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

I reported this before, but there's a new product out there for painting on a plated chrome finish. It uses water after the "paint" is applied. I hadn't seen it yet, but was watching "mobsteel" and they were working on a '53 Pack and they showed and described "painting" the bumpers and they looked excellent. Certainly an acceptable alternative to the price and time of plating, if you're in the driver category or low budget restoration. I need to research this more.

I seen what sounds something like this on Jay Leno's garage. What it is, more or less is the same thing they use to silver mirrors. They were spraying it on plastic emblems ect..... I even seen on one video where they were doing this to a whole car.... It looks great, but I wonder about the durability....

John

I was watching mobsteel, and it sure looks very labor intensive and a high level of stress and anxiety to get it presentable.

At one time I wanted to open a company to do just that. Provide a feasible alternative to plating more in tune with the budgets of the hot rod crowd and lower value cars. I also felt that once a successful book of business is underway there is a high likelihood of the phone ringing with a contract for a million chrome painted wheels or bumpers from one of the big car makers.

As well a lot of the die cast parts are in such bad shape that subjecting them to plating attempts is a waste of money. A case in point is the Packard power brake selector. There isn't a plater anywhere who knows what it should look like. They just grind the living shxt out of them and ruin them.

But if you want to be serious about a successful business you have to be the kind of schmuck that people want to throw money at. So I never bothered see if a marketable process was possible. I've just seen too much authority and money being placed into the hands of total jerks. In a corporation if you aren't a big liability you aren't going any place.