Chrome plating fiberglass bumpers

[AlanCasida]

I have been thinking about putting some 'glass bumpers on my Galaxie but I don't like the body color look and painting them silver doesn't look right for me either. I really want to retain a stock appearance. I did a web search and found this YouTube video that looks pretty interesting. Has anyone had experience with this or know anything about it? They are located only about 50 miles from me so I might just go have a chat with them sometime. You'll need to watch both parts of the vid to get the whole picture.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiTp0diAwnM

[jayb]

Boy, that stuff looks like it works a LOT better than the stuff I used on my Galaxie's bumpers.  I was thinking about doing fiberglass bumpers for my Shelby clone but didn't know that a coating process like that was available.  If you do this, Alan, please keep us in the loop, I would love to know how it turns out.  I might just call that guy myself.  Any idea how much the process would cost for a typical bumper?

[Nightmist66]

I've seen that video. Looks cool. Here's another one from a place called Spectra Chrome. Lengthy video, but very entertaining for a simple mind like mine. 

https://youtu.be/TYMLTvDDNM8

[Royce]

Alan,  did you ever do any more research on this process?  I have some pitted pot metal headlight housings that I would try it on.

[ScotiaFE]

I've done the spray chrome in the tent.
I say tent because we had one of those shed in a box with poles and a trap.
Very useful, but that's another topic.

I like the process. I had good first results with it and would spend the money, if I actually had money
and do all kinds of things.
It's a three step process with a base and then the metal type coating and then a clear coat.
You have to think volume when you go at it. The more volume of metatlizer stuff the better.
It holds up well on a glass bumper out front and most people can't even tell with mine.
There are a few online places that will supply the materials. Best to shop around.
Remember VOLUME spray of the metalizer.
You can see the corner of the bumper and it actually looks better in real time.

[jayb]

Howie, that looks like the process I used on my Galaxie bumpers, from a company called Alsa; www.alsacorp.com.  I was happy with how my Galaxie bumpers came out too, but they don't look as good as the bumpers shown in Alan's video, which really do look identical to chromed steel.  That process is more expensive and requires an equipment investment in most cases, and I've also been told that it tends to yellow over time; the process name I hear mentioned most frequently with that process is Spectra-Chrome.  Alsa has a similar process, and they also offer a low budge kit for duplicating it yourself; see this link:

http://alsacorp.com/chrome-fx-machines-spray-chrome-paint-systems/

I'm in the middle of doing a fiberglass front bumper for my Shelby clone, and I think I'm going to give that system a try and see how it compares to the one I used on my Galaxie...

[cjshaker]

I've looked at this process before and after doing some research, I found out like Jay said, that not only does it yellow, but many people complain that it starts to peel after a period of time. It didn't take much searching to find quite a few examples of that problem. Maybe it was the way they did it, but it seemed that it was pretty easy to find people having that problem. Just an FYI.

[ScotiaFE]

Yes Jay that is the same place I got my stuff from.
But  Spectra place, they say they sell just cans of the juice.
And use my cheapo spray gun. What the hell am I talking about, I got a long cold winter
a head of me and I have to keep the snow plow alive so I can survive.

Anyways guys the stuff does work if you have money.
Me not so much.

http://www.sprayonchrome.com/coatingpackagesindv.html

[ScotiaFE]

I've had the bumper out front for years now. I've done way more damage to
the thing than any yellowing.
I think the quality of clear coat would make a difference, although I just spray bombed the bumper
and it still looks exactly the same, except for all the scratches and dead bugs.

[TravisRice]

New member here and first post. I actually had my bumpers done last year for my 62 Galaxie. They are not spectra-chrome but a similar process. I don't have pictures hosted on photobucket but can link you to a post I put up with pictures over on Yellowbullet. My buddy had some of the spectra-chrome done on his 63 Pontiac parts...... looked real good when it was done but shortly after it started sort of separating between the base and top coat. You could take a heat gun it would chase the discoloration out of it for a few days. His bumpers are 2 years old now as well as his tailight bezels and at best they look like 20year old weathered bumpers.

Heres the link .... http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1125202

Travis

[TravisRice]

The link looks like it worked. My bumpers are on page 6 but there is a lot of good and bad feedback for different processes. Mine are Cosmichrome.

Travis

[jayb]

Thanks for the link, Travis, those look real nice.  Did you send your bumpers to Cosmichrome to get them done, or do you have the Cosmichrome system and do them yourself? 

[TravisRice]

I actualy took them to a Yellowbullet member in Frederick MD that uses the Cosmichrome product. He actually bought into the cosmichrome after having some bad experiences with the spectra system itself. Like I said in that link I looked long and hard before actually taking my bumpers to someone. With his business being only 1:20 minutes away I wanted to go down and look at something that was comparable to what I wanted. Ive seen some of the chrome processes done at fiberglass shops and paint / body shops. all of the chrome processes I looked at from both had dirt or severe orange peel.  Bill does nothing but this chroming at his little shop. It is super clean and he is a one man operation. He had pieces in the clean cabinet that were ready for the prime coat, some in a different cabinet that were ready for the base and some that were completed. I was very impressed with it. He explained the time lines for use of materials and not being able to touch the product once you started laying the base down. If it had dirt in it you had to stop and strip it off you can not sand it out and re apply the base. The prime coat is a bright purple color and really reminded me of a gellcoat finish when it was applied. All you did with it once it dried was to gas it off with a butane torch to accept the chrome base and activate the primer. Pretty neat and pretty time comsuming process. Send me a pm or give me a call or text and I'll let you know what kind of money I have in them. It is not cheap but the finished product was well worth it for me considering I have a silver car and painted bumpers are not an option.


Travis
301-707-3462

[ScotiaFE]

Those bumpers look spectacular.
Way better than my $129 spray bomb job.

We are also going to have to have the story on what's under that Giant air intake?

[TravisRice]