Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Thanks to everyone that has helped me with me " new " 1952 Packard 300 4-door sedan. I have another question for you folks:


My kids had several parts re-chromed before they surprised me with the car and they look great. The parts that are still pitted and need attention are the grill and door handles. Is there anything short of re-chroming that is economical and acceptable for these parts?


rhlevine

Sometimes buying a "better" used replacement part is cheaper then paying for a rechrome. Always cheaper later to rechome if there are no pits then if there are.

You would be surprised what a little light oil and steel wool will do to drastically improve the look of chrome. (even pitted)

Example from my '54:

Before




After

Dear rhl:

Those grilles have always been tough because the objective was to sell new cars and have them traded after five years.

You have a few choices:

One is to find someone doing spray silver which is shiny like chrome, but purely decorative (not easy).

Another, is to just buff your grille using rouge (available from paint suppliers and McMaster Carr) You will need some body shop equipment as well.

Another choice is have the platers strip the chrome and polish the zinc casting, then immediately take it to a body shop and have them clear coat it.

I know someone who passed out when they priced chroming a 55 Studebaker grille so they painted it body tone. The darn thing looked better.

You can buy the handles from Tucson Packard cheaper than having your pitted ones rechromed. They are beautiful, he uses an excellent chrome shop. The grille is another matter, it may be the largest die cast chrome piece made for production use at the time. Quite costly to rechrome. Bide your time and go to the Packard shows and Hershey, you will find a decent used one you can live with.

Don't use steel wool on your chrome, it is to abrasive and will leave scuff marks in the plating.

Use copper or bronze wool, it is softer, and minimizes the swirl marks. You can find it most places with the kitchen cleaning supplies. A good multi-purpose oil like 3-In-1 works good as well.

I've never had any problem with 000 steel wool.

What type of of oil do you guys use?

If you piece is pitted and you knock it down and polish with steel wool, would putting a clear coat paint on it keep it from rerusting or would the clear coat discolor over time?

....would putting a clear coat paint on it keep it from rerusting or would the clear coat discolor over time?

Maybe today's stuff is better but the clear lacquer & enamel they used during the "war chrome" years was horrible. Even Packard issued a caution or two about caring for and being gentle with it. Not thinking much of anything sticks well to chrome or would last long in typical use conditions.

The original stuff discolored to yellowish or cloudy, crazed and flaked off, wind wear made it thin, aggressive washing scratched it -- essentially just about anything except maybe looking at it made for a short life. Once breached, the pot metal started corroding and steel started rusting. I expect even today's modern miracle compounds would be taxed.