Confirmed, I have flashchromed stainless on my '60!

[RandalPark@xxxxxxx]

Until Richard confirmed this, I would never believed it myself. I haven't read 
anything about it in the sales material, owners manual, or shop manual. One 
would think that if this were a good thing it would have been at least 
described someplace. I am very interested in more information on this.

Paul

 In a message dated 1/8/2004 10:35:05 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
jsadowski@xxxxxxx writes:

> I saw this on a 63 & much of it was peeling off. I don't believe this was 
>factory applied, instead someone thought it was a good idea. Someone that has 
>experience buffing stainless can make it look practically as good as chrome.
> John
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: RandalPark@xxxxxxx 
> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 6:36 PM
> Subject: Re: IML: Confirmed, I have flashchromed stainless on my '60!
> 
> 
> Very interesting Richard. I guess that must mean that all of us who have 1960 
>Imperials have the same problem that you do if we wish to have our stainless 
>trim match our pot metal chrome plated pieces. Come to think of it, why would 
>they have only applied this previously unknown process to only the 1960 model. 
>It must apply to most other years as well. Keep us informed about your 
>progress please. It sounds like we will all have to cross this same bridge 
>sometime in the future if we are to correctly restore our cars.
> 
> Paul
> 
>  In a message dated 1/8/2004 7:32:56 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
>lecrown60@xxxxxxxxx writes:
> 
> > Dear IML members,
> >  
> > Chris Hawkins and I went to Southern bumper here in Atlanta today and the 
>answer was yes!  The stainless steel on my car was flash-chromed.  From my 
>experience with sanding and buffing out repairs on multiple parts I know that 
>this applied to all of the exterior stainless on this car.  I have found no 
>exceptions so far.  I was so elated to know that I was not crazy, well not as 
>much crazy anyway!  I will just use a hand applied creme metal polish and use 
>as many original parts as possible.  Fortuntely most of my trim is in 
>excellent condition and I will just have to live with some of the finer 
>scratches.
> >  
> > I had a few parts that were extremely nice but had been hit by an orbital 
>sander as they were adjacent to poorly executed bodywork.  When I took 600 
>grit wet and dry I immediately noticed a difference in the color of the metal. 
> White/blue to yellow/grey.  The parts polished beautifully but didn't look 
>the same.  The guy I spoke with at Southern Bumper said to strip all the 
>chrome off with muratic acid and buff the parts.  However, the flash-plating 
>is so thin that it doesn't take any more work to just buff it off.  This 
>though leaves chrome in the recesses and if you only repair a small spot you 
>end up with a piece of trim that is two colors.  Brilliant but of different 
>depth and color.  So, now I have a few parts that need to be rechromed.  
> >  
> > Southern Bumper will not plate stainless.  They say that nickel will not 
>adhere to stainless so the chrome was applied directly to the stainless.  
>Apparently this is a specialty process.  Anyone know a good specialist?  Of 
>course I didn't already have enough stuff to search for and enough chrome to 
>replate.  I called a few local plating shops and some asked why while others 
>just told me it was not something they did.  Great huh?  Got any ideas on this 
>new conundrum?  I left my six pot metal headlight brow pieces which were 
>estimated at $285 for restoration.  Gosh, only 40 more pieces of pot metal to 
>go....
> >  
> > The technician at Southern Bumper told me that even Ford was known to 
>flashchrome stainless.  It aparently is uncommon but not unheard of.  He 
>should know as they were working on everything from Edsel grills to Buick 
>ornaments.  Let me know if anyone hears of a plating shop that will do 
>stainless.  I have 6 pieces so far that I have restored and would like to 
> > have done.
> >  
> > Richard Burgess
> >  
> > '60 "LeCrown" Sedan  
> >  
> >  
> > 
> > 
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> 
>