What to Do???

[its a V-12]

I value the opinons on this forum and am asking your thoughts. I purchased my restored '48LC after it had sat in storage for 3+years. It had been completely rechromed by Paw Paw Plating in Michigan, who I understand is not longer in business.I noticed a small bubble,about half the size of a thumb tack head, on the driver side grill panel.This will be my first season taking this car to the shows and I am having a hard time deciding whether to "bite the bullet"($$$) and have it removed and rechromed now or see if the bubble gets larger and repair it after the car show season.What effect if any will this flaw have on judging or on the value of the vehicle??..What do you think folks!!

[Guest imported_V12Bill]

itsa, I would let the blister go for this year. There may be more blisters to follow, if not on that grill piece then on another. The aggravation of removing the grille is enough to not want to do it more than once. Most platers will tell you two months and take six months or more to do the job. By Fall when the show season is over , take the grille(s) to a plater and he can take the entire Winter to do the job.

I would think that if a judge sees the blister, he shouldn't take off more than 1 or 2 points.Check out the cars that you are competing with and see what their chrome looks like. Even with the blister your car may "outshine" the competition .

Bill

[Rolf]

My experience says you are stuck, waiting will make no difference, the whole piece will have to be replated, and if it is a better job than the first one done, may not match, chroming is an art, I had some excellent work done on my '41 by a show-chromer in Mesa Arizona, very good, and very slow and expensive, Mike at Metro Plating, have his e-mail somewhere, or you can google it, good luck, Rolf