Chrome & Stainless trim
The chrome and stainless trim of most vintage and classic cars is a focal point of the vehicle. Unfortunately it is also easily damaged and the condition can deteriorate quickly unless cared for. We can repair and restore all your bright trim - be it chrome, stainless or aluminium.
It is a time consuming process to take something that looks like the grille on the left and make it look like the gleaming example on the right.
In this example, the individual grille bars are removed from the frame and either repaired or replacements made. They are then polished individually and re-soldered into the frames.
The brass surround is repaired and panel beated as required. This has to be perfect as there can be no 'filler' under the chrome, any ripples or marks will show in the finished chrome. The complete grille is assembled and test fitted to the car before final polishing and then to the chromer's.
All chrome parts need to go through a similar process. Any 'short cuts' will show up in the finished item.
In addition to the chrome work shown above, many classic cars also have trim made of stainless steel. The beauty of stainless is it can be repaired without re chroming the down side is it is quite hard to work.
The sequence of photos below shows some of the work involved in repairing the side moldings from a 1939 Buick.
The first two photos show the same moulding but from opposite sides of the car. One is part way through the repair process and the other shows what we started with.
Once the basic repairs are completed and the piece has the correct profile and shape, work can begin of refinishing and polishing. There are no shortcuts, each piece needs to be sanded with different grades of sandpaper until the surface is smooth enough to polish. Fitted back on the car it will be impossible to tell the moulding was ever damaged.
