Conference vmsnet::car$note:carbuffs

    Does anyone know of a company that does chrome plating over plastic?
    There is a section on my GTO dash that is supposed to be chromed, but
    the plating except for a few flakes here and there is long gone.  If I
    have no luck, I may try that chrome spray paint with a few coats of
    clear over it, but I would like to restore it to original if possible.
    
    Dave

Eastwood Corp has a spray designed for that very purpose.

Jim

    Thanks Jim.  Where would one find the Eastwood spray?  I've never seen
    it in stores.
    
    Dave

They are in the Philadelphia area and have a 1-800 number as well.

Jim

    I found Eastwood's number, called them up, and was told that they do
    have a chrome paint, but it CANNOT be used over plastic.
    
    Oh well, I really wanted to have this thing plated anyhow, I was only
    thinking of the paint as a last resort.  So, back to the original
    question...Who chrome plates plastic parts?
    
    Dave

Look in any issue of Hemmings Motor News.  There are a few places in the
services section that advertize this.

Dave

    Since I have never seen an issue of Hemmings motor news or have a clue
    as to where to find one, I was wondering if someone who has one would
    be so kind as to glance at the ads and post a company name and phone
    number here.  I did find a name of one place, but they are in Ontario.
    There has got to be someone who is at least in the USA.
    
    Dave

    1.) www.hemmings.com
    2.) 1-800-car-here
    3.) 1-802-442-3101
    4.) Bennington, VT.
    
    ...tom

    The "chrome" over plastic is actually aluminum, and there are a lot
    of places listed in Hemmings, Cars & Parts, etc.

    Actually, the chrome over plastic that I'm refering to is really
    chrome.  I saw an explanation of the process somewhere; they put down
    an electroless copper layer, than a layer of nickel and a layer of
    chrome, much like they do over metal.
    
    Gee, people keep on telling me that there are listings for this in
    Hemmings.  It would be wonderful if someone could actually tell me the
    name and number of one of these places, since I do not have a Hemmings
    and do not plan to subscribe.
    
    Dave

Call these people and ask who does chrome plating over plastic.  These guys
sell the supplies.

            http://www.peganet.com/dalmar/dalmar2.html

Jim

    
    
        Dave...over the course of restoring this car, You will need to make
    literally hundreds of phone calls before the car is ever finished.
        Not having all your ducks in a row makes you a PITA when you want
    individual company names. A project like this REQUIRES you to get the
    publications like Hemmings Motor News. You simply have to do it or else
    your project will end up like hundreds of others in the Auto Trader
    in an add that looks like this.
    
                196X GTO project car
                many extras lost interest
                call Dave after 6pm
                weekdays Make an offer.
    
    -john

    In addition to what .115 said, any REALLY heavy duty magazine/smoke
    shop will probably have single issues for sale so you can avoid having
    to subscribe.
    
    I too strongly recommend you buy at least one single issue. This brown
    paperbag like covered, very thick magazine (aprox. 600 pages) has a
    wealth of restoration resources that you really would be better off
    knowing about.
    
    It'll be the best $5 or 6 you ever spent.
    
    Regards,
    
    R.M.F. 

    I give up.  I'm sorry if I'm being viewed as a PITA.  I already have
    listings for NUMEROUS sources for parts and services, and am reasonably
    sure that I have everything that I need except for the one that I
    requested.  I thought I asked a simple question to which I received
    numerous non-answers.  I thought the purpose of this notes file was to
    exchange information that would be helpful to one another.  Silly me.
    
    Dave

>                          I thought the purpose of this notes file was to                                              
>exchange information that would be helpful to one another.  Silly me.
    
        Aw don't be silly!  If you never did a resto project before, you
    are in for a real treat! You may think you have everything you need
    but trust me....You do not. For instance; Upholstery/door gaskets/and
    Welting clips. Do you know who hs the only COMPLETE collection in the
    United states? Its the Clip House located in colorado springs. I live
    here and the owner has told me countless stories of how people get on
    an airplane with broken pieces in hand, fly here just to buy these
    little things for a rare car, and then fly home-new parts in hand.
        The Clip House *has it* end of story. Not knowing these little
    things are what makes or breaks a resto project. If you don't have the
    automotive Bibles that point the way...you are basically screwed.
    Oh....and forget the internet. They have less than .01% of the info
    needed.  See what i'm getting at here? Just trying to help you. I think
    we all are.
    
    -john

    
    	Speaking of upholstery, Dave, have you found those leather seats
    	you were looking for?
    

You talkin' to *me*?...

Dave

    
    	No, Mr. Uttley.
    

    Gee Shawn, your wit kills me.
    
    John, I really didn't want to go down a rat hole with this.  I've
    gotten a lot of help out of here, some from you specificly.  It has
    been much appreciated.  But, I feel that people are making a lot of
    assumptions.  I DO indeed have just about everything that I need.  I
    have a mountain of boxes of parts sitting in my basment, including hard
    to find little clips and trim pieces.  There are only a few little
    things that I still need, and I have already identified sources for
    them.  This is really not a difficult car to find parts for at all; 
    there are at least 4 suppliers that I've found that will sell you
    almost anything that you could ever want, and much stuff is still
    available from the local auto parts store.  IF I were working on
    something much older and rarer, I could certainly see your point, but
    it really doesn't apply in my case.  I ran into one little detail:
    I had never dealt with plating over plastic before, hence my original
    note many replies ago.  I did finally get the name of a place that does
    it, thanks to my manager who found an ad in some publication he had.
    BTW, the car is progressing very nicely, and will NEVER become one of
    those "lost interest" ads.  I fully intend to be driving it a few
    months from now.
    
    Dave

    
        Driving it in a few months?  Hell-I thought you were doing a full
    resto job! Oh well...I did just paint a motorcycle a few days ago, must
    be the paint fumes.
    
    -john

    
    Hopefully without making the person that asked the question yet more
    defensive, might I point out that all that has ever seperated me from
    an issue of Hemmings was a $5 bill at the local book store? I don't
    subscribe, but sometimes need sources for old Chrysler parts. Having
    seen exactly how many places advertise services such as plating over
    plastic, I can see why folks here would tell you to get an issue of
    your own....there are literally hundreds of vendors out there. And
    once you've learned what you need, the ads for rare and exotic cars
    are always fun to browse. 
    
    DAP
      

    No, I'm not doing a complete resto job.  Someone had started the job,
    got through the body work and paint, then sold it to another guy.  He
    started to reassemble it and bought a bunch of stuff then had to give
    up due to financial reasons.  By the time I came along and bought it, 
    a good ammount of the work was already done.  I did have to go back and
    redo some things that had been done in haste the first time, but I did
    not have to take the whole car apart.  At this point, it is about 75%
    done and I have loads of parts waiting to be installed.
    
    You will be happy to know that I now have a copy of Hemmings.  A kind
    person who has been reading my notes walked up to my office yesterday
    and handed me one.  
    
    Dave

    Even though I don't have any resto projects going on, I occasionally
    pick up a copy of Hemmings (maybe once a year or so).. I just find it
    interesting reading.. ("Wow! there's a place that does *THAT*?")
    
    ...tom

    I am trying to get 4 lousy little anodized aluminum mouldings stripped
    down and re-anodized.  I have been calling around (yes, I looked some
    places up in Hemmings!) and found out that the people who can do this
    right charge a small fortune.  The cheapest price I got was about $200,
    and the guy said that the finish will not even look the same for that
    price.  I got some quotes that were nearly double!  This is crazy.
    
    Just for grins, I tried stripping a small section with sandpaper, then
    polished the bare aluminum with some 600 grit paper followed by rubbing
    compound.  It is a bit of work, but the result looks gorgeous.  I was
    thinking about stripping them all down like this, then spraying them
    over with a few coats of clear lacquer instead of having them anodized.
    I know that they won't be as durable, but they do not mount in an area
    where they are subject to abuse.  The only thing I was unsure of is how
    well the clear lacquer will adhere to the smooth shiney aluminum.  Has
    anyone ever tried this who can comment?
    
    Dave

    Eastwood sells a product called Nylac that is a clearcoat specially
    formulated for using on polished metals. I havn't used it personally
    but I've been told by users that they have had good luck using it on 
    valve covers, manifolds, etc. Doesn't seem to yellow from heat/age
    either.

RE: Nyalic

I've used it with good success.  The only problem is oil will attack the
finish somewhat.  I would stick to using it on trim pieces where it does a
wonderful job.

Jim

    Excellent!   This is what I was hoping to hear.  I will give Eastwood a
    call and order a can of Nyalic.  The pieces that I'm trying to refinish
    are the reveal mouldings that run across the door and quarter along the
    glass, so they will be safe from oil.  
    
    Dave