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

Just found out rechromers in my area want $3000 to rechrome my front and back bumpers. Any thoughts on where to find used bumpers or a better price on rechrome? I live in northeast Tennessee.

Probably not unreasonable. These things are massive & resemble bumper car bumpers. Just a front for my Cad is about $2500. I got my set shoved under the work bench to get out of the way. Factory chrome is flaking off.
I was going to reshape mine, thin down and chop them, if I complete my project. I think over 50% can be excessed and won't affect them and cost less to plate. But body work to fill those round holes in the quarters.
I think you'll pay a handsome price IF you can find a "driver qual" used set. I searched along time for parts cars and not many around but good news they were fairly cheap. The bumpers will fit, '48 -50 but not exactly the same.
I know two east TN chrome shops one I use, one I've yet to try, I talked to them at the auto fair - but may try soon - and they seem reasonable. TN quality was not as good as "Advanced" but I wasn't after "show" chrome and had no issue putting on my Caddie. Timing was OK, not great, but way faster(1/3) than "Advanced". I got about $6K in show chrome, without bumpers.
Some guys are going to "spray chrome" for cost reasons, but it just doesn't look the same and still fairly expensive relative to plain old paint. Another possible is to take to a powder coater, and they have a silver/chrome powder, if you can live with that, but probably have to strip the chrome first, if uneven. It's getting to a level surface that's the cost issue. There's not much chrome applied, but mostly copper, then nickel. The cost is getting the copper layer smooth/correct. Lots of grinding and polishing and redipping till it's OK to bright plate.

Many modern vehicles have low quality chrome plating. It does not resemble the quality plating of many earlier cars, such as 1954-64 Cadillacs and others. I'd beware of bargain basement plating. Besides durability issues, it probably wont have the look that high quality plating has, and it might actually make doing a quality job more difficult.