Capt46
Well-Known Member
I would have purchased mirrored stainless and had the fronts cut on a laser for the face rectangle shape and then use 3m double faced tape for the application. GRRRRRRRRR
Not happy Paul’s Chrome Plating.
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autoxcuda
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Did you get quotes from other shops? What were the price differences?
Did Paul's or your other shop estimates specifically mention in writing anything about the backside or the part?
Krooser
Building Chinese Free Engines since 1959...
Looks like those should have been sent back by the plater because they are too far gone to be fixed...
Capt46
Well-Known Member
Wheeew I am ready to have my bumpers done on my 66 and was considering Paul’s being somewhat local to N.Y. I think I will definitely passssssssssssssss on that thought.
famous bob
mopar misfit
Plating won`t cover crap, they should have been repaired before being chromed. Plain to see
they weren`t. Did u discuss what u wanted , or what they would do before chrome? I would be pissed at that too! I have read somewhere that there
is a way for the pitts to be filled before plating, but cant remember who it was. For that kind of $$, I would would expect perfection !
Capt46
Well-Known Member
Just a California opinion. Most all platers out here suck. Due to state laws, quality is compromised and many are going out of business ( some, thankfully). After a lifetime of searching for good chrome I send all my stuff east. Another thing I have learned. They only restore the area of your part that is normally seen. If you want the entire piece, front and back restored, you would need to specify. In your case, if you expected a certain result, you should have told them. You should do as much of the prep work yourself, such as removing the electrical parts. If I were you I would have started out with better parts if I wanted that level of appearance. As for me, I restore the original part. The new chrome is better than original. Even starting with nice parts, this is at least 2-3 times more expensive than repo if it is available. That is just my decision. You need to make your decision yourself what you want for your car. Don't mean to be preachy, but I hope this helps.
I will admit those look horrible. The gentleman where I store the cuda had chroming for his 40 Chev truck done by them. I saw the pieces and they were nice. Super pricey but nice.
Sorry it turned out shitty. Just like a paint job, it's all in the prep
Sorry it turned out shitty. Just like a paint job, it's all in the prep
autoxcuda
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Some might not be familiar with these parts. This is what they look like on the car.
autoxcuda
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The back of them are held in by a retainer. And the bumper turns in under them so to see them you have to be well under the car and look back at a 45 deg to see inside the bumper.
Here's a set on eBay showing the larger retainer that covers the back.
These were pitted too. They weren't cleaned up real good in the back to see if they are pitted as much as the orignal posters. And the retainer is in the way.
Here's a set on eBay showing the larger retainer that covers the back.
These were pitted too. They weren't cleaned up real good in the back to see if they are pitted as much as the orignal posters. And the retainer is in the way.
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67 gt
A Wog boy who loves his Mopars !
That's how I did mine and I got rid of most of the pits I ended up painting the backs and inside of buckets with an Alloy Rust inhibitor paint which came up pretty good . Chrome edges on mine were pretty good to start off with. Little while back there was a really good set on Ebay for a 66 Dart with good lens and the Vendor was only asking $130.00.
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LovetheA's
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone for all your opinions and advise. Yeah I sent a message back to Paul’s Chrome with detailed pics and an explanation of why I was displeased. I did speak with them before sending detailed pics of what they were starting with. They knew what they were working on before getting the bezels. What I was really surprised by, is that the areas that are visible from the back of the car when mounted, weren’t finished properly. There is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of depth above where the lens sits. Three of the four bezels had pitting and scaling on those areas. See pics attached. They didn’t even fill, sand or prep those areas correct to make it right. I know they weren’t the best to start with but if I knew they were going to just disassemble the wiring strip them and dunk them in chrome I would of reconsidered for $200.00 to $250.00 dollars apiece. I don’t think I’m being unrealistic and many of you are validating that. I do realize that for them to sand, fill and smooth the entire bezel not seen, might be overreaching, but I would of prepared the bases myself. Other than the chroming process I could of done a much better job myself. I’m still shocked!
Carl
Carl
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I hope they step up for you.
When im displeased with a product or service, i usually start of with “i’m a reasonable man”
And then express what i need them to know.
When im displeased with a product or service, i usually start of with “i’m a reasonable man”
And then express what i need them to know.
They look like **** to be honest. I be on the phone for sure. They say they are the best, Ya right!
Mopar92
Well-Known Member
I’ve seen this before with them. I went through this on my 67’. I found beautiful cores on eBay for $40. I took them to a local shop. They turned out unreal for $100. That was optomistic for $900. What’s done is done. All you can do is try to resolve this with them. I’d they see this thread... you just made your life harder. Ugh.
harrisonm
Well-Known Member
Try calling them up. Tell them that you saw them on the "My Classic Car" TV show. (I watch that show a lot, and Paul's Chrome is on there a lot). Tell them that you saw the extraordinary before and after examples that you brought to the show with horrible pitting before, and that is why you chose them. Tell them that for $900 you feel the work is not satisfactory. If you can get 50% of the money refunded and have the surface that is seen look good, I'd take it. You could also tell them that several thousand members of a large all Mopar forum are going to be interested also.
FYI, I had a place in Kansas City do some stuff for me about 20 years ago, and it looked better than that.
FYI, I had a place in Kansas City do some stuff for me about 20 years ago, and it looked better than that.
For less than 900 bucks, you could have gone into the chrome plating business.
@moparmatt2000, please post pics of what you did to the taillight bezels that were pitted that I sent you!! Maybe it could help our friend here clean up his bezels on the back!!
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Look up my thread below, or somebody here knows how to link it to this thread, the title of my thread below which details repairing a severely pitted 69 barracuda taillight housing i probably should have thrown away.
"How to diecast repair using JB weld"
Not sure if this can help you now that they are plated. Several alternates would have worked. They could have been sand blasted clean, filled, repaired, then sent out for spectrachrome spray on silver nitrate (alsachrome)
Filled and repaired, then have a vehicle wrap redo the chrome on the front with vehicle wrap chrome, and paint the backs silver.
Muggy weld up all the pitting, sand smooth, and have replated,
Or look for ones that were was less pitted to start with.
Just tryin to help ya out.
Matt
"How to diecast repair using JB weld"
Not sure if this can help you now that they are plated. Several alternates would have worked. They could have been sand blasted clean, filled, repaired, then sent out for spectrachrome spray on silver nitrate (alsachrome)
Filled and repaired, then have a vehicle wrap redo the chrome on the front with vehicle wrap chrome, and paint the backs silver.
Muggy weld up all the pitting, sand smooth, and have replated,
Or look for ones that were was less pitted to start with.
Just tryin to help ya out.
Matt
autoxcuda
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Could you install a lens and see exactly what is going to show when installed??
The gasket will push it out a little too.
I'm looking at the pictures you posted and the pits look like they sit under the lens?
Although I truly appreciate the vote of confidence there Rob and have had some successes restoring pot metal, I can't wholeheartedly agree with you on those particular bezels. If they were mine I would have donated them to the scrap yard and found some better candidates to start with; any customer soliciting a quote on them would have gotten that same recommendation. Some pieces are just too far gone to mess with, and any attempt to clean them up just turns into a case of "throwing good money at bad results."
I'm frankly surprised that Paul's would have even agreed to undertake the work at all in light of the Before Photos.
FISHYPETE
Well-Known Member
I agree with Leanna. The guy I have do some chrome for me will tell me what will happen if he was to do the part. He says its the pits on the reverse sides that are the problems when dipping and stripping
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Still $250 each housing. Thats highway robbery. I if i couldent find ones in better condition. I would have dunked em in a sandblaster to etch the chrome thats left, and to clean out all the corrosion in the pits, fill em with JB weld, sand em down, epoxy primed em. Then i woulda sent em out to get spectrachromed. Prob $80 to $100 each
Www.sprayonchrome.com
If with the gasket and lens installed, and them installed in the bumper you cannot see the rest, and what you do see is good, at this point just run em the way they are.
Www.sprayonchrome.com
If with the gasket and lens installed, and them installed in the bumper you cannot see the rest, and what you do see is good, at this point just run em the way they are.
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Whats done is done. Now it falls in the chromer’s hands to make it right.
If i did that kind of work,doing my best with what was presented to me,i would be too embarassed to charge 900 for that.
Job at cost at the very least.
If i did that kind of work,doing my best with what was presented to me,i would be too embarassed to charge 900 for that.
Job at cost at the very least.
I'm a bit curious to know what their initial estimate was versus what you were actually charged. Did they write up a proposal for you to consider, talk about your options over the phone, or just invite you to send the pieces?
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