How to fix pitted chrome interior pieces

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lee g

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I have a center console that had pitting in the chrome. Has anyone ever tried to sand this down, fill in the pits (if so with what), and what did you paint the chrome parts with? Don't have the funds to pay someone to do it nor to buy all the top plates new. JUst looking to make it look nice. Doesn't have to look show quality
 
I heard about a new formable chrome laminate material from Alsa Products. I haven't tried it. Other thsn that, I give up.
 
If the pits aren't too deep and the material is thick enough you can sand and polish the pot metal. A customer of mine did that to a pair of tailights for his 57 Cameo. They looked like chrome but still had small pits that couldn't be sanded out. The professional refinishers drill each pit out and fill with ?( whatever) sand and replate after a few dips of copper to cover the impurities. Very very expensive I might add.
 
Thanks for the replies. I thought about just sanding it smooth, self etching primer, and then spraying it the same color as the interior and not worrying about the chrome. Later I can buy the replacement top plates of the console but they cost around $650. 00 for all 3 pieces.
 
yes if you sand it down so it's smooth, then have it re-chromed! i did the painting of B7 blue (just like the exterior) to my console and it looked so badass! New top-plates are ridiculously expensive and NOS is impossible to come by any cheaper so see what you can do with your existing one...
 
Had the tail lights and door handles done, price was reasonable. f interested in his name pm as I need to find his business card.....
 
Yep you can do that. The chrome plating is very thin and will come off with 180 sandpaper. Like any sanding project you need to follow up with 3 or 4 steps of finer sandpaper. Yes the repops are spendy. I spent an hour at the BE&A booth at the Nationals. I had cash in hand for new console plates. We looked through 3 sets and I couldn't find enough perfect pieces to make a set. I didn't want to spend that much and have wavy chrome and boogers in the corners. I said "sorry" and had to walk away. If you decide to get a set, see them in person before you buy. I couldn't imagine sending sets back 3 or 4 times because they weren't good quality. Just a note, I was totally impressed at the quality of BE&A's parts overall. Just not these pieces. Mike
 
Another thought is maybe Leanna the powdercoater could do powdercoat chrome on it. This may cover pits. Might be worth talking to her.
 
What about that chrome like stuff the modellers use? Comes in a sheet with sticky backing and you just cut and trim what you need. Sorry cant recall the name..
 
daredevil said:
Another thought is maybe Leanna the powdercoater could do powdercoat chrome on it. This may cover pits. Might be worth talking to her.
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As timing would have it, I just got an entire console setup in last week from a FABO member who's a teacher with a school district in New Jersey. It's VERY pitted and pretty beat up but I'm going to see what I can do with it. The plan is to sand it down as much as I can, use my High Temp Metal Filler (good to 2000 degrees so it's perfect under my powder) and then coat it. He's left the color choice up to me ... I'm thinking Super Chrome or maybe a nice argent silver.

I'll post some pics after it's done and he's approved the work, but it's frankly going to be awhile ... I'm still backed up to the wall trying to catch up after the April tornado with the regular work and continuing shop upgrades / improvements that have been going on for a few months now.

Thanks for the mention Pete! :love5:
 
CudaChick1968 said:
As timing would have it, I just got an entire console setup in last week from a FABO member who's a teacher with a school district in New Jersey. It's VERY pitted and pretty beat up but I'm going to see what I can do with it. The plan is to sand it down as much as I can, use my High Temp Metal Filler (good to 2000 degrees so it's perfect under my powder) and then coat it. He's left the color choice up to me ... I'm thinking Super Chrome or maybe a nice argent silver.

I'll post some pics after it's done and he's approved the work, but it's frankly going to be awhile ... I'm still backed up to the wall trying to catch up after the April tornado with the regular work and continuing shop upgrades / improvements that have been going on for a few months now.

Thanks for the mention Pete! :love5:
Click to expand...

Leanna, keep us posted on this process. You're on to something girl !!!!!!!!


Mike
 
When I took my pitted 66 Dart tail-lights in to be redone,I was told the pits would need to be drilled,then filled with silver solder then sanded and coated then chromed.The price of this procedure was"out of my price range".Good luck Leanna,you might be onto something well worth perfecting.:D
 
Will take some close up pictures tomorrow if I can but my bezels and door handles came out looking really nice. My bezels were broken in a few spots and you can not tell.....
 

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Leanna, If you can figure out how to make the console pitts go away, that would be a true work of art. All of them I've seen are pitted along the outer edge....I'm very interested in this!! :thumbup:
 
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