Re: Chrome

[rfeibusch@loop.com (Rick Feibusch)]

Hi Listers-

Hi - I'm new on the list and don't have a Triumph yet but am getting
interested.  I'm the guy who does the infamous Value Guides for British Car
Magazine (American) so you Spitfire and TR7 owners out there know who to
bitch at!

What I have been led to understand about tripple chrome plating:

Chrome does not adhere to steel very well in the plating process but copper
does, so your first layer is copper and it acts like a primer. Chrome
doesn't stick to copper all that well either but it does stick quite well
to nickel that does stick to copper, SO, a nickel plate layer is added
between the copper and the final hard chrome top finishing layer.  An other
interesting fact is that chrome is so hard and dense that it is near
impossible to polish after the fact so all of the polishing is done to the
bare steel prior to plating and poor prep here will cause a rough or milky
surface.

Today it is hard to get proper tripple plating bcause the deadly chemical
residues left from the copper and nickel "baths" is hard to contain and
dispose of. Since they have used little real chrome plated parts on cars
for the last decade, there is less and less call for this service and most
platers use only chrome over steel.

And that is why older chromed parts often look better and are more rust
resistant than new chrome and all of the chrome is peeling off of both of
my Chevys back bumpers. See you on the Funway!

Rick Feibusch
Automotive Journalist/Appraiser
Venice Beach, California
310-393-6605
Fax:396-1933
1959 Morris Minor Convertible
1960 Morris Minor Saloon
1961 Morris Minor Pickup
1969 Chevy Malibu Sport Coupe
1969 Chevy Malibu Convertible