I posted this in the interior section as well... Do anybody know of a process or company that can chrome plate a grill? Or suggestions on how to prepare the plastic for paint - so that it does not chip/peel easily. I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks Dan

I'd be looking towards a company like these guys:

www.cvvacuumplaters.com

Couple well known platers in the industry that can chrome plastic: Paul's Chrome Plating (PA) and Advanced Plating (TN).

Thanks a lot for the input!

James Hinshaw in NC is the place I used to do the interior plating on a 67 I restored. I beleive they are in Graham NC. I'm sure someone on here knows for sure. It's been 20 years since I dealt with him, but he did me a super job.

Danny

Hi Dan, If you prime with epoxy paint should stick. The link below is a company that offers do it yourselfers. There is a question section. Explore the site there is a copy chrome. Gary
http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/zinc.htm

There is also a place called MrG's plating in Ft Forth TX that plates plastic.

I've bead blasted plastic grill parts before paint to quickly rough the surface so the paint holds on

Some of what appears to be chrome was heat embossed onto the parts. I worked on a press for the '69 full sized Pontiac dash. The silver material was on a roll of plastic. The dash insert was put in the press and the press came down and the heated part embossed the silver from the plastic foil to the dash insert creating the silver outline around the cluster. Just another way they did things back then. They also plated parts in the vacuum chamber setups as well. Not exactly sure how that process worked.

Anything can be plated. I once had a molded fiberglass part plated in copper. If the surface is non conductive like plastic (or fiberglass) it must first be painted with a special conductive paint. Then it's copper plated, nickel plated and finally chrome plated. The prep is definitely not something that can be done at home. Just check around until you find a plating shop that does it.

An alternative to plating is vacuum deposition which is the process of evaporation pure aluminum in a vacuum and depositing it on a surface. The plastic doesn't need any special preparation but it's not as expensive as plating but it's also not as durable. The silver outline on your instrument panel was done this way.

Tom