Re: Nickel or chrome?

Posted by Tim Cole On 2016/2/17 11:20:56

I think all that chrome versus nickel stuff is a Turnquist legacy. Everything under the sun was chromed on his 443. If left out in the weather those nickel radiator shells will deteriorate badly due to heat so they need to be looked after religiously. There is the option of clear coating the stuff to help prevent such problems. If the objective is to present an "as delivered" look then tarnished nickel just doesn't work.

As well, back during the over chroming era if you started nickel plating bumpers, snap rings, and everything else you would have a major maintenance headache.

However, Packard restoration is full of "but it looks better that way" logic so these things happen.

I have this 1920's style banjo and when I placed the order chrome had to be special ordered because it is not authentic. I didn't give it any thought and took nickel. It is impossible to clean that nickel so I just leave it tarnished.