They were sued by American Chromium but lost in court as Olds proved they had the patent on it first.  The first use required a manual process and in 1929 Olds switched to an automated system for plating. I will see if we have anything in our library about Cadillac's use of chrome.  I suspect we should have something.

 

I forgot, I have one of the original chrome shells that were a display item at Olds.  I saved it from being junked.

[alsfarms]

Thanks Steve,

I think this subject has been spoken of many times in the past. However, I think most of the relevant conversations have been based on "here say". I would certainly enjoy hearing of some very specific documentation on this subject so we can base our conversations on pure factual history and not "here say, he say, I heard, I think" on this subject.

Thanks again....

Al

[Norman Biggs]

My 37 Pontiac has a fragile grill.  I have considered using shiny nickel for cost savings.  This is a 4 door sedan and is not intended to win shows.  Thoughts?

[alsfarms]

This is my opinion.

Bright (or shiny nickel) in my eyes is very rich in appearance, whereas chrome is more blue. If it helps you to protect and improve your current automobile, I would encourage you to go for it. However, if your car justifies an absolute and correct restoration, if it was chrome plated, I would chrome plate it. This very thing is why I started this thread.

Al

[Steve Moskowitz]

At to Oldsmobile I do have documentation from several sources if you need it. Was not sure if you were looking specifically for Cadillac info but should have that soon.

 

I have owned nickel cars and had the nickel clear coated after my first one.  From my experience, nickel is a far bigger pain to keep shiny then brass.  Some guys who did not want to use chrome have gone to German silver.  

[alsfarms]

German Silver is nice but it also takes effort to keep it's rich beauty showing. Did you have good success with clear boat on your Nickel trim items?

Al

[alsfarms]

Yes, the Oldsmobile information is also valuable to me as Olds is a big part of early GM. Oakland, Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Chevrolet, LaSalle and Cadillac all transitioned from Nickel to Chrome. I am just curious as to when. Chrysler Ford and other independents likely followed in an effort to keep up with the modern trend towards Chrome at a close time frame.

Al

[George Rohrbach]

Studebaker switched to Chrome for 1929. All models except the Erskine.

[Stude Light]

3 hours ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

From my experience, nickel is a far bigger pain to keep shiny then brass. 

Really??!! Brass will start looking tarnished after 6 months just sitting in your garage. You need to be polishing on it within a year to avoid a lot of work. My nickel car....after 6 years I decided it was at about 80% luster so I gave it a light buffing with Flitz and it was like jewelry again and it didn't take much effort.

 

I personally prefer the buttery look of nickel over the bluish chrome color but chrome is a better plating (harder and doesn't tarnish). Many folks don't realize that to chrome plate you start with copper, then nickel, then chrome so it is just one more step after nickel plating. All the work and cost in plating is in the preparation and polishing, not in the plating itself.

[Lee H]

19 minutes ago, Stude Light said:

Really??!! Brass will start looking tarnished after 6 months just sitting in your garage. You need to be polishing on it within a year to avoid a lot of work. My nickel car....after 6 years I decided it was at about 80% luster so I gave it a light buffing with Flitz and it was like jewelry again and it didn't take much effort.

 

I personally prefer the buttery look of nickel over the bluish chrome color but chrome is a better plating (harder and doesn't tarnish). Many folks don't realize that to chrome plate you start with copper, then nickel, then chrome so it is just one more step after nickel plating. All the work and cost in plating is in the preparation and polishing, not in the plating itself.

The difference may be in where you live. As I understand it, brass tarnish is largely the effect of atmospheric humidity. Nickel tarnish, on the other hand, is influenced by atmospheric pollutants (namely sulfur compounds) found in industrial areas. I live in a rural river valley with relatively clean air but high humidity, and my nickel looks good 10x longer than brass.

[Gary_Ash]

About 1946, the process for electroless nickel plating was developed.  This produces a uniform coating over the whole surface, edges, and into holes without needing a DC power supply and anode.  Later, about 1959, various other formulas were found for very hard and shiny deposits of nickel, about as bright as chrome. Electroless nickel is very resistant to corrosion, is good outside. While few shops want to do copper/nickel/chrome electroplating these days, it may be easier to find shops doing electroless nickel.  The real problem is disposing of the chrome plating solutions, though nickel also presents some problems. 

 

However, much of the beauty of chrome is due to multiple depositions of copper to fill the pits followed by buffing. This would still be required for a deposition of electroless nickel if you want it to be really smooth.  Pay me now, or pay me later, as the old ads used to say. 

[Steve Moskowitz]

Al, I will get you some of the Olds documentation and send it in a PM.(sent)

 

All I can say that my nickel cars were in the Midwest and always seem to "cloud over".  I mostly used Simichrome as a polish. Ah, my brass has never needed polishing since I am lazy and had them clear coated as well.  Rick Britten In Michigan did all the work and to this day everything looks great.

[Mark Shaw]

On 11/7/2023 at 7:27 AM, alsfarms said:

I heard that Cadillac and LaSalle switched from Nickel plating to chrome plating for 1929.

Can anyone provide a document from GM that supports that conversion to chrome from nickel for the model year 1929, (or for that matter when that change took place if not for 1929) I am sure the change from Nickel to Chrome took place quickly to all automobile manufacturers.

Al

Buick switched to chrome for all exterior bright work in 1929.  However interior door handles etc. remained nickel. 

[alsfarms]

Mark, I assume likewise for Cadillac and LaSalle....but that makes it simply heresay, that Cadillac and LaSalle also went to chrome trim for the 1929 Model Year.  Does someone have any documentation of that fact?

Al

 

[Steve Moskowitz]

We will try and research this for you as well....plenty of Cadillac material here.

[alsfarms]

Steve, I certainly appreciate your responses on this subject. I want to be as accurate as possible, knowing that my efforts will someday be taken as gospel, so for my LaSalle's, I want accuracy.

Al

[Steve Moskowitz]

Bottom of this article may help.  Notice it says Chrome plating used more than formerly indicating the Cadillac and LaSalle had chrome prior to 1929.  We may have more info but staff is overwhelmed with research requests now.

[Walt G]

Franklin started to use chrome on its cars in the 1929 model year their series 13 cars ( models 130,135 and 137)

I agree with Steve about the effort at on going polishing of brass and nickel.  as well as the comments about how atmosphere , humidity etc affect the surfaces that need to be polished to look good.  Living on long island doesn't see the surfaces stay shiny and bright to long . Handling the object does affect it as well.

I am starting to clean, polish a substantial collection of pre 1934 mascots I bought at Hershey now and will be doing this all winter , nothing cleaned or polished since they were new. Mostly highly detailed figurative motor meters made by companies other then Boyce.  All are magnificent works of art , mini sculptures. My back ground is in art so I am very familiar with the casting process, manufacture etc. Despite their "mass" production - this is what they did in an age/era  of pride in workmanship and TLC.

Just finished one for a 1933 Oldsmobile ( I think) wow, outstanding.

Edited November 9, 2023 by Walt G (see edit history)

[alsfarms]

Walt, This discussion about correct plating and timeframe suggests that you should share your cleaned up 1933 Olds mascot in picture form here. I form one would  like to see and Savor the results of your polishing efforts. I am guessing that your current piece is chrome plated? Here, in the DRY mountain west, nickel holds up well, yes polish is needed but not as much is required as raw brass. Even German Silver, as used by Locomobile, American-LaFrance, Pierce-Arrow and others, require some "elbow grease" to keep it looking beautiful.

Al

[alsfarms]

Hello Steve and Good Morning. I certainly appreciate your efforts on this conversation about correct plating and at least effective dating. It sounds as if 1929 was the year that the general automobile industry embraced chrome plating, at least for external appointments. I plan to archive the documents you have shared to absolutely keep future restorations and conversations pure and away from heresay guesses. Saying again, Thanks!

Al

[Walt G]

Al, I started a thread on Oct. 29 titled Mascots and Hood Ornaments pre WWII so was planning on posting photos of what I am cleaning etc there when I have the chance .

Yes, the 1933 Olds mascot is chrome plated. Not sure about the other figural motor meters as they were in a transition period and most of those are from the pre 1929 era.

I know what you speak of with nickel plating and Locomobile - another project to get back to is to continue polishing the circa 1917-18 Locomobile radiator I have that I started cleaning last winter and purchased many decades ago from Austin Clark from a storage area at his auto museum . I do have some exterior oval door handles I also bought at Hershey from the mid teens to mid 1920s era that probably are nickel plated so may show those here in a before /after cleaning effort over the next few months.

Walt

 

[chistech]

I believe the original chroming process was called “flash chroming” and the chrome plating was applied directly to the steel or whatever metal was use. There was no copper or nickel applied first. This is the reason original chrome pieces rusted o easily. The three layer process was developed later and is used not only because it’s more durable but because the copper layering is done to fill the imperfections. My neighbor is a professional polisher and his father started the family business back in the 20’s I believe. They also used to do plating. I will ask him on more particulars about the process and if he might have some books on it. 
     I was told by an old timer that the chrome on the Olds held up so poorly that there was an old joke statement that if you urinated on the tire, the radiator shroud would rust. Again, the flash chroming process, directly over the steel offered little protection. From what I’ve been told, chrome is also porous and that didn’t help with preventing the rusting.

[nearchoclatetown]

To throw a kink in this discussion Dodge Brothers started using chrome sometime in 1928 for exterior pieces. The DBC has two unrestored cars that the model was only made in '28, one has chrome the other nickel.  If I remember they were built about 3 months apart. 

[ramair]

On my 1928 Buick master 54C the headlight shells are chrome , but everything else is Nickel.

I thought that this was caused during the 1970 restoration, however I have had several Buick guys tell me that they believe the factory was transitioning in 28