To re chrome or renew?

Hi

I am wanting to have all the bright work on my Plus 2 re chromed.

  • am I better replacing those parts which are still available or is it still usually more cost effective to have parts re chromed?

I am think mainly about the spinners - can anyone advise on a likely replacement price versus typical cost to re profile (ears are lightly knocked) and re chrome?

The bumpers are another story and I guess I will have to have them re chromed :confused:

What about those horrid mazak lights - are they worth trying to get re chromed or do I have to bite the bullet :question:

Finally I have heard good reports of Derby chrome plating - does anyone have first hand experience of this or any other UK firm worth approching?

Cheers for looking :sunglasses:

Can’t advise on plating costs but the man who restored my car used Derby plating because ‘they were the best in the business’ he said.

This was some 16 years ago and most of my chrome is still in great condition, with the exception of the rear bumper, which has some slight bubbling. I don’t know what the condition of the parts were like before plating, but I know the rear bumper usually comes off worst in terms of corrosion…

As far as the spinners are concerned, Paul Matty is doing them at a special offer at the moment - ?30.87 + VAT

Spinners normally work out at about 2/3 of new to have rechromed. Don’t even bother about Zinc (Mazak) cast bits, Front/rear light clusters, etc. They pit for fun and will never rechrome well. Boot hinges are cheaper to buy new (Hillman Imp) and Petrol filler caps are readily available at reasonable prices whether lockable or not. Door window frames are worth rechroming as are the finishing strips on the +2 roof. Being brass they chrome well.

Gordon

Gordon,
I think only the early roof strips are brass, not sure about what the later ones are or the door frames.
regards
Mike

Hi all,

I had my door frames and roof rails chromed a couple of months back and they look great :smiley:, cant remember the company who I used, but he was in Surrey and recommended by a work mate.
Both the rails and frames were brass, coming off a '69 S.

Chris

My '74 S130/5 had aluminium polished roof rails. Standard fit on the later cars I have been told. Still had brass window frames though.

Simon

Mine is a 1970 S and has brass roof trims and door surrounds.

Chris,

Can I ask what you were charged for yours?

Has anyone treid the mazak mender for filling pitted zinc alloy parts prior to re chroming - it does work supposedly

Am I right in thinking that the front lamp bodies are no longer available?

Paul Matty does the sidelight assemblies, but they are expensive…

and Peter Mallinson is looking onto getting a batch made up in the far east. (see earlier threads)

Mike

In answer to 2 queries: -

Derby Chrome highly regarded, not the cheapest, but extremely good. I’m a member of a classic car luncheon club, mostly E types, XK 150 and Healeys. Several have used Derby and all sing their praises.

Mazak Mender. Tried to obtain some, their web site wouldn’t work at the purchase stage, so gave up after some weeks of sending emails with no meaningful response. Another product is Lumiweld. It does work, but it is for the determined and patient.

Method. Have component stripped of all chrome nickel and copper. Small pits in Chrome usually result in much larger craters in the mazak immediately underneath. Get rotary sanding drum (about 6 inches dia) with sanding band around foam drum, place in drill stand and clean up all over. Take Dremel or similar and with a small spherically ended bit, clean up each crater until you can see only bright metal. Take rod of Lumiweld and with very small blowlamp (used for jewellery or in kitchen) heat up mazak where you need to repair. Mazak is “hot short” (it melts before there is any change in colour) keep prodding with the Lumiweld rod, it will melt first. Very carefully keep on applying heat until the mazak just begins to puddle and then you get a good bond between the lumiweld and the mazak. There is only 40 degrees C difference between melting points. And when mazak melts, it goes fast and it all falls into a big puddle on your workbench.

When completed, you will have something that looks a little like electric arc welding and it can then be shaped on the sanding drum. Take it to chrome plating shop, ask for a thick nickel coat and get them to clean up shape and finish at this time, followed by a final coat of nickel, polish and finally chrome.

Does it work? If you’ve got a good bond, then YES. It chromes well. Is it easy? NO! I’ve done quite a bit now and I still reckon I cannot get better than 2 out of 3 successfully completed. And is it quick? Far from it. If I costed my time at 50p per hour, I still reckon it would be cheaper to buy Paul Matty’s ?250 front sidelamps for my Plus 2. But it is fun to beat the system this way.

Freddie Whitelaw
1973 Plus 2 130/5
1968 Plus 2 convertible conversion

If you have a spare amount of cash - why not try these!!

holden.co.uk/displayproduct. … L807/54793

Unless the colors in the pictures are screwed up, the lenses are the wrong color.

That’s ?465.30 for a pair including VAT. :open_mouth:

I believe the lenses on cars destined for the USA had no orange section.

Si

Well saw my name mentioned in this post ref the above subject so thought I’d better give an update !!

Thanks to Tim Heinemann I now have a fantastic 3d scan of the aforementioned article and a PDF of the same as well as a CAD drawing, I / WE can never thank Tim enough for his input in this quest.

All of the mentioned files are with 2 different casting companies in China for evaluation and pricing. (very good I hear you say) But its not all good news as one of the companies who sounded VERY positive and helpful asked for a sample to do a final evaluation so I sent one and GUESS WHAT ?? Yep the postal system has Mislaid it somewhere between Kenmare and Beijing !!!

Still we have a tracking number so hopefully they will trace it and we can move forwards,

Sorry its taking so long but I swear I have about 100 emails in the ‘lotus lights’ file but we plod on at a slow rate.

On a brighter side they should be considerably cheaper than those mentioned above :open_mouth: IF I can ever get this task completed

That’s all the news I have for the present, other than there are some dash lettings left if anyone still needs some and also some 1/4 light window channels.

When they are gone they are gone as I have no plans for any more to be made of either at present.

Cheers & Beers

Hi Peter.

I’ve sent you an e-mail re dash lettering for my +2

Thanks

Hi Peter,

So have I.

Thanks,

Simon