Hot Rods Does a Hot Rod absolutely have to have chrome ?

Hey I want a thank you? is it too late for the beaner?

Tony already knows what I think about the coupe and it is lacking one thing, the beaner behind the wheel and cheesin' his little black heart out.

I think that one thing about chrome that most of us have overlooked in this discussion. Chrome on a rod or a custom needs to be done in good taste. It is very difficult to get it done and get it done right. To much chrome and it looks like ass, too little chrome once you get started and it looks like ass. it needs to be balanced out well. The lack for chrome also needs to be done right, there are just parts n pieces that need to be plated or polished. Think about it.

So now you thought about it let me hijack the thread, what really needs to be blingful and what does not?

 

@porknbeaner
Man i hope it aint too late!!!
Thank you too!!

And i really do fully agree with your statements regarding the amount and placement of bling lol

Its about making the brite work accent the big picture in my eyes

Tony

 

Exactly. A woman with a nice necklace and ear rings is pretty, a glitzed out grill not so much.

 

I think I said something like that earlier in this thread beaner although probably not as well. A rod surely can have too much chrome but what probably looks worse is too much of one color body,frame,engine the same a rod or any car needs contrast. Although I like most of what Bill Rolland did to the Ivo car It didn't need the extra chrome and cowl lamps he put on it. I like the contrast of black painted front spindles it had when Ivo built it and other rods have.
Gary

 

Perhaps contrast is the exact word we needed here.

 

contrast AND balance.

 

1991,there was an article about a new product, JET COATING, co in pasagula miss., had my headers, int, valv cvrs scoop done . is ceramic coating, still looks great, just a little duller but NO rust or yellowing like chrome. great for alum pieces, dont corode.

 

It still displays a lot of contrast and has an "all business" attitude to it. Very cool.

 

To bring this back up to the top with an update.
I put together a list of things to possibly have chromed.
I sent that list to The Plating House out in Toronto.
http://www.theplatinghouseofcanada.ca/
1) Dropped and drilled front axle 48" wide
2) pair of steering arms 11" long
3) rad support rods 3/8" x31"
4)steering drag link 7/8"x 34 1/2"
5)steering pitman arm 7" long.
6) front axle wishbone radius arms (2)
37 1/2"x 3" drilled tubed and tapered as pictured.
7) rear axle radius arms (2) 42 1/2"x3" drilled and tapered like the front ones.
8) front shock - headlight mounts 10" length.
9 ) front emblem grille bar 1/2" x 32".
The quote came in and I was shocked.
It was $5000.00
I replied back, what about not doing the front axle ? Then it was $4000.00
If you want a detailed look at the parts I have listed just view my build thread.
I keep coming back to this.
Ouch is all I can say.

 

Its spendy to be on the top.

 

Very true. One of the things that kept a lot of people from getting into hot rods, was the cost and pressure to build a "magazine" car. For YEARS, I was under the impression that hot rods and other cool cars had to have 30 coats of Candy paint and $10,000 worth of chrome.

When the rat rodders popped up, I hated the crap, trinkets and rust, but I dug the basic premise of not dropping big money on all the shiny shit. Once I started doing research and figured out that contrasting colors (on some cars) can work, I found myself with a very attainable goal.

There's no way I can afford to build a chromed out trailer queen, but with a little planning and a good budget, I can build a nice, practical Hot Rod. My present build, "Black Dahlia", will be all black with a red interior and high lights and a few bits of stainless steel. Simple, pure and practical. Besides, time spent polishing is time not cruising.

 

Yes Fred, but I like shiny stuff. And chrome is nice when well done. But at that price I'm going to pass.

 

I have noticed that the customer chassis I'm selling in the last few years will just have me do a few chrome high lite pieces and the rest is paint. The complete chrome front is getting rarer and rarer. When it is all chrome, I am able to buy all the pieces chromed between P&J's and So-Cal which saves a lot. On my last couple of personal builds I used polished stainless parts mixed with paint on the chassis.

 

I do too, but I can't afford it and the quality isn't there. A few polished stainless or aluminum pieces and color me gone.

 

I'm kinda bummed on this. I thought I had myself convinced on the no chrome thing, then I see things like this



The chrome does look good.

 

Yup, if I had the money to blow on chrome, plus getting it replated every few years or so and someone to spend all day polishing it, I'd plate every piece of metal on my car. But, I'm just a working stiff trying to have fun. Jeez, reality is humbling.

 

I hate Shiney bits. too much polishing. I think a painted engine bays and suspension are underrated.

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

You gotta ship that stuff to me. I bet I don't have 1500 bucks in chrome on my pickup. The prices are so good, I keep having more parts done. But I do send them a lot of business.

 

Some day i'd love to chrome all the suspension on my 32...then i'd put shiny black paint on it. Maybe..
I do love the look of chrome suspension...
I gotta wait til i hit the lottery though.

Tony

 

Seems to me one of the movements or styles of today especially the 50's cars is to have everything in the trim department left stock. Upgrading all driveline, audio, A/C, wheels, braking/suspension, stance (dam I hate that word) is good but body stuff as original. Man taking care of all that chrome and stainless is a pain in the a-- but I like the looks that style much better than the nose/decked of just a few years ago...good luck

 

In that example, chroming or replacing isn't an option for the restoration. You're practically committed to it. The chroming I think we're referring to is done to stuff like brackets, axles, rear ends, etc.

 

Americans have a love affair with chrome plating. Some Italian car builder dude in the 60's wanted to make a car that would appeal to the Americans so he took one of his sports cars and added some chrome, called it a "250GT California" and produced in my opinion (and many collectors agree) the finest example of a sports car ever created. This one fetched 11 million US in 2008. A little shiny bits in the proper proportion go a long way. That's my 2 euros, Ciao!

 

Blue One, I'm sorry but your car is just too nice to do in "monochrome", (besides that never looked good even when it was fashionable in the '80s). That "paint everything" look screams I'm cheap or unfinished. Tony's coupe is the exception, and there are a few - very few. IMHO, the red primer roadster looks like it's ready to take apart for paint. Some parts of a real hot rod are just destined to be chromed - front axle, hairpins, mechanical fan, etc. I'm not a fan of chromed frames, dashboards, rear axle housings, and extreme stuff like that, but chromed front suspension and engine stuff shows class.
And personally, I will never powder coat anything. Most of the time powder coat looks like powder coat. It has a modern Harbor Freight look. Down here where it gets hot, black usually turns gray and red turns orange. Hell, I'd rather rattle-can stuff.
I prep my parts before taking them to the plater, even if it will need more polishing, most platers appreciate not getting a box full of painted, rusty or greasy parts to chrome. They may have different grades of chrome, ask them to show you the samples. Front axles can be "highlight chromed", especially if you plan to paint down in the recesses, it should be cheaper than a full polish. If that shop was charging you $1000 to chrome the axle, shop elsewhere. I know you said you don't have too many options in your area but I wouldn't be afraid to drive a little or even ship stuff if the place has great references.
And to those who whine about polishing all that chrome; "What, you never clean that painted/powder coated stuff?" A clean damp soft cloth followed by a soft dry one - done. Maybe a yearly deep cleaning and waxing if you feel like it.
I hope that coupe got your head right - it's PERFECT. That's my $0.02

 

Yep....

 

When I was a young man and building and riding anything I could get my greedy little hands on one of my mentors made this statement to me and it has always stuck. "If you can't afford chrome paint it black." He was correct in my eyes anyway, a car or bike with color needs chrome to look right, but if you paint it black it makes what little chrome you have really stand out.

I never tried it but in my mind that would also apply to darker colors period, think midnight blue or true black cherry.

 

All day long. Cars that get driven (more than a few 1,000 miles a year) need more than a damp cloth to clean the chrome on them. That's if you're doing it right. Maybe a damp cloth will get the trailer dust off, but it won't do shit for road grime.

 

Most of the parts you want to chrome are easy to remove.
You need to get the car on the road.
Paint the parts in nice contrasting color and have fun.
If you really want the parts chromed do it later when you
have recovered your financial.

 

Larry, have you tried Alberta Plating?

 

Can you show us what you've got?

 

I haven't tried them but I am thinking of doing so. I thought I might take something to them for a quote and a trial run.
Are they any good from your perspective? Have you had them do anything, or know someone who has ?