S30 Chrome ashtray Restoration Techniques? Anyone? Anyone?

[hls30.com]

Ok, after a particularly exhaustive search of the archives, a trip back through Mr. Humbles book, a lenthy google search, and several attempts of my own. Has anyone been successful at restoring the finish on the later 240z Chrome ashtray cover? (removing the scratches and wear on the chrome)

I have tried:

1)Metal Polish-probably the most successful non-altering precedure-does nothing to the scratches, but does brighten the plating.

2)Chrome plating-new chrome stays dull, but fills in the embossed texture on the cover-thus altering its appearance in both texture and reflectivity and brightness. It does look good, but does not match any other finish in or on the car.

3) Media blatsing with:

Plastic media-no significant change.

Sand-YUCK what a mess

4) Stripping the chrome and then nickel plating.

5) painting with copychrome(works fairly well, but does change the texture as it hides the scratches)

6) Stripped, plated with copper, sanded/polished until smooth, taped up, sand blasted, and rechromed-gets really close, but evidently a different media was used. Still not close enough to pass side by side.

Anybody got one that works?

Will

[2003z]

I did mine in chrome powdercoat. Not perfect, but I like it.

[Arne]

OK, I apologize for thinking that you guys who don't own Series 1 cars had it so easy with the ashtrays. Apparently getting a later ashtray that looks good is at least as difficult as it is for us Series 1 owners to find an affordable unbroken one. In my case, all it takes is a willingness to spend an absurd amount of money. In your case, money alone may not be enough...

[hls30.com]

I did mine in chrome powdercoat. Not perfect, but I like it.

That looks pretty much like the re-chrome looks-I thought it had been powdercoated when I picked it up-but no, they showed me progressive pictures of the process.

Will

OK, I apologize for thinking that you guys who don't own Series 1 cars had it so easy with the ashtrays. Apparently getting a later ashtray that looks good is at least as difficult as it is for us Series 1 owners to find an affordable unbroken one. ...

There is one more MAJOR difference-a plastic is much easier to reproduce than a steel piece with overly special finish...I am working on a reproductions of variety of series one ash trays-but I don't think I can afford to create one for the '72-'73 version!.

Will

PS, I'll post a pic of an original and the rechrome after lunch

[hls30.com]

Here are two pictures of three covers:

the first in as pulled condition, the second chrome plated, and the last in the process of having the chrome stripped.

Will

[EScanlon]

Will;

When I was buying my tools from the Snap-On truck, way back when, I remember that some of the screwdrivers had a plated look to their tips very similar to the finish on the Series II ashtray cover. If memory serves, he called it VAPOR plated.

Don't know if that bit of info will help or cause more confusion. IIRC there are other tool manufacturers that use a similar process to create a "slip-proof" finish to their screwdriver bits specifically, which means it may have a name to give to your plater.

But, I'm wondering if your plater is doing the full plate job, that is: copper plating followed by a number of chrome plating steps. Could it be that the copper plate is excessive, or any one of the subsequent plating steps? Since the copper plate is basically to ensure adhesion of the chrome, is there any possibility of doing it without the copper plate? Lastly, what about the number of plating dips, maybe one longer one?

FWIW

E

[hls30.com]

Enrique,

The plater has tried just adding chrome, stripping the piece down to bare steel then tripple chrome, and what it looks like to him is the copper plate was taped and media blasted before the chrome was applied-that is to say the texture is in the copper, and not the steel below it. The problematic part of the entire thing is the process is being done to remove the scratches in the chrome which are as deep as the texture, so any coating obscures the texture.

Will

[AZ-240z]

Will,

You have probably already done this, but there are a number of dealers who are getting, what I would term impossible parts, from suppliers in Japan. If found, it probably would be pricy, but something to check. One is a guy named Norm Murphy:

zeddsaver@hotmail.com

Dan

[hls30.com]

Thanks! I will get my ducks in a row and contact him. I am working on some of that myself too!

Will

[=Enigma=]

Enrique,

The plater has tried just adding chrome, stripping the piece down to bare steel then tripple chrome, and what it looks like to him is the copper plate was taped and media blasted before the chrome was applied-that is to say the texture is in the copper, and not the steel below it. The problematic part of the entire thing is the process is being done to remove the scratches in the chrome which are as deep as the texture, so any coating obscures the texture.

Will

Note that there are fillers/solder that can be used to fill the scratches, which can then be plated over. That might allow a for a thinner copper plate and help prevent the design texture from getting filled in.

[TomoHawk]

I'm glad my ashtray cover is black paint...

Caswell Pating sells a kit that comes with a fine-tipped plating wand. Maybe you could use that to 'fill in' scratches?

Nickel plating kit eBay auction

[ezzzzzzz]

You can get it repaired and replated for around $60 plus mailing charges at a plating company near me. While that may sound kinda expensive consider it is NLA and you typically can't find used in good conditon. If everything else is really nice then why skimp here? It all depends on what you're looking for in the finished product.