Chrome or highway robbery?

[68fusion]

Anybody ever had chrome work done by Advanced Plating? Sent a customers parts off that we wanted really nice- had seen good work from them and after talking with them at a show we sent the stuff. GEEZ ...for two bumpers some vent window frames, door handles and buttons and headlight rings it was $$$ 2000 dollars $$$.

I know you get what you pay for and all ....just wondering if anybody has had good/bad experience with AP?

[hotrodgary]

I know people who have been very pleased with em! But its just as expensive anywhere, I just had some small pieces done and dropped 400 on em!

[TUBED]

It's about right, I was quoted $600.00 a piece for the front and rear bumpers on my A-body, neither one are junk needing major repair. I'm local with Advanced being in town about 15 minutes away. It's just high.
Gerald

[62wagon]

68fusion - Nothing but good experiences here from Advanced Plating. I am doing a '58 Impala for a customer and we are about $15,000 deep in chrome and stainless polishing. I have been happy with every piece. They are not the quickest folks in the world so be prepared to wait. A big job could take 3 months or more. If you are ever in the area, stop by there and have them give you a shop tour. Pretty incredible how they keep everything straight.

Mark

[rohrt]

Holy crap! My two bumpers cost $700 and look great. I would be polishing the pitted chrome if it was going to cost 2K.

[Jagarang]

Good CHROME = SICK $$$$$

For a pot metal shifter plate I was quoted $400-500 I asked the guy if he knew I only wanted the Plate done, and that it wasn't the entire tranny!

[68fusion]

Thanks guys...yeah know it's $$ , just wanted some back-up. The bumpers are for a 68' shelby 500kr with 17k on it ...so it needs to be right. Most of the parts were in good shape and FIT, so no cheapo repo stuff.

[BRIAN]

I bet the handles are pot metal and are big bucks to redo. Doesn't sound out of line for show chrome.

[Hammered]

I've done about $3,500 in chrome and polishing with Metal Brite here in Dayton. They don't advertise and are busy with nothing but hot rod chrome. I think my two bumpers were $700 and they look gorgeous. The owner, Mike Barr, is very careful with everyone's parts too. Their number is: 937.278.9739

[paulk68]

my dad uses Paul's chrome and he is very very happy with them. but yes it is big bucks for the good stuff

[John McIntire]

I believe that sounds right. Dont forget the cost of shipping!! I sent my bumpers out to Sherms plating out in CA to have some holes filled and blind mount the bumper bolts and Chromed in their "middle of the road" finish. All metal work and chrome cost me 1500.00

[BuddyP]

And to think you can buy repro bumpers for around $100 each. I know, it's nice to have the original stuff, but to save $800 and store the originals seems worth it to me. Considering a PT car isn't exaclty original, it's not as big of deal to me.

[USAZR1]

I believe that sounds right. Dont forget the cost of shipping!! I sent my bumpers out to Sherms plating out in CA to have some holes filled and blind mount the bumper bolts and Chromed in their "middle of the road" finish. All metal work and chrome cost me 1500.00

I want to do the same thing to my El Camino bumpers but because of the cost,I think I'm going to have them powdercoated in a high-gloss Titanium Silver finish,instead.

[JJSmitches]

I dont have the bucks for chrome and who likes monochromatic?

I vote buy fiberglass and paint them silver!

[CraigMorrison]

There used to be a lot of chrome shops up here in the NW, but the EPA regs have shut a lot down. The best around here is Queen City Plating. They do a killer job, but their "concouse chrome" can run around $2K per bumper. A customer of one of our dealers spent $4300 for the "concourse chrome" on a pair of 39 Ford Bumpers. They are probably the best looking 39 Ford bumpers on the planet, but you can buy a cheap car for that much $$$! We were figuring if we did their regular chrome on the stuff for the 60 Vette we would be into it for between 5-7K for all the brightwork. OUCH!

You get what you pay for, and bad chrome is like bad paint, it can really kill the whole look.

We are sending our stuff to Alloway and he's taking it to his chrome guy. Still going to be $$$ but shouldn't be as expensive at it is around here.

[SN65]

One of the biggest expenses in the plateing business is not in the plating of the parts, but in the disposal of the "dirty" water.

Can't just dump it down the sewer. Or dump it in an empty lot. They either have a heavy metal wastewater treatment system installed or they pay big bucks to have the spent water hauled away.

To get good parts you need clean water so the quality shops are dumping the baths on a regular bassis.