Where O where to find a good chrome shop
Advanced plating. The best of the best.
I've used Advanced Plating before with great results for air cleaners and door handles. My only regret was the length of time it takes.
I have no issues with being charged for good work. I delt with Tim Sullivan who was honest and fair.
What most people here do not know was I found an excellent set of 66' Barracuda grills about 12 years ago that needed no pit fixiing or repairs just the chrome was worn in the top edge from water drain off the hood. The chrome was grey in that area. So I sent them to a shop in Pittsburgh, PA (ElRamma, PA to be exact.)
The company name was CARS Chrome Plating and I met the man (Jeff Boyle) at Carlisle one year and had a long talk with him and felt very comfortable sending my grilles to him. Basically I sent him the $600.00 down and after 16 weeks ( 4 more than was quoted) he said they are done and made me send him postage returned paid box for shipment back and another check for $600.00. The grilles we done and painted too for my inconvenience. Weeks went by, plenty of phone calls and no grilles or tracking number return on return box. But my check had cleared 3 days after receipt so I know he got them. After a few weeks my phone calls went from busy or voicemail to disconnected phone line. I called the local Chamber of Commerce and was told they went out of business. I called the town hall and they said the company was shut down for illegal dumping of chemicals and the owner could not afford the clean up fees. I had a private investigator track down that he did not own the building and got the building owners name and number. I called the property owner and explained the situation and said I just wanted access for a few moments to get my grilles back. The owner told me "only if you pay his back rent of like $12,000.00 and the 1/2 million in clean up fees." Ah, NO!
So I found Jeff's home number and called him as I was going to make the 8 hour drive to Pittsburgh and visit Mr. Boyle. Next thing I get a letter from an attorney FedEx over nite who told me to "Ceased and Desist" or I would be arrested for Federal charges for state to state harassment. Trespassing and a few other things I had never even heard of.
Now you understand my needing a chrome company local I not only can visit but trust.
I realize I am not the only guy who had been taken or lost cash from mail type transaction, but with all said and done I lost a almost perfect set of grilles I cannot replace.
In hind sight, i would had sent my worst set for chroming them I was out only the cash and a bad set of grilles.
Sniffle, sniffle - snot bubble... I'm over it now. But if I ever find Mr. Jeff Boyle -we are going to have a nice little chat.
