I'm to the point on two cars that I need to start looking for a good shop to repair and re-chrome a lot of stuff. I know that the more you send, the better per-piece price you get.

What I don't know is where to start. I live in the desert to the West of Las Vegas, in California. We're about 150 miles to L.A. so that would be OK to drive down and make a delivery and pick-up. I haven't found a shop anywhere around Bakersfield that's any good. The best I found there was a place that did chrome paint for $100 per square foot. And they don't do repair to the metal.

I could get silver powder coat very cheaply - one of those businesses co-sponsors my brother-in-law's race car. It's just that powder coating isn't chrome. Yes, I will have some small stuff powder coated, but I will probably do that myself.

What I need is a personal recommendation of a good chrome shop within about 200 miles of Zip 93555, Ridgecrest, CA. All the better if I can work a discount for credit on the cars, both of which are going on the show circuit.

Anyone able to help me out?



1967 Fiat Abarth 100-OT (1 liter engine)

Mechanically restored, now working on body/chrome/interior.

This may be the fastest, scariest ride you'll ever get!!

I've used both the bumper boyz and the bumper shop - on florence in Los Angeles. The bumper shop is the better of the two, but the prices fluctuate and are not cheap. If you can get it done out of state, you may be better off.
http://www.thebumpershop.com/TheBumperShop/Contact.asp

Boy this is something you hate to recommend because things change fast at these little shops. Around here, Border Control can come in at any moment and wipe out all of a shop's good experienced platers. :) Also, with the changes in the environmental regs, a lot of these places are getting forced out of business and/or forced to adjust their prices up, and the quality just keeps going down it seems.

Phoenix is about twice the distance you wanted to travel (400 miles), but I was at an anodize shop by the airport last week and they gave me a recommendation and directions (no name) to a chrome plating shop on the W. side. I could dig into this if you're interested. There are several decorative chrome shops in Phoenix but most do poor work these days (I would not recommend Papago Plating anymore, although a few years back they were very good - they lost some of my parts and had to redo others as the chrome was peeling off. In the end I still wasn't happy with my parts but felt it was counterproductive complain further).

I did a quick search and this is the only shop on 43rd Ave, so I believe this is it (also, if you look on the left side, click on This Business is Listed Under - Plating, you'll see all the choices in Phoenix- to make sure they do Decorative chrome, click on Products & Services & make sure its listed):
http://www.yellowpages.com/info-LMS63364883/Kerr-West-Plating-Incorporated


Tucson is 3X your limit (600 miles), but I have used Nu-Chrome by the airport and had no complaints. That was a few years back, however.


Oh, and another option is to try to do it yourself.......
http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/triple.htm
(One of these days I'm going to get gutsy and figure out how to do this - may as well use my chemistry degree - I did set up a small anodize line, purchased from Caswell for ~$300)

Belinda

I think you are looking at big $$$ if you get your stuff chromed in CA. Especially LA.
I would check Nevada and Arizona. Las Vegas and Reno would be my first targets.
A lot of people send their stuff out of state so sometimes their is more of a backlog.
A friend of mine sends all his bike stuff to Michigan. He says its less than half of what he would have to pay in California.

-Ted '59 PV 445

Steve, You can try THE BUMPER SHOP in Los Angeles. I have not tried them but they go to all the big car showes here in Washington as well as your state. You can call them at 800 831-4421.They might have a pickup point in your area or nearby. Iv'e seen there work and it looks fine. I think that if I were going to have something done, the more you do the more you can bargan for a discount. Take photos of all the parts you send. Paul

Howdy,

I don't have any direct knowledge, only what I've read on the C-body (big Chryslers) mail list. The advice there is to avoid Bumper Boyz in L.A. Lost parts, inferior work, long turn-around, and failure to make good on lost pieces, have all been reported on the C-body list.

Sorry I cannot help with a west coast recommendation. I had mine done in Houston at a family run business that has been doing chrome for more than 50 years. It was very expensive to do both bumpers and the Yankee bar. But I have no complaints with the quality or the turn-around. If you intend to ship it out of state to get it done, I can recommend them. Just be sitting down when they quote the price.

http://www.superiorchrome.com/
--
Mr. Shannon DeWolfe -- (I've taken to using Mr. because my name tends to mislead folks on the WWW. I am a 51 year old fat man ;-) -- KD5QBL

Thanks to all of the above replies. Just what I was looking for!

I may try Las Vegas, it's practically across the street from where I live.

I'm well aware this won't be cheap. I plan to do several items on the PV as well as nost of the stuff on the Abarth. That'll be 4 bumpers, 2 Yankee bars, plus whatever else I can find to plate.

For once, money won't be a problem. I have funds budgeted for the chrome, plus body & paint on both cars, a complete interior for the Abarth, and some minor repair of sun damage to the PV's front seats.

As you might deduce, I really want to get back on the show circuit (OK, they're small shows) and get some feedback about the Abarth. I think I have so rare a car that no one will be interested in it. You gotta be into Ferraris and Maseratis to like this little gem. At least I can take it to the Italian Car Show up by Monterey, and trailer her around to as many Vintage Racing meets as I'm able.

Thanks again!

Steve

Hey Baron,
Any luck finding a good chrome shop?
Please let us know.
I just got a tip that Vern's Chrome Plating in the L.A. area does exceptional work. You can Google them. Excellent information and photos. A class act. Not for the faint of wallet.

Cheers!

Ted '59 PV 445, '74 144GL (2)