Heater Face Plate ready for restore!

[newtonhubcap]

Well, this has been an ongoing process for the past month and a half attempting to prep one of the two heater face plates I have for the 240's I have. Originally some of the chrome was flaking and the black paint was worn through in places so I made that bold jump to "strip it" to the base plastic. The face plate has been in muric-acid for the the duration, only removed to scrub off the loosened material with 00 steel wool.

I have attached a couple of photos showing what the face plates looked like and what the strip plate looks like. Now I just have to get a pint of Mirrachrome, and then do the black paint and then detail the letters and hopefully I will have a fully retro-new face plate.

[psdenno]

Sounds like an ambitious project! Good luck with the chrome areas.

Dennis

[240260280z]

Keep up the cool work!

[26th-Z]

Thanks for the Mirrachrome reference. I had never heard of that stuff before. Pricey isn't it?! Best of luck - let's see your finished work and thoughts.

[newtonhubcap]

Got to admit I am excited spray the mirrachrome. I follow the european touring car circuit. Numeous audi bidy chrome parts are sprayed with this. Even a couple of F1 use this.

[cygnusx1]

Good luck. Restoring that part will certainly separate the men from the boys. I hope to get some inspiration to do mine after I see yours done. ;-)

[newtonhubcap]

Have you ever had a day when you are convience you know what direction your going to go and then all a sudden you have the ability to go right or left. Well, I just hit the Y-intersection. I found and a guy here in Madison Wi. who does vacuum plating chrome on numerous restoration dashes. He has been doing for twenty years and for $50 (estimate) to replate the face plate versuses ~$400 for the mirra chrome (pint kit), I have to rethink my direction.

I would love to spray the mirra chrome but if it doesn't work then its a $400 flop which I doubt will be the case. I did talk talk with Gerry at ALSA and he said the mirra chrome is great but it is really the technique that makes or breaks the finish outcome. With the speed clear sprayed it should be pretty durable. Talking with Rob at www.chrometechusa.com/, he said the vacuum plating will last another 30 yrs if you treat it right.

Needless to say the restore will go but whether I spray mirra chrome or go with vacuum plating that is now my dilema.

[Carl Beck]

No dilema - - if you are "restoring" it - put it back to the condition it was in when originally produced. Vacuum plate it. Also give us the guy's name in Madison. And go see if he wants to do your tail lights as well!!

good luck,

Carl B.

[cygnusx1]

Makes perfect sense to me. See if you can get a price for the tail light chrome too. $50 for the heater panel chrome restoration sounds like a WIN! Vacuum plating places seem hard to come by. Watching this thread for sure.

EDIT: Haha great minds think alike! I posted this at the same time as you ^

[psdenno]

Let the shop Vacuum Plate it for you, unless you thrive on frustration and challenge. Fifty bucks sounds like a very good deal....and you can always blame someone else if it doesn't turn out right.

Dennis

[grantf]

Makes perfect sense to me. See if you can get a price for the tail light chrome too. $50 for the heater panel chrome restoration sounds like a WIN! Vacuum plating places seem hard to come by. Watching this thread for sure.

EDIT: Haha great minds think alike! I posted this at the same time as you ^

Hell, I will send my parts to him for that price.

[newtonhubcap]

Guess, it really was a no brainer in addition to the cost difference. I do plan to send the tail light trims but have not started stripping them. Maybe get them started this weekend.

If I can get the remaining trumpeter swan nest survey done early to day I should be able to ship the face plate out. When I get it will put picture of it out. Also, I found a second vaccum plater that may do this. Will contact them and see. Enjoy the weekend when you all get to it.