http://www.shermsplating.com/ There’s nothing magic about what they did ……. Plaiting doesn’t stick to rubber. Polishing without getting into the rubber was the issue. I see Don Orosco is making new bell's ..... w a D.O. price
Ok, you can chrome a bell with with the rubber on but what if you don't have any of the rubber grip left on it? Does anybody put the rubber back on? I've got a rad 15 1/2" old crager "bell" style wheel that doesn't have any grip left on it. JohnnyA
There have been a few threads on this, what I remember was the mold they made. One guy did it with wood, a 2" thick piece 18" square was routed out in a circle and the spokes' profiles routed out to their depth. A matching square routed out for the upper half of the rubber cross section was fitted, sealed, and sprues bored. (like 4 of them, so the air could escape when pouring the melted rubber) One gent said he got the rubber 'mixture' from the guy that does the Chevy rubber parts for tri-5 convertibles. Quite a project, as I think the old $60 repops are now available again thru So-Cal, (around $180) But if anyone knows of someone doing the rubber on 15" Bell wheels, please mention it! I have 3 that need covering...
Schroeder still makes their traditional 4-spoke wheel in 14" and 17" diameters. Not cheap, but less that the cost to plate and re-mold an old one.