Chrome Polishing Question

[AidanT]

At what point is chrome past the point where it can be polished back to a smooth surface?. I have attached some pics of my front bumper which I have been adding elbow grease to but am now questioning if either I purchase a polishing machine or give up and get it re-chromed. (Backs are in good condition)

The below pic is after an hour of polishing with a well known metal polish

 

All and any other suggestions appreciated

 

[dougbgt6]

Aidan,

 

I think you've got it as good as it's going to get!  There's another thread on here, Chroming in South Wales, worth a read. One guy got a very good deal on re-chroming and another uploaded pictures of his stainless steel bumpers.  I'm now considering stainless.

[Stupps]

You're not really supposed to polish chrome! Abrasive polishes e.g. Autosol, restore shine by shaving the surface of the metal off. When you consider that chrome is barely a micron thick or something, you haven't got much to polish off before you're back to the steel substrate. Which is exactly what I did to a (previously) nice chrome motorbike petrol tank when I was a youth.

 

However, when the chrome is already pitted and the rust from the steel below is coming through, polishing the rust away does make it look better. But the pits and roughness of the steel will stay there, and you'll end up with more because you've taken more chrome off.

 

The advice I read was to paint or waxoyl the underside of chromework, then wax and buff the visible area. Whenever the chrome gets wet make sure you dry it off and re-apply wax occasionally.

 

Incidentally my bumpers are in a much sorrier state than yours, and I'm thinking about saving for stainless repro's.

 

Pete

[Stupps]

Apologies if I'm saying things that aren't news to you, by the way.

[AidanT]

^{Just a thought for the club shop - but with some already considering this purchase, would it be possible for the club to maybe collate interest, take a deposit and then go to the supplier with a bulk order to gain a better price for us all? I would certainly be interested in this, At the moment £700 for the set is a sightly too much for me but you never know what a bulk discount may attain?}

 

As a start, maybe if you are on the forum and read this just ping a reply of interested! Give an idea of numbers

 

Aidan

[Dave C]

Keep an eye on the Harringtons Website and their e-Bay site. I bought my bumpers when they had a summer sale. They sold a limited number at a reduced price. I think from memory I got something like £100 off.

[dougbgt6]

I'm in, but I'm no good to you, I've got mk3.  the problems going to be mk1s ,2s & 3s all have different style bumpers.

[Waynebaby]

How have people found the bracket locations on the Harringtons bumpers? I nearly took the plunge last year but got nervous about whether or not they'd fit and ended up putting my scabby ones back on!   

[AidanT]

Wayne

 

From what I have gathered / read the fit is a good one

 

Doug

 

I'm not sure if a mix would be an issue, I was considering them completing a special production run of one type, more the fact that we / the club might be able to get an order discount if they order 20 units rather than just one being ordered individually!  They might also get a club discount on top!. Obviously the club would need to get a large deposit or payment in from the members before placing the order, but they should be able to get a good bulk order discount price I would think ?

 

Aidan

[Gully]

I'd be interested in a set of discounted stainless steel Mk 3 bumpers! Rear on mine is okay, but front is shot and a new front one will show up the okay rear...

 

Gully

[Dave C]

The fit on mine was really good.

 

JY Classics fitted the rear bumper as I didn't want to mess about with the fuel tank, and they commented that the fit was much better than a lot of the aftermarket chrome bumpers they see.