How to restore the chrome on 60 year old bumpers.

These bumpers are from a British luxury classic car. They came into us with bad corrosion and were in dire need of chrome restoration. Our video takes you through all of the steps taken to restore these bumpers to their former glory.
The video follows this bumper through all of the stages needed during it's restoration process.
00:00 - Introduction
01:20- Removing the old plating
04:01 - Polishing
13:24 - Copper plating
18:57 - Polishing the copper
23:34 - Nickel and Chrome Plating
27:34 - Final inspection
29:52 - Finished Bumpers
If you need your chrome restoring please contact us:
Marque Restore Chrome Plating
2 Dutton Road
Aldermans Green Industrial Estate
Coventry
Tel - 02476 622 225
Email - [e-mail]
www.marquerestore.co.uk
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[@SixPackDan]

I have always complained about the cost of re-chroming. After watching the staggering amount of labor required for a good finish, I will never complain again.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks for the comment.

[@robertwest3093]

Yep. Ninety percent of a good chrome job is in the prep work. The chrome only looks as good as what is underneath it.

[@TheDrOnsberg]

No pricing is too high for a set like those - now the real cost is restoring the rest of the car to match.

[@johnagauci3223]

Sixpackdan, I was just thinking the exact same thing, WOW, I am very impressed ,

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

@@TheDrOnsberg Absolutely right. You cannot cover up poor prep with plating. It highlights any defects.

[@AlAl-wu7mp]

I never realized how much work was involved in rechroming a part. These guys are a dying breed.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@dirtmcgirt8240]

Literally. In the states, the epa is putting a hurting on chrome plating shops as well.

[@exnjute]

You guys rock...meticulous craftsmen. In can appreciate this because back around 1970, when all US cars had chrome bumpers, I was an insurance adjuster and after a car was 2-3 years old, all that was allowed on an insurance settlement were 'Re-chromed Bumpers. As I recall, those re-chromed bumpers were around $100.00~depending on size.....instead of 'new.' I will note the 'Re-chromers' back in those days were no where near as meticulous as you guys. Some of the 'Rechromes' were pretty rough.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Yes, was much the same here. Chroming is a dying art

[@vettemaniac2237]

Given the chemicals involved, it's evident why this craft is somewhat of a dying art. What incredible attention to detail and fine craftsmanship on display here.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks for the comment

[@PompeyMatt17]

that was some of the most satisfying 30 minutes I've had...brilliant...you actually made me order new coarse and fine belts 😂

[@johnking5428]

Gosh this takes me back in time and nothing changed. My ole fella had an Electro Plating business in the 70s. I became a metal polisher at 14 yrs skived off school always getting him into trouble. Retired around 10 years ago . Good memorys cold mornings long days.

[@StepDub]

Me too. Started when I was 19 quit at 40. A tough job combining skills and strength. Watching this I could smell the plating shop and get the taste of the metal dust. :)

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Not many of us polishers and platers left now.

[@Edsjag1]

Absolutely incredible work there. Thanks for taking to time to show us!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Many thaNKS

[@chrisrichards1339]

A few years back I was able to take a shop tour at Advance Chrome Plating in Nashville Tennessee. I have had a new respect for the work involved ever since. Respect to the chrome platers of the world. You keep our rides gleaming.🙏

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Very cool!

[@maxkuykendall5866]

I am so glad I got to see this video! Decades ago, I was told by an old timer who worked in a body shop that a re-chromed part was actually better than factory new. I always wondered about that until now. I am certain that factory new would never get the time and attention I just witnessed in this video. Beautiful work.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Great point!

[@Valko67]

yes for shure , fully agreed

[@srussert28]

You don't realize. The Factory metal was smooth when stamped. Now they take 80 grit and take out the pits then they go to 120 to take out the grind marks. This company, with this process, will NEVER get you as smooth of a surface as factory. Yes this company pays a huge amount of time grinding out the pits. Just remember the original never had this. I have seen Chip Foose use a grinder way beyond the welds or imperfections. Chrome is like glass. Every scratch or imperfection he, or anyone, now has to be refilled, repolished and brought back to what the factory started with. Look at a stamped piece and at the least it will show some imperfections. Now take 80 grit and see it it helps that Mirror Shine. These guys show the best of the worst ways to show chrome. But just to compare straight across. If you showed all the imperfections across the same square footage... on the hood... of ANY car would you be happy with the chrome bumper finish they JUST showed on ANY show car?

[@robertdurrant6473]

Now I know why chromeplating is so expensive......excellent work and video.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jagvette1]

As an electrician I had to 'fix' power in a number of chroming shops and I have to say when you walked in the shop it took your breath away, screw environmentalists, you guys deserve a medal. It's a lot of work and time is money, this is what people NEED to understand, no one works for free. Also the more complex the shape as on a Jaguar MKII bumper it takes more time, YES I have a MKII that needs both bumpers re-chromed.

[@helpmehelp3009]

So do I AND I AM thinking how much it will cost me? Needs all crome doing DOH!

[@Valko67]

yes your are right , i am plumber and when we undoing the chalk of boilers ,we used acid and than it be came green of the copper oxide deluded in the acid , i remember days after i could taste the cupper in mine mouth , and i even used the acid to my proper experiences to lay a layer of cupper on iron with a 12 Volt battery , and it works very well , but yes , using a mask would be preferable i think , sorry for my English , i am Dutch speaking ;-)

[@richardhammond1157]

Wow.... I never had any idea there were that many steps in restoring chrome. Amazing job...Great video..

[@casey7256]

I was thinking the same thing

[@gvet47]

Well they started out with a very bad bumper. How long do you look for a better bumper or pay the price on the bad one?🤔

[@frankoattes]

An amazing job, very labour intense and a dying art! These guys keep the old vintage vehicle chrome in tip top condition. Let’s hope they keep it going for the next generation to learn!

[@SeaTravelr123]

Gotta have some youngsters interested in it to keep it going. Very hard to find.

[@dahinsoncoj]

Imagine if this shop was in the U.S. The feds at OSHA, EPA and NIOSH would rain down on this perishing art with all the power if Hunter Biden.

[@georgeg.1999]

Αξίζετε συγχαρητήρια κύριοι ελπίζω αυτή η τέχνη να μην χαθεί.

[@jorgefernandez-mv8hu]

Thanks for showing us the amount of work required to get the pieces looking so beautiful. Great Job!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Happy you enjoyed it

[@quantumleap359]

We had a chrome shop near us. I watched the process in person, but could not see some of the plating baths as the area required PPE, which they would not issue to customers. Your video shows the whole process, start to finish. Unbelievable amount of labor, and attention to detail. Very good work. Cheers!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@miken2716]

As General Melchett said to Captain Blackadder, “ Makes you proud to be British”. Damn fine show!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Don't slouch Darling

[@transmitterguy478]

Incredible! I love watching metal go from scrap to new, great job fellas.

[@lozcb1]

Quality work mate , nice to see there some of you still around

[@skvltdmedia]

That copper plating alone looks so fresh!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Yes the copper looks great

[@stevesloan6775]

I find myself watching your video again. I’m polishing cast aluminium at the moment. All the final buffing techniques are top notch!! Great work to everyone

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Fantastic!

[@stevesloan6775]

Haha… watching again to let the basic principles sink in. 🇦🇺🤜🏼🤛🏼😎🍀

[@Weazelmania]

I had an idea of how it was done but never this in depth. So glad that the Midlands continues to keep these trades and skills alive.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@xeroinfinity]

Ahh, nothing like the smell of plating in the morning. People wonder why its so expensive to chrome plate things. Lots of hard and dirty work going on right here! Great job guys!

[@samrodian919]

The labour involved in this work is astounding! I would hate to have to do that hard work out five or more days a week lol. Well done everyone the results are astounding. I should hope that the car owner would be very appreciative of your work. Presumably the Bristol car was being restored, I hope the restoration is up to your standards. If it was then the car will be a wonder to behold!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks for the comments

[@roncj6937]

Wow what a great job i love seeing all the processes in this bumper.

[@donsmith6045]

I never knew how much work goes into this art form! Enjoyed the video!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@baronblimey]

Wow! That was impressive. Thanks for the comprehensive video. When I left school I was training to be a panel beater removing many rusty old chrome bumpers over the years. I have a lot more respect for them now.......

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks for the comment

[@IkeBrider]

Fascinating! Thanks for posting!

[@dinohopa9445]

Wow watching that process was really kool...Good job guy's.

[@DJT_351]

Happy to see craftmanship and quality alive in this age of garbage reproduction we live in. I hope the Queen had a chance to see this fantastic work you're doing.

[@TheTraditionalGolfer]

Fantastic job guys love watching your videos your brilliant at what you do 👍 i actually rang you today to get my clubs booked in for a refurb ive just bought some mizuno blades but the lady said your on 4 mnth waiting list 🥺 gonna call again shortly to get them booked in for then and look forward to day you finally get your hands on these clubs and get them looking like new 👍.

[@AM-dn4lk]

This was an amazing work. Well done guys. I had no idea it is so intensive and complex.

[@gaztipton972]

Excellent video, please keep this dying process alive. I knew from a teenager that linishing and polishing is too much like hard work for most folk. I used to take Triumph motorcycle parts and Jaguar parts to Thackers Polishing and Plating in Brierley Hill, West Midlands. It's an eye opener for many. Thackers sadly closed some years ago and some of the workers transfered to Castle Chrome in Dudley, which I still use ocassionally and recommend to anyone local who needs any polishing/plating. Although many chromed classic parts can be purchased new from the likes of india or the far east at half the cost, they never fit correctly and the chrome is sub-standard. I found it's better in the long term to have original parts re-chromed.

[@alandunne6341]

Amazing work and hard work too. Thanks for sharing.

[@anthonywilson4873]

Hand and eye co-ordination is at an artistic level.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

You are right, but this job is nothing compared to the job being polished in our video that is coming out at 5:00pm GMT today. Here is a link. It will be live at 5. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pofPeGOIqaaNZ9U

[@John-uc6gb]

beautiful work... thank you

[@jimeagle5483]

True craftsmen. Cheers from Sunny South Florida.

[@Johnsormani]

So satisfying to watch these skilled craftsmen do their job

[@stevenmiller2837]

Beautiful work!

[@keithnoneya]

wow had no idea how complicated and labor intensive a good chrome job was. Thanks for sharing with all of us. Best Wishes & Blessings.

[@jrbs]

As with painting, it's all in the preparation. Very interesting video.

[@insaneAlchemyOfeviI]

This transformation would totally exceed my requirements by a country mile. Beyond Perfectionism ...

[@jasonnguyen5150]

Turned out awesome!😊

[@matt.2020]

I used to work in a printed circuit factory. I was the lab tech and nickel-gold line operator. . So I found this video most fascinating.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks. Same materials different produce.

[@matt.2020]

I just saw I wrote lad tech. I meant LAB tech. I corrected it. I would love it if you did a tour round your lab.@@ChromeandCarRestoration

[@pig7862]

Very beautiful job, god bless!!

[@venenareligioest410]

One of the most interesting videos I have seen on KZbin, thank you 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Glad you liked it!

[@bunabuna9287]

Amazing to see the restoration looks amazing 👏

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you very much!

[@dandahermitseals5582]

I built and ran a very sucessful chrime polishing business in the early 70s. This is all standard proceedure in the plating business. Dandahermit.

[@frankbailey9542]

It's amazing how someone came up with this process

[@klaxon68]

Looks amazing, so impressed. thanks for making the video

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks for watching!

[@williammedford3661]

Excellent work

[@pharcouff]

Great video. I love watching craftsmen with the right tools restoring past items back to possibly a bettwe condition that it originally was. I hope your are training the younder generation. It would be a real shame to let this trade die.

[@22_floW]

Amazing work.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Glad you think so!

[@kmnjeetsandhusandhu6699]

Excellent👍💯 work.

[@scottyhughes9179]

An amazing process, bravo guys!!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@Djovanini]

To perfection,.....Bravo,.....

[@user-nb2qr5dx5w]

Very NICE WORK

[@mariemccann5895]

Awesome work.

[@mahmoudaldbais]

Wow . Wow . Wow Amazing work This is the first time I watched a very long video to the end It's more than a satisfying, interesting and a mesmerising result.

[@dalebechtel8904]

Very nicely done. Well explained

[@mattmorford7489]

WOW, what a process. Very detailed and very nice work

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you very much!

[@renn5003]

I’m impressed with your job. Can you make a video what is exactly in tanks and how they work. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@anchiecerrada7413]

great job

[@clausk.3578]

Thank you for this very interesting video. 👍

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@flinch622]

Top notch work. No mot was harmed in the course of this video...

[@rickmcdonald1557]

I also complained about the cost of chroming things but this amount of labor is tremendous and have a better understanding now and will keep my mouth shut when I get something chromed in the future. Thanks for showing us what goes on to have something plated~!

[@alirowntree3989]

Brilliant great to watch and see how it's done lot work involved and audio crystal clear 10/10 great stuff 😊

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@laurensmith1828]

I had no idea what it takes to achieve the beautiful finish of chrome . Great video!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Glad you liked it!

[@worthmor5146]

Great job!

[@laserfalcon]

Just amazed

[@BillySBC]

Wow just an incredible amount of work and time and equipment to restore these chrome bumpers and items. Much respect. Great video.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Much appreciated!

[@user-hr8ik3ff2v]

Awesome video guys!

[@ImStep-by-Step]

This was beyond impressive!!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Many thanks

[@muhsanbashir4967]

Brilliant job nice

[@tezsullivan6048]

Thank you, a very informative video, so labour intensive and so many different steps. Amazing work, congratulations 👍

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Our pleasure!

[@davidtreichelpppj5304]

Good Job .... Thanks for the interesting video

[@jayrichardson6872]

Wow wow wow looks fantastic lad’s amazing. You really do turn back the clock 😮😳😜😁👍brilliant process and superb video. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩yep you can certainly deserve 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@perezm714]

Great work

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@dinadaughtry8993]

Wow that's some serious high standards, better than the factory for sure, beautiful work

[@Theferg1]

Wow who ever new,!! Great job to all of those guys!! 👍💯

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@greygouz858]

The result is amazing ! Waow

[@Chris-uo2vs]

Excellent. Job

[@munoperacke]

Amazing!!!!!

[@juewa9596]

Perfect work!👍

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@mgrella63]

Wow you do Amazing work!! I never knew what was involved in the process! Worth every penny you charge!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks for the positive comment.

[@barkingmouse8152]

I miss chrome bumpers..

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Agreed. It gave cars a touch of class.

[@rogervondach1238]

An absolutely fantastic job, no two ways about it. However, when I saw the title for this video where it says "restore", I had my doubts. After watching the video, I would call it "re-chrome" or "re-plate" or something like it. Never the less, I am speechless!

[@petrkral9804]

Nice work.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks!

[@gordonhancock6030]

I can see why chrome plating is so expensive. The technicians are extremely talented and the process is long and complex. Here in the US it is hard to find chrome plating companies because of environmental restrictions.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Same problem here

[@thefreedomguyuk]

Woow, extremely interesting. Now I understand the price bracket 👍

[@johncitizen3361]

Wow incredible attention to detail, great job. Back when I started working in a crash shop as a teenager most cars on the road still had chrome bars etc. and we could order change over bars from a local shop for most models. We would take off the old bars and do any repairs they needed like welding cracks and removing dents and swap them over for freshly chromed ones they had in stock. I don’t think they were as meticulous with the prep though, I would sometimes see grinder marks in areas you wouldn’t easily see when it’s on the car. But they were doing hundreds of them and they weren’t for restorations, just everyday aussie cars that only needed to be as good as they came from the factory 😂

[@kenstevens5675]

Thank you for sharing.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

My pleaseure.

[@Valko67]

whaaw , it's unbelievable how shiny they came out , good job 👌

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you! 😊

[@ricjames3259]

Hard to find a shop like this in the US...very well done💰

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Wow, thank you

[@matthewkantar5583]

Is there a way to fill the pits instead of thinning the original part?

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525]

Very interesting. Always heard there was multiple layers involved in Chrome plating. I've also been told I have to watch because there's a shortcut so I can be done it looks fine but it won't look that away too long. Thanks for showing us this process.

[@JOHNSMITH-if9jr]

nickel chrome only, but doing the copper cyanide then acid copper is the best job you can do

[@HoodyDJ1]

awesome... i have a w111 coupe 1962.... must have that done on my bumpers too...

[@randyyoung2135]

Beautiful work .. Well Done

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@christianmadsen7997]

Amazing 👍💪👏

[@igorrudevets6463]

Great job, thank you! We use a little bit different "sandwich" sequence in gravure printing industry.

[@breakbollocks9164]

Better than new, good for another 1000 years! Amazing job!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks