Cool, thanks man.

Yeah, I was extremely surprised too. Most American makers made plenty of chrome but it was chromed steel. Problem with chromed steel is eventually you will get a nick somewhere and the steel will start to rust underneath and it will peel, etc.

Not Volvo, they used aluminum, which is already very resistant to the elements, then chromed it for a harder, shinier shell. And that's only where they didn't already use stainless steel for trim. Blows me away.

It's great because I can re-finish aluminum or stainless steel and make it look like new, but chrome plated steel is pretty much trash once the plating is gone.

The old hubcaps/trim rings were the first place I was surprised - they're stainless steel! Meaning I was able hammer out the dents and polish the snot out of them without worry of going through chrome.

The large Corona center caps - solid Al. And the logo in the center of them - a stamped plate of aluminum with paint stenciled on and about a dozen coats of clear, then siliconed to the center. The workmanship is amazing. This stuff was meant to last FOREVER. I only wish they'd put as much care into the interior.