These taillight bezels were...
These taillight bezels were taken off of Tech Editor Ron Ceridono's RamRodder '50 Plymouth coupe. The bezels were suffering from pitting and were in serious need of replating.
Chrome shops around the country are disappearing due to environmental restrictions and the fact that new cars aren't wearing chrome like they used to. So where can hot rodders go when they need parts replated?
The future of chrome lies in spray-on finish systems like that from Spectra Chrome. Creations n' Chrome in Valencia, California, is an automotive refinishing shop that provides Spectra Chrome finishes. It is also a training center for the process.
We dropped in to see about reviving a pair of '50 Plymouth taillight bezels. Creations n' Chrome shop owner Gary Watson pointed out that our pitted potmetal would dissolve like Alka-Seltzer if dropped into a traditional dipping tank. He explained that the Spectra Chrome spray-on system is a hybrid plating process that applies a super-thin layer of sliver nitrate-less than a micron thick-between two layers of paint. It's "plating on a molecular level," he says, and it can be applied to plastic and flexible vinyl as well as to metal and other materials. Then he made our taillights look new.
Automotive shops all over the United States are offering Spectra Chrome plating. Contact Spectra Chrome for names of shops in your area that are equipped with this system.
Gary Watson used a die grinder...
Gary Watson used a die grinder and sanding discs to reduce the pits and to remove any existing chrome, exposing the copper and nickel underneath, to which the undercoat primer can adhere. He used several discs, moving from coarse to fine grit.
The metal was prepped with...
The metal was prepped with Evercoat Metal Glaze finishing putty, a two-part filler that fills in pinholes and promotes adhesion. After mixing together the Metal Glaze putty and blue cream hardener (following product instructions), Watson applied it generously to the bezels, making sure that all air pockets were filled.
The bezels were then sprayed...
The bezels were then sprayed with primer. After five coats, they were sanded with 320-, 600-, and 800-grit sandpaper. Watson explained that since the basecoat is extremely sensitive, any contact will break the surface tension, preventing the plating from adhering. He couldn't just hang the parts from wires, since he needed to coat the holes, so he used a couple of paint stir sticks, tape, and a hot glue gun to build a jig to support the bezels.
When the Metal Glaze had dried,...
When the Metal Glaze had dried, the bezels were sanded smooth with 240-grit sandpaper.
The primer is House of Kolor...
The primer is House of Kolor direct-to-metal undercoat primer/sealer with House of Kolor primer activator.
Even in primer, the bezels...
Even in primer, the bezels already look good.
At this point, the Spectra...
At this point, the Spectra Chrome system came into use and things got interesting. The procedure involves three separate components, distinguished by different colored air gun hoses-green, blue, and red.
Watson started the process...
Watson started the process with the green hose gun, applying a sensitizing solution of distilled water and hydrochloric acid onto the parts. He compared this step to "Cascade sheeting action," which will prevent beading later in the process.
The silver layer was shot...
The silver layer was shot with the red hose gun. This is a dual-nozzle "plural component" gun. One nozzle sprays a silver nitrate solution; the other sprays a water solution.
The parts were rinsed with...
The parts were rinsed with more de-ionized water from the blue hose gun and allowed to dry.
The blue hose gun was used...
The blue hose gun was used to rinse off the sensitizing solution with de-ionized distilled water.
This is what we came to see....
This is what we came to see. When the two components are sprayed from the gun and combine, the silver falls out of suspension from the solution and adheres to the part being sprayed, "plating it on a molecular level," as Watson describes it. To say it less scientifically, the taillight bezels turned silver right before our eyes.
We weren't done yet. When...
We weren't done yet. When the bezels were dry (roughly 30 minutes later), they were top-coated with a couple coats of clear. The first coat is tinted and determines the final look of the part. The tinted clearcoat altered the color from bright silver to the more bluish appearance of traditional triple-dipped chrome. Watson sprayed light tack coats of the tinted clear instead of a heavy wet coat.
When the tinted clearcoat...
When the tinted clearcoat was dry (several hours, or overnight is typical), a final coat of acrylic urethane untinted clear was shot to protect the tint and provide UV resistance. The parts can be color-sanded later.
It'll be a while before the...
It'll be a while before the RamRodder '50 Plymouth is ready for the road, but when it passes you on the highway you're going to enjoy seeing these great-looking taillight bezels.
In addition to the tinted...
In addition to the tinted clearcoat used to create the chrome appearance, Spectra Chrome can be applied in any color you choose, from metallic finishes like copper or brass to candy colors like these. Kristin Watson's pink chrome '11 Mustang GT was displayed in the Ford booth at this year's SEMA Show.