RUMCars Forum
General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: AndyL on June 19, 2015, 10:42:03 PM
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Any of you chaps got some recommendations? I have been recommended the London Chroming Company, although not cheap they do very good work.
Seen a couple of other outfits online that will give estimates from decent photographs.
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Got a bit difficult, by all accounts. REcommendation is best, but I have none.
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Not quite sure whether "London Chroming" or "Capital Chrome" is their new name or if they use both names, but I have used them several times for bubble car parts and drum parts, partly because they are a 5 minute walk from me.
They listen to requirements - like not polishing the underside of drum hardware which will never be seen, to keep price down. Polishing is a chore and adds a lot to the cost of plating so it is where you might have price flexibility!
If you want a great finish all over it will be full price and not cheap, but looks great.
I have also bought chrome steel tube from RS Electroplating (House of Chrome) on eBay and they have also plated raw steel tube for me for a very reasonable price. This was good enough for the purpose, but definitely not as deep and smooth as London/Capital, but then I did not need it to be!
High pice, high quality, or lower price, average quality ..make your choice according to how visible or visually important your parts are!
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RS electroplating was one of the places I found whilst browsing the web. They seem reasonably priced, and one of the few companies that shows prices for items replated.
I've sent of some pictures to them and also a company in Kent that specialize in refinishing mazak castings. I have a pair of original door handles. Don't see these fitted on many Isetta's, most tend to be fitted with the style I see for sale as reproductions, which has a very different less sculpted profile. If it isn't going to be too nasty getting it rechromed I will restore the original.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/subculture84/bumpers1_zpsx3pudfir.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/subculture84/media/bumpers1_zpsx3pudfir.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/subculture84/handles_zpsobe4x2xv.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/subculture84/media/handles_zpsobe4x2xv.jpg.html)
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have used Plaxtons , Scarborough (the coach builders) in the past , don't know if they are still plating ?
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Got one quote back so far, from RS Chrome in Manchester. They won't touch monkey metal casings, but will do the bumpers for £350 +vat, delivery extra.
Those stainless steel bumpers from 'nam are looking ever more attractive. Lets see what the other companies quote.
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EeksI have heard this "£350" to chrome a bumper before and thought , hoped, it was apocryphal :)
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Apocryphal, special designed for repairing corroded mazzak.
Time was I knew a restorer who shipped his chroming to South California, where it was done by disposable Mexicans I fear, and shipped back. This was cheaper and better quality than UK based facilities!
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If the other quotes come out the same, I think I'll look at the Harrington reproductions. I've read good and bad about them. The bad is that fit can be a bit of an issue, however I think there is more wiggle room with car like an Isetta than some others.
Apparently the Heinkel club uses their bumpers, and owners are very pleased with them.
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Treinkel, seem to be a bargain, the original bumpers aere very thin steel and to find a good set to chrome is very difficult. The pitting and such often require prior dippings and polishing before the chrome goes on. What price originality? In comparison the Isetta bumpers is like the Forth Bridge. Still has to have chrome stuck to it though, for a great finishing touch to a car. Cannot comment on fit.
I thought there were replica door handles. Maybe they are German pattern. Remember to take the lock bits out for chroming.....you would be surprised. The handles have a bad habit of shearing off where the shank is inserted. Not helped when the handle has been in use slopperley mounted.
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It seems Harrington have stopped doing the tubular cow catcher style bumpers, and are now only supplying the later style bumper that fits below the door. Not fond of that design, although more practical for parking.
Have asked Harrington if they supply the rear bumper alone.
Got a quote back from the Kent chroming company, £491 +VAT for the bumpers, and they will do the mazak door handle and bezel for an additional £74 +vat.
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I've obtained about half a dozen quotes now. They range from about £420 to around the £550 mark.
So I think I have a fairly good idea on what I'm in for price wise.
Harrington can supply a new stainless steel rear bumper with over riders for £165 shipped. However the tubular cow catcher bars on the front are no longer available from them. I have looked at companies offering mandrel bending, so that offers the potential to grow my own from Stainless steel, by fabricating a jig and some brackets then having them Tig welded to the tubes.
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My Isetta has stainless front bars made by the very process you mention.I know its not original but a pleasing compromise, no rust to worry about and they polish up very nicely. I use a firm in Norfolk. They have done me proud on a number of projects that involved tube bending.
Seen here.
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I always felt the tubular bumbers were part of the character of the Isetta. Never liked the blade bumper.
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That's interesting to know, Bob.
Did you make a jig yourself and provide them with the radii?
Or did the company build them in entirety?
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They made them entirely from a rusty pattern.
Please forgive the publicity stunt but
I have posted a recommendation under General microcar chat on the cool new forum 8)
http://vintagemicrocarsandbubblecars.freeforum.org/index.php
Worth giving them a ring. Ask for Nick.
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I saw the link. Tried contacting them yesterday, but couldn't get an answer, will try on Monday, as I've been pretty busy this week learning about Surelock points at the signal school at Stratford (East London, not 'upon-avon').
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Do you mean railway points?
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I do indeed.
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Do you mean railway points?
160* scale i hope ;D
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1:1 scale.
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I just found a card from another plater whose name I could not remember:
Douglas Metal Finishing Ltd
Unit 3b Juno Way Ind Est
Lewisham
London SE14 5RW 020 8692 1271
e-mail: sales@douglasmf.com
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I contacted the Norfolk based fabricators. Nick retired about four years ago apparently, so Bob must have had his bumpers made before then.
Anyway I spoke with current proprietor, and he reckoned about £280 for a pair all polished up. A bit more expensive than having my originals re-chromed.
However another chap on the Isetta fan club Facebook page has found a fabricators in Northampton that will make a set for £200 all in. That's a fair price, and pretty much matches the cost of re-plating my steel originals. Apparently the fabricators make items for F1 cars, so I reckon their work must be high quality.
I await to see the results.
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Come to think of it. Nick was getting on a bit and it must have been at least four years ago since I saw him. It was in fact the previous owner of Thumper that had the bumpers made so I know not of the cost. I've used the firm to make Siamese exhaust pipes, tube bending for an Inter swing arm amongst other bits and bobs that I wasn't equipped to do in my own workshop.
PLaters I have used with varying levels of satisfaction.........
Peterborough plating.
Alderny plating, Poole Dorset.
Proplate Ltd Benfleet Essex.
Ashford chroming. Kent.
Have had good and bad work from all.
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Bar one or two the quotes I got for plating were all pretty similar, cost wise.
Stainless is definitely the way to go I think, especially when it works out cheaper than refinishing steel items.
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I agree unless you are one for originality. I even thought about getting the stainless ones chromed! There's a novelty!
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Early American Ford's had stainless steel brightwork. A chap at work used to have a Model A as a daily driver. He'd imported it from the USA, and it was all original, and I remember saying to him the condition of the chrome was good for a car pushing 80 years old. He said it's stainless steel, as Henry Ford had a policy of making cars from the best materials available. That clearly got diluted over the years.
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I agree unless you are one for originality. I even thought about getting the stainless ones chromed! There's a novelty!
I always understood chrome on stainless wouldn't take ? , as for stainless to-days quality do not match yesterdays , try the magnet test !
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Depends on the type of stainless steel used.
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If it 'stains' it ain't stainless steel, is it! Its like idiot DIY shops that sell Piano Hinge in lengths shorter than any playable piano. Its not a Piano Hinge, is it! The description of the product should be enough to get it right.
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Well stainless steel is like all engineering, a compromise.
So you exchange one set of properties for something else. Certain stainless steels can remain stainless in more benign settings, but in harsher settings may corrode slightly. or a process like welding can alter the properties around that area etc.
Truly corrosion proof stainless steels tend to be less strong, or they're horrible to machine etc. etc.
Regardless of this, it's a still a lot easier to maintain and keep nice than plated steel.
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Yes, Stainless steel can be chrome plated.
Some grades are magnetic too. I used some load bearing bolts on a motorcycle of the correct grade for the job and they attracted a magnet. A2 doesnt.