Silvering/Aluminizing instead of Chrome

[GreenZZZ]

Saw a few videos on youtube that caught my eye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lG6O5lvhm8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqDqKzzq4ZQ

I'm pretty sure the first video is mirror silvering even though they call it paint on their web site. Might be an interesting technique for restoring tail light frames, ventilation ducts and the like. You would need to put a real good clear coat on it to keep air out of it. Wonder if a valve cover finish done with silvering would hold up. Anyone tried this kind of approach. Results look fantastic, but since its silver, it could tarnish.

MirraChrome looks to be similar but aluminum instead of silver and recommends lots of top coat as well. It applies more like self etching paint. Both are expensive...

http://angelgilding.com/A1114.html

http://www.alsacorp.com/products/mirrachrome/mirra_price.htm

(Latest bling cars are totally mirrachrome'd) :sick:

Edited May 31, 2012 by GreenZZZ
fix video link

[ZCurves]

Hey, I had this done to my tail light bezels and it looked great for about three months. Then the "Chrome" began to get white and gray spots on it and eventually started looking like CRAP. Mind you that the car was stored inside a garage and had never been wet or exposed to any cleaners/solvents. I had to replace the bezels from my parts cache - repainted with "Chrome" Rustoleum.

All I can say is STAY AWAY from this as a solution.

Edited June 6, 2012 by ZCurves

[GreenZZZ]

Hey, I had this done to my tail light bezels and it looked great for about three months. Then the "Chrome" began to get white and gray spots on it and eventually started looking like CRAP. Mind you that the car was stored inside a garage and had never been wet or exposed to any cleaners/solvents. I had to replace the bezels from my parts cache - repainted with "Chrome" Rustoleum.

Did you clear coat them? Absolute must for silver is to keep the air out of it.

[ZCurves]

Yep, In fact the people who did the work had clear coated them prior to shipping to me. Oh well Live and Learn...

[GreenZZZ]

Yep, In fact the people who did the work had clear coated them prior to shipping to me. Oh well Live and Learn...

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. Won't go this direction...

[grannyknot]

Stays shiny just long enough to cash the cheque, thanks for the heads up.