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just wondering if anyone has had any experience with re-chroming?

Ive got a rear bumper that could do with rechroming and my front one has a scratch and i discovered that its been flaking a bit behind the number plate.

Anyone recommend me a place to send them? How much should I expect to pay?

Dunno who it was, but I think someone posted recently saying it cost them £600 to get their front bumper rechromed.

wtf!

There's a place in Birmingham that I found, quoted me £200 for my rear, which was about on par with two other places I rang. They add another process to the standard one, I'm going to have to find it though. Let me see what I can find

I was speaking to a restorer of Rolls Royce etc at the NEC show. I asked him about chrome plating. They use Derby Platers, presumably in Derby !

There's a guy on the welding forums who builds hotrods that has a good chrome guy, somewhere down South. I'll find his details later.

Thanks for the help guys.

I've gotta feeling this will be expensive! I've got two bumpers and that trim around the door window that need rechroming.

As it will cost so much I'm not going to be happy if it starts to flake off! Gotta be done once and done right.

parts around door cant be rechromed.
Ive taken it to a place they said cant be done cos its made of ali.

No wonder they have been scratched so easy. I think one of the previous owner had rings like Mr. T.

Im sure I have seen aluminium part chromed before on a jap engine?

Well if you find out let me know.
Iv'e just bought some for the special as im changing all the chrome bits.
Believe me its f###king expensive

The hotrod guy says his mate doesn't do aluminium any more, so presumably it can be done, just not easily.

ally can be chromed but it must be polished before hand very lenghy process

cobbler2u wrote:parts around door cant be rechromed.
Ive taken it to a place they said cant be done cos its made of ali.

You should be able to take them to a metal polisher. They'll use abrasives remove most scratches, through to progessively fine grades and then polish, all done on a wheel.

nas80 wrote:I've gotta feeling this will be expensive!

Quite possibly.

Price up what the cost of new parts from BMW will be so you can decide if it's going to be cost effective or not.

There are a couple of places in Middlesbrough which is nearish to you -

http://www.ashfordchroming.com/area/chr ... dlesbrough

Cleveland Chroming Co., Snowdon Road, Middlesbrough, TS2 1DY Tel. 01642 244911

Buy yourself a copy of Practical Classics & Classic Car magazines. There are always adverts in those.

cheers andy - ive been in contact with ashfords - they all say that they need to see the pieces first hand or at least some decent pics of the parts.

*cant remember the last time i bought a mag lol* - might have to give this a try.