Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Can anyone recommend a good place for sTainless restoration and chrome plating?

I was in contact some time ago with a place that repairs and restores stainless but I’m not sure if I still have their contact information. I’ll see if I can find it but I’ve never used them myself.

On potmetal, be very careful who you choose. I was looking at the parts listing of one of our parts suppliers where they had a rechromed pair of 1951-1954 tail lights which they said were show quality. However, all the sharp edges were now rounded over so they were definitely NOT show quality!

I had a set of 54 bumpers re-plated by North Star Plating in Brainerd, MN about a year ago. Their work was top notch but not cheap. They also do pot metal parts.
www.northstarplating.com

thanks for the replies anyone have good luck with the stainless restoration there was a guy in the new england states 30 years ago but hes probably not doing it anymore

Try Advanced Custom Chrome in Erie PA. Superior work, not cheap but you get what you pay for in the chrome world.

Hi folks,
I will throw in another. I am using Sherm's Plating here in Sacramento. They do both pot metal and stainless steel, but like everywhere else they are not cheap, and their lead time is currently about 3 months, so if you want it fast, good luck!!
John Wogec

Reading this thread with interest as I am doing some chroming on my car at this time. I too, found the turnaround times of a lot of these plating guys to be multi-months. There are multiple references here, attached to people's recommendations, saying that 'they do good work, but they're not cheap'. Being a relative newcomer to the hobby and never having had a single thing chromed in my life before, I have no price base line. For the back bumper and two 'bumperettes' on my '39 Six, the bill is about $540 USD. Turnaround: 'less than a month' (says the plating guy; yet to get it back) How does that sound to those with some chroming experience??? Just curious... Chris.

My suggestion is to grab a copy of Hemming’s Motor News and look at the ads under service. There are any number of companies listed who do chrome and stainless restoration.
As to cost, it has been my experience that chrome work is expensive but that may be due to environmental regulations in this country. I believe that Bumper Boyz and perhaps Tucson Packard have their plating done in Mexico. Some local shops outsource their bumpers to some outfit in Montana.
I have never seen any method to the prices quoted for doing the work based on any schedule....just sort of numbers pulled from the air.
Hope this helps.

thank you for the replys in the early 80s i had a bunch of stuff chromed the guy ground down 1 of the parts so bad you could hardly see grooves and contours that where in the chrome and it still had pits in it. some of the other parts were loaded with pits after chromeing. Most of the parts were junk after chromeing and the bill was 3000.00 So I always like to hear what other people have to say.

Reply to Packardnewbie's question:
$540 for a bumper and two guards is pretty good.
My 54 rear bumper was about $600 but it is bigger than the 37. The total for my 54 senior: 2 bumpers, 4 guards, 4 bars, 2 center wings was $2200.

I see from their website that North Star Plating no longer does pot metal. I've had pot metal parts done by Classic Chrome in Yuma, Colorado with good results.