Bumper Chrome Cracked

[canary runner]

Well, finally broke down and bought a pair of rechromed bumpers for my 66 Barracuda, to finish the restoration. The rear one went on fine with no issues. The front one had always had a tweak to it it, possibly brackets being tweaked a little also. I used a die grinder and tapered bit to elongate the slots in the brackets so that all bolts just dropped into place without binding. However, the bumper chrome did crack around two bolts and above one turn signal light. My question is how to keep chrome from peeling any more? My thought is to take artist paint brush and touch up the cracked area with chrome paint then also clearcoat around the area to keep dirt/moisture out. Any other suggestions would be appreciated on how to deal with cracked chrome issues. Thanks, Ralph

 

[Treblig]

The chrome shouldn't crack!! I would contact whoever did the chrome job. On my Barracuda I coated the backside of the newly chromed bumpers with brush-on undercoat because that's where the rust always starts (catches water and dirt from the wheels). I don't have any suggestions because once moisture gets under the chrome it just a matter of time before the rust sets in.

treblig

 

[72Dart6pack]

100% agree.

 

[pauly v.100]

My new AMD bumper spidered around one of the mounting holes. when they were nice enough to replace it I mounted the new one using 1/4" rubber blocks between the bumper and the brackets. It doesn't take much to throw those mounting surfaces on the brackets out of whack and distort the bumper.

 

[Treblig]

You have to remember.....A properly chromed bumper (like back in '69) would never crack during assembly. If it did it was replaced before the car it ever got sold. Good chrome shouldn't crack. I've seen older bumpers with significant dents/damage and they didn't crack. But then again....those were the good old days!!
I had mine done at Tri-State and I'm very happy with what I got!!

treblig