Chrome plating.

[Bob Purton]

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

http://vintagemicrocarsandbubblecars.freeforum.org/index.php

Worth giving them a ring. Ask for Nick.

[AndyL]

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').

[marcus]

Do you mean railway points?

[AndyL]

I do indeed.

[plas man]

Do you mean railway points?

160* scale i hope 

[AndyL]

1:1 scale.

[marcus]

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

[AndyL]

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.

[Bob Purton]

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.

[AndyL]

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.

[Bob Purton]

I agree unless you are one for originality. I even thought about getting the stainless ones chromed! There's a novelty!

[AndyL]

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.

[plas man]

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 !

[AndyL]

Depends on the type of stainless steel used.

[Big Al]

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.