I've got some minor experience with nickle plating from my younger days. One of the machine shops I worked in had a plating department for some of the parts made there. I understand how the bigger pits or scratches have to be ground super smooth, mabe needing multiple layers of copper/brass to fill them in. The pits I have are very tiny (sort of a haze) and hard to see, so I don't know how hard it will be to work with.
I think there is still a good custom car plating shop in Nashville TN, I might get in touch with them for a opinion-estimate.
Proper chrome is "triple plate" copper, nickle, chrome.
Cheap plating does away with the copper.
Pits are normally filled with brass or repeated steps of copper & polishing if they're minor.
The DIY kits may be OK on small parts, I've never used them, so can't speak from experience, but I seriously doubt that they would produce good results on larger pieces like bumpers.
Bottom line, if you really want perfection, triple-plate is the way to go, albeit $$$.
You could check out Caswell's
They have diy plating kits. The only problem is plating won't fill pits. I haven't dug any deeper yet, but they may be a way to fill pits.
I bought the plug-n-plate kit some years ago for refreshing small bits. Haven't used it much so no opinion... Yet
If you have decent original bumpers, I would suggest that you have them reworked.
Plating is expensive nowadays, and the cheapest isn't the best option, but nothing beats a good plating job.
Glen
Thanks Hazen, both links/companies are new to me.
Bumpers I've got... nice and straight but aged and micro pitted enough to consider replating. I have no idea what that would cost nowdays. I like the thought of the stainless ones never rusting- but the finish would likely be duller than chrome.
Canley classics https://canleyclassics.com and Newton Commercial https://newtoncomm.co.uk/collections/triumph ,
both in the UK. Newton supplies many vendors.
I've heard the stainless bumpers are less than stellar. If you don't have any, they could be an option.
Hello All-
It's been a while but I'm still around...
So I'm recently pricing seat cover and foam kits for my 72 GT6 Mk3 with the "new tan" color. I'm not seeing as much in stock like I used to at V.B. (almost nothing now or did I miss something?)...Nigel at Spitbits has the covers (I think) but no foams. Moss is a possibility but I've never bought from them. Rimmer is usually too high with shipping unless there's no one else. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Also by chance- are there any Asian countries making seat cover kits yet for British cars? I bought a couple of $70 motorcycle seat covers from a ebay vendor from over there- and was quite amazed how perfect they are. Exactly like the factory covers.
Tonight I'm looking around ebay again- and seeing someone in Vietnam ebay selling what looks just like the new repro stainless front/rear bumpers for GT6's. ($800 shipped) Sure looks like what I've seen in a couple of other catalogs. I watched the vid on ebay by the bumper seller, but it does not show them mounted on a car. If they really are as good as they look I'd probably be interested in a set. Has anyone here had any experience with these stainless bumpers yet? (from any vendor?)
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