Re-Chrome of bumpers
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6,769 Posts
Chrome and Aluminum Polish
Graham,
I believe that Nu-Chrome gives a discount for Opel owners; I think you just have to mention either this site or the Classicopels Yahoo! site. I think that either Gary or Charles Goin arranged it. From what I have read, they do very good work, at a "reasonable" price. Whatever "reasonable" means.
That being said, you should look around locally first. I had my chrome re-done and valve cover/thermostat housing polished at a local shop (Advance Plating in Medicine Hat, actually, but they have a Calgary depot), and as I recall it was about the same number of dollars as what NuChrome would charge. But they were Canadian dollars, so that saved 60 % off the top, not to mention shipping.
If it helps, this is what my work cost just about a year ago. I had three local shops quote, and all were within 10 %. There was a bit of repair to do (a couple of minor dings, and two bumperettes were split so they had to be welded) but more damage, costs more.
2 rear bummpers: $55 each, $110 total
4 bumperettes: $35 each, $140 total
Front bumper: $175
Valve cover polish: $65
Thermostat housing polish: $20
Total cost: $510 CAD (about $320 USD)
For what its worth, the valve cover polish was about half the price the other shops quoted, but it turned out TERRIFIC! I can hardly wait until I actually have the car back together enough to have it back on the engine.
HTH
Graham,
I believe that Nu-Chrome gives a discount for Opel owners; I think you just have to mention either this site or the Classicopels Yahoo! site. I think that either Gary or Charles Goin arranged it. From what I have read, they do very good work, at a "reasonable" price. Whatever "reasonable" means.
That being said, you should look around locally first. I had my chrome re-done and valve cover/thermostat housing polished at a local shop (Advance Plating in Medicine Hat, actually, but they have a Calgary depot), and as I recall it was about the same number of dollars as what NuChrome would charge. But they were Canadian dollars, so that saved 60 % off the top, not to mention shipping.
If it helps, this is what my work cost just about a year ago. I had three local shops quote, and all were within 10 %. There was a bit of repair to do (a couple of minor dings, and two bumperettes were split so they had to be welded) but more damage, costs more.
2 rear bummpers: $55 each, $110 total
4 bumperettes: $35 each, $140 total
Front bumper: $175
Valve cover polish: $65
Thermostat housing polish: $20
Total cost: $510 CAD (about $320 USD)
For what its worth, the valve cover polish was about half the price the other shops quoted, but it turned out TERRIFIC! I can hardly wait until I actually have the car back together enough to have it back on the engine.
HTH
Keith,
Thanks for the Info. A local Ottawa shop wants $1,040.00 for the seven bumper pieces. I've been looking in the MTL area but with no success. Perhaps it might be cheaper for me to send them to your Medicine Hat company. Can I get their address and phone number, and I'll give them a call.
Thanks for the Info. A local Ottawa shop wants $1,040.00 for the seven bumper pieces. I've been looking in the MTL area but with no success. Perhaps it might be cheaper for me to send them to your Medicine Hat company. Can I get their address and phone number, and I'll give them a call.
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6,769 Posts
Graham,
It seems kind of silly to have to send your chrome all the way here, but if it is cheaper, then whatever! Are you sure that there aren’t cheaper places close to home? My brother is in Cambridge (near Kitchener) and has restored a couple of Austin Healy’s; I will ask his advice as to where to get chrome plating done back in the centre of the universe. I mean Ontario.
If you want to check the place here out, it is called:
Advance Plating Ltd.
#6 – 1735 Brier Park
Medicine Hat, Alberta
T1C 1V5
Toll free (might work from Ottawa) 1-800-690-6939
Phone: (403) 527-1000
Fax: (403) 527-0494
I dealt with the Calgary rep whose name is Mitch, but if you call them directly, they should be able to help you. I can’t recall her name, but the manager/owner (?) is a lady, and she might even remember my work (tell her it was done on invoice # 5714C) since they probably don’t do many Opels.
Keith
It seems kind of silly to have to send your chrome all the way here, but if it is cheaper, then whatever! Are you sure that there aren’t cheaper places close to home? My brother is in Cambridge (near Kitchener) and has restored a couple of Austin Healy’s; I will ask his advice as to where to get chrome plating done back in the centre of the universe. I mean Ontario.
If you want to check the place here out, it is called:
Advance Plating Ltd.
#6 – 1735 Brier Park
Medicine Hat, Alberta
T1C 1V5
Toll free (might work from Ottawa) 1-800-690-6939
Phone: (403) 527-1000
Fax: (403) 527-0494
I dealt with the Calgary rep whose name is Mitch, but if you call them directly, they should be able to help you. I can’t recall her name, but the manager/owner (?) is a lady, and she might even remember my work (tell her it was done on invoice # 5714C) since they probably don’t do many Opels.
Keith
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6,769 Posts
My big brother in Ontario responded about chrome plating options down there. I think Graham got this directly, but I will copy it for the benefit of any Opel'ers in the southern Ontario region. Oh, and the picture below is of his '65 AH 3000 BJ-8 on a rotiserrie, and the next one is the current status.
Cost of chrome is directly related to the quality of the base piece and the level of finish you want. The most popular chrome place for show quality is Cambridge Chrome (1-800-288-5530). They are not cheap, but their quality is good. I understand the Plating House in Concorde (416-661-3964) is good quality but less expensive.
I have been taking my chrome to a place in London called Superior Plating. I do not have their phone number at home. They only plate existing surfaces. They do not straighten or repair. Their price is half of Cambridge Chrome, but they do not do show quality.
Hope this helps,
Laurie.
Cost of chrome is directly related to the quality of the base piece and the level of finish you want. The most popular chrome place for show quality is Cambridge Chrome (1-800-288-5530). They are not cheap, but their quality is good. I understand the Plating House in Concorde (416-661-3964) is good quality but less expensive.
I have been taking my chrome to a place in London called Superior Plating. I do not have their phone number at home. They only plate existing surfaces. They do not straighten or repair. Their price is half of Cambridge Chrome, but they do not do show quality.
Hope this helps,
Laurie.
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112 Posts
I just sent my bumpers to Nu-Chrome. John quoted $650 - $700 for all seven pieces. I was not aware of the discount and will be following up on that Monday.
Bumper chrome shop-Cleveland Ohio
I'm driving to Cleveland Ohio in April on a business trip. Does anyone know of a bumper chrome shop in the area? I would like to drop off my GT bumpers. I need to get them done so that I can drive down to Carlisle with bumpers.
I'm driving to Cleveland Ohio in April on a business trip. Does anyone know of a bumper chrome shop in the area? I would like to drop off my GT bumpers. I need to get them done so that I can drive down to Carlisle with bumpers.
Another alternative is to do the chroming your self. You can get kit a get from casewell
I've used a few of their kits and have really like the results. The process isint that time consuming (depending on which methoid you use). And the cost is much cheaper after doing several parts (the chrome kits keep for several months).
As far as plating shops in Cleveland, their are LOTS of choices. One that I've seen the work from is:
century
I had a friend send some stuff into to them about a year back, the pieces looked pretty good. Not sure on their cost, I'd do a search on questdex to get directory listings, and start calling
I've used a few of their kits and have really like the results. The process isint that time consuming (depending on which methoid you use). And the cost is much cheaper after doing several parts (the chrome kits keep for several months).
As far as plating shops in Cleveland, their are LOTS of choices. One that I've seen the work from is:
century
I had a friend send some stuff into to them about a year back, the pieces looked pretty good. Not sure on their cost, I'd do a search on questdex to get directory listings, and start calling
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6,769 Posts
Chome Plating in Canada
Graham,
I think you looked into the Ontario chrome shops that my brother in Cambridge recommended, and they were too expensive. But if you get your parts on a bus ASAP to Medicine Hat, Alberta, the place I dealt with (Advanced Plating Ltd.) was very reasonable. But even they took a couple of months, so which ever way you go, time will be of the essence. But they get almost all their work from a distance (Calgary, Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon), so it shouldn't be a big deal to get parts sent to them from Ottawa.
The contact I dealt with there was Sharon, and she can be reached at (403) 527-1000 (#6 1735 Brier Park Road N.W., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1C 1V5). If you remind her that she did my plating in January 2002, she might be able to get you a ballpark quote. Condition of the parts play a big role in the price. Mine were all straight and fairly rust-free, and only needed to be ground down and re-plated. Dents, bends, and corrosion will cause the price to jump BIG TIME. While the work isn't "show quality", it looks perfect to my eyes. Certainly worthy of the rest of the work I have done, and maybe better.
For comparison, here are the prices I paid for plating at Advanced, which was about two years ago, so you should get a quote, although that might be more of an "estimate". Maybe they can quote from e-mailed photos? It may be worth asking. These prices are all in Canadian dollars, and included shipping from Calgary to Medicine Hat and back (about 300 km each way).
Front Bumper: $175
Two rear bumpers: $110
Four "bumperettes": $140
Polish the valve cover: $65 (looks GREAT, just ask John McInnis)
Polish the thermostat housing: $20
So, all in, it cost me $510 plus GST. And remember, no Provincial Sales Tax here in the land of the free!
HTH
Graham,
I think you looked into the Ontario chrome shops that my brother in Cambridge recommended, and they were too expensive. But if you get your parts on a bus ASAP to Medicine Hat, Alberta, the place I dealt with (Advanced Plating Ltd.) was very reasonable. But even they took a couple of months, so which ever way you go, time will be of the essence. But they get almost all their work from a distance (Calgary, Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon), so it shouldn't be a big deal to get parts sent to them from Ottawa.
The contact I dealt with there was Sharon, and she can be reached at (403) 527-1000 (#6 1735 Brier Park Road N.W., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1C 1V5). If you remind her that she did my plating in January 2002, she might be able to get you a ballpark quote. Condition of the parts play a big role in the price. Mine were all straight and fairly rust-free, and only needed to be ground down and re-plated. Dents, bends, and corrosion will cause the price to jump BIG TIME. While the work isn't "show quality", it looks perfect to my eyes. Certainly worthy of the rest of the work I have done, and maybe better.
For comparison, here are the prices I paid for plating at Advanced, which was about two years ago, so you should get a quote, although that might be more of an "estimate". Maybe they can quote from e-mailed photos? It may be worth asking. These prices are all in Canadian dollars, and included shipping from Calgary to Medicine Hat and back (about 300 km each way).
Front Bumper: $175
Two rear bumpers: $110
Four "bumperettes": $140
Polish the valve cover: $65 (looks GREAT, just ask John McInnis)
Polish the thermostat housing: $20
So, all in, it cost me $510 plus GST. And remember, no Provincial Sales Tax here in the land of the free!
HTH
nuchrome problems
I sent my chrome parts out to nuchrome back before christman 2003, and have STILL not gotten them back. I called today, and they complained about having 500 customers waiting.
I asked them to send them back to me so I can take them somewhere local.
They are very good,as I had them do work before. But they are killing me. I'm already forfeiting my entry fee to a car show this weekend because of their delay.
I sent my chrome parts out to nuchrome back before christman 2003, and have STILL not gotten them back. I called today, and they complained about having 500 customers waiting.
I asked them to send them back to me so I can take them somewhere local.
They are very good,as I had them do work before. But they are killing me. I'm already forfeiting my entry fee to a car show this weekend because of their delay.
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5,564 Posts
Metal Polishers!
It seems that Chrome Platers and Metal Polishers around the world are ALL the same. Nothing else slows them down quite so much as impatience
THe local one does superb work but a phone call to him to check up on progress results in being put back at the end of the line. Two phone calls and he returns the items as they are - and charges storage! Jumping up and down in the shop means he will start immediately on the polishing but have a terrible disaster in front of your eyes which result in the part slamming into the wall behind the polishing m/c with a mutter of "Too much rush - that will take a bit of expensive panel beating!" "Take it away and come back when you have finished it - and start at the back of the queue!"
The moral of the tale: If you have your parts at a chrome shop that does good work be patient! There is a long line of customers in front of you!
It seems that Chrome Platers and Metal Polishers around the world are ALL the same. Nothing else slows them down quite so much as impatience
THe local one does superb work but a phone call to him to check up on progress results in being put back at the end of the line. Two phone calls and he returns the items as they are - and charges storage! Jumping up and down in the shop means he will start immediately on the polishing but have a terrible disaster in front of your eyes which result in the part slamming into the wall behind the polishing m/c with a mutter of "Too much rush - that will take a bit of expensive panel beating!" "Take it away and come back when you have finished it - and start at the back of the queue!"
The moral of the tale: If you have your parts at a chrome shop that does good work be patient! There is a long line of customers in front of you!
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10,460 Posts
When you call Nu-chrome, be sure to speak with Jack Baker. He will be there Wednesday morning and he's heading to a show in Englishtown, NJ on Thursday. I had a few beers with Jack tonight. He did say that they had some GT work in the shop and that the bumpers were done, but they were having a hard time with the emblems and could not do the gas cap without it being disassembled. Don't know if they were your parts or not, but I'll forward your message to him.joemama said:
Nu-Chrome has the space next to me at the Carlisle Imports show.
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4,128 Posts
I had my bumpers rechromed at a "concours" rechroming place in Philadelphia called Frankford Plating. They strip it down to the base metal and perform triple plating.
It cost $900 for all bumpers and bumperettes(7 pieces). They look very nice, and will last until I retire. It also took 7 weeks for them to do it, but I told them I was not in a hurry. Go for quality you can currently afford, I'd rather do it once, than have to have it rechromed agian in a few years.
It cost $900 for all bumpers and bumperettes(7 pieces). They look very nice, and will last until I retire. It also took 7 weeks for them to do it, but I told them I was not in a hurry. Go for quality you can currently afford, I'd rather do it once, than have to have it rechromed agian in a few years.
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