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

In the build of my RPU I am close to the point of tearing down for finishing.
My original idea was for some chrome work, maybe the front axle and the wishbones along with the headlight bar and a few other assorted bits and pieces.
Nothing extreme.
I have discovered that having good chrome work done is difficult and expensive, especially since there are no reliable chrome shops anywhere near me.

So, after having seen probably hundreds of cars here on the Hamb that look great with limited chroming, I have started to shift my thinking.
I am leaning towards powder coating which I can do the majority of myself.
My car will be blue (as if you didn't know) and here is the color.

I'm thinking silver ceramic coating for the headers and exhaust along with the brightest silver powder coat I can use for the wishbones and other bits.
I think done properly it would give a good look and nice contrast to the blue paint.

Am I off base ? Do I need the chrome on a fenderless car like my RPU ?

 

Larry,you have built one super nice looking roadster pickup and IMHO you can do a lot with paint & contrasting powder coating.

I won't go so far as saying don't do any chrome but limit it to accent pieces. HRP

 

chrome wont get ya home, it'll be fine without it.

 

No, a hod rod doesn't need chrome.
Lots of them had chrome because it used to be cheap protection.

If you want some bright parts. check out Alsa

 

I don't think it is a necessity on a hot rod. Your ideas sound like a good plan to me.

 

You dont need any chrome . There are lots of fantastic looking hot rods that have little or no chrome.

 

Nickel plating has a great look to it as well!

 

It's better to be homeless than chrome less

 

Rods do not have to have chrome. Stainless works just fine.

 

Once its nickel plated - you're one dip and 30 seconds away from chrome. That final dip is the cheapest part of the process

 

what "OldRelic's" said.....

 

Whatever blows yer dress up.

 

Fire crackers ?

 

Brushed Nickel (low lustre).

 

Larry you need a balance. You need some chrome but you don't need a lot. Too much chrome is as bad as too much paint. I really was going to chrome my headers but ran out of time and painted them white header paint and liked it so much I just paint them again every spring. I don't like chrome front spindles. Black paint just sets off chrome backing plates.

 

No, but at least you'll look cool standing along side of the road.

 

I think a touch of chrome enhances the look. Dont think the powder coat will do the trick cause it doesnt.

 

Oh and by the way I,m going to need some royalties for using my car as the color example.

 

I think you do need a bit of shiny for contrast, but you don't have to go nuts.
If you're looking at powdercoat, you can get a decent look. Sure, it's not going to look just like chrome, but it'll get you close.

This is powdercoat.

 

I think that front axle would look great chromed.

On a side note, can I just say how nice it is to see you're NOT sticking a 32 radiator shell on it? I mean they look great and all, but way over done.

 

It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. And it's an era thing.

Early 50's are a lot less chrome then Late 50's.

And with that in mind, I would say I'm an early fifty man. ☺

I like to keep it polished stainless over chrome. And if Henry could a nice plated grill or a stainless, that is good enough for me.

But I tend to like going with the things avalible from stock in Shiney, grill shell, 32 grill shell trim piece, chrome around the blue oval, Cowl lamp, the 35 hood v8 logo, any v8 emblem for that matter, head ligth trim rings, poverty rings, wheel caps, hub caps. The only exception I like in chromed is inside window garnish.

But all the above pieces above could be polished stainless or in chrome and you don't need them all on one car.

 

Using polished stainless fasteners can give you a nice contrast to black paint at low cost. Just file the lettering off and polish them up on a buffing wheel.

 

Your car dont need alot of chrome to look good.

 

Doesn't 'absolutely' have to have chrome, but a little chrome can 'set' off the paint just nicely.

 

Wow, never seen powder look that smooth.
Very nice, please elaborate on details, color callout, etc.
Were these parts polished after being coated?
Any other photos, maybe not so close?
Who did the work?

 

The older I get the less I like chrome. Too much upkeep.

 

Chrome is for tools.

 

The cost of chrome is not in the plating process. It's in the time spent polishing - the steel has to look like chrome before it's chromed. If you finish it as "satin" i.e. going up to 600 grit and then using scotch pads, you can ask the plater to put the parts straight into the nickel tank and cost will be minimal. It won't be shiny chrome but it will contrast well with black parts.

 

We have Cambridge custom chrome near us quality work premium prices headers are better with ceramic imo chrome will turn color.

 

Check out hard chrome prices in your area. Typically industrial uses, think hydraulic cylinder rods. It won't be shiny like nickel chrome though. Most decorative chrome places won't let you prep your own parts, industrial chrome places expect you to, so the prep labor is shifted to you.

The powder coated headers look good, if the choice was use powder coat, or wait a long time to save up for chrome, I'd choose the powder everytime.