VC Chrome Mould Restoration?

[Barjen]

Anybody have any knowledge they care to share on how to retore the chrome body moulds on a VC Commodore

[L67 Calais]

retore how?

[Barjen]

When I say restore I mean to make look like new.
Not necessarily exactly as they were produced, but at least presentable, no scratches and an somewhat even shiny appearance.

[ari666]

autosol. dunno if VC'c have that black rubber stuff on the window surrounds, but if so carefully rub that stuff with scotchbrite, and rub the shit out of the chrome with autosol and it comes up pretty good, normally.

[L67 Calais]

spot on Ari. And yes they do have the black rubber also

[vkberlina]

When I have cleaned up chrome moulds before I have removed them from the car and used a bench polishing setup with the polishing wax/soaps then for a final polish use a product called The Original Purple Polish, once you have use that it makes autosol look like jiz. It is the only polish to make my simmons look and stay like new.

scott

[ari666]

once you have use that it makes autosol look like jiz. It is the only polish to make my simmons look and stay like new.

ive used that purple crap. and still maintain that autosol is better. but autosol on alloy is fail. anything alloy needs "mothers alloy wheel polish"

[Barjen]

Thanks for your thoughts,
However, VC Chrome Moulds are 30+ years old now and need more than just a polish with Autosol.
Every mould that I have collected from 6 different parts cars are either scratched, stone chipped, dented, discoloured or marked in some way as to detract from the finish of the rebuild.
Also they have a coating on them, that seems to be some form of plating or anodizing that wont buff off even with machine polishing unless I spend the rest of my life at the polishing wheel.
Somebody must have reconditioned these at some stage or knows where I can get them done.

[Darren_L]

just buy a new set from rare spares.

[ari666]

^^^ yeah agreed. a chrome plater will end up charging you more that rare spares anyway.

[Barjen]

That would be easy "if" they sold all the moulds needed, but they only have about a 3rd of them.
No Upper & Lower Boot Moulds, No Drip Rail / Gutter Moulds, No Upper Door Frame Moulds (SLE)
Don't think it would look so good with only some new moulds and some s/hand moulds

[L67 Calais]

If you work it out, Let me know.

[jcvhsle]

just had a quote done to refurbish all 28-30 pieces including bars, minus doorbelts for around $2k so there you go, maybe not

[ari666]

yikes. what about the wrecker? my local has about 6 vb-vc's atm.

[cycloneracing]

I have thought about this issue for my VC too.

I notice that the trim pieces have a coating on them; I assumed it was a clear coat of some sort, like the way they polish chrome wheels then clear them so you don't have to polish them all the time (like those damn simmons!).
I was going to try a paint stripper to get that coating off.

Furthermore, lots of hot rodders make their own Chrome trim. They use Brass stock, shape it, file it, sand it etc, and then have it Chrome plated. (they make whole grilles and things too, see the Rodder's Journal for examples).

I know it is a ton of work but that could be one way to go. At least you would have a one of a kind car!

One other option I thought of was to get a sheet of stainless steel, say 3mm, and have it laser cut to the shapes you want, then bend them to suit the body, then polish them to suit.

I know when you get bumper bars rechromed, you dechrome them, then get the bars panel beaten back into shape, then rechromed again. I assume any refurbishment of trim parts would require some intricate panel beating to be done.

[SL/ENUT]

The things are, the moulds are made of aluminium, so have to be careful on what you use.

[cycloneracing]

On the issues of trim pieces for the VB-VC (and VH for that matter), I have found it is impossible to get decent "quarter trim vent" pieces. They all have the tabs broken off the back and Rare Spares doesn't make them (despite my emails!). These are the vents that go immediately behind the rear door window.

Additionally, the bumper rubbers (VB-VC front) are impossible to get anywhere. The bumper rubbers are made of this rubber extrusion with a metal strip running through the middle. Impossible to get. My car looks awful because of the crappy front bumper rubber. GMH supplies ran out 8 years ago for front bumper rubbers I have been told. I was thinking of approaching a company to make me a 50m roll of it and then selling lengths on ebay!

Back to the quarter vents, I have decided to make my own replacements, but not out of plastic, but stainless steel. I have been designing them in Solidworks. Need to finish the design off then have to get them laser cut, then some pan-brake bending and spot welding... here are some design shots:



(btw, sorry to hijack thread, hope this adds to the discussion)

[ari666]

I know when you get bumper bars rechromed, you dechrome them, then get the bars panel beaten back into shape, then rechromed again.

you forgot

step 4: pay through the arse

[Calaber]

I have thought about this issue for my VC too.

I notice that the trim pieces have a coating on them; I assumed it was a clear coat of some sort, like the way they polish chrome wheels then clear them so you don't have to polish them all the time (like those damn simmons!).
I was going to try a paint stripper to get that coating off.

Furthermore, lots of hot rodders make their own Chrome trim. They use Brass stock, shape it, file it, sand it etc, and then have it Chrome plated. (they make whole grilles and things too, see the Rodder's Journal for examples).

I know it is a ton of work but that could be one way to go. At least you would have a one of a kind car!

One other option I thought of was to get a sheet of stainless steel, say 3mm, and have it laser cut to the shapes you want, then bend them to suit the body, then polish them to suit.

I know when you get bumper bars rechromed, you dechrome them, then get the bars panel beaten back into shape, then rechromed again. I assume any refurbishment of trim parts would require some intricate panel beating to be done.

Barjen is correct. That "coating" you refer to is anodising. It's designed to prevent the aluminium from weathering and corroding and gives the trim the desired lustre. It also prevents you from polishing the trims to bring them back to new appearance. Paint stripper will not remove anodising - I think it's an electrolytic process which actually treats the aluminium and alters its characteristics - in other words, it's actually part of the metal. I am guessing here, but I think the only way to polish the old trims would be to sand them back with fine wet and dry to remove the anodising and get down to the untreated aluminium, then buff and polish them to get the desired finish. However, you would then have unprotected aluminium, so perhaps a good coating of clear over each of them before re-fitting might help to keep them looking good.

[Darren_L]

That would be easy "if" they sold all the moulds needed, but they only have about a 3rd of them.
No Upper & Lower Boot Moulds, No Drip Rail / Gutter Moulds, No Upper Door Frame Moulds (SLE)
Don't think it would look so good with only some new moulds and some s/hand moulds

all the door belt & moulds are available. Wouldn't look out of place if you replaced all 4 doors for a start
and really, you need to buy those ones new anyway, because usually the rubber(which is vulcanised to the chrome strip) is brittle and cracked on the original ones.

[jcvhsle]

rear quarter trim vents are available for vh series from rare spares but at a premium

[machone]

option number 2 for your moulds is maybe powder coat them black? or cheaper paint them black...or go to some country wreckers forget city ones you will be battling ...the rear quarter vents are getting rare but ive seen them on ebay same with the black bumper rubbers good luck...reminds me i need to get a rear vent one as well grrr

[magnetvh]

Try polishing it with autosol and steel wool. Mine came up like new.