Confirmed, I have flashchromed stainless on my '60!

[Chris Hawkins <imperial1966@xxxxxxxxx>]

A Continental Mark II had all its stainless flash
chromed - perhaps that is where the practice began. 
However, I believe 56 Imperials have it, too.  Isn't
the side moulding along the length of the car a
combination of  stainless and potmetal stampings?  If
so, flash chroming would be necessary for them to have
the same finish.

Chris H.

60 NY T&C (now wondering if its stainless is chromed)
66 LeBaron 



--- RandalPark@xxxxxxx wrote:
> Until Richard confirmed this, I would never believed
> it myself. I haven't read anything about it in the
> sales material, owners manual, or shop manual. One
> would think that if this were a good thing it would
> have been at least described someplace. I am very
> interested in more information on this.
> 
> Paul
> 
>  In a message dated 1/8/2004 10:35:05 PM Eastern
> Standard Time, jsadowski@xxxxxxx writes:
> 
> > I saw this on a 63 & much of it was peeling off. I
> don't believe this was factory applied, instead
> someone thought it was a good idea. Someone that has
> experience buffing stainless can make it look
> practically as good as chrome.
> > John
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: RandalPark@xxxxxxx 
> > To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> > Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 6:36 PM
> > Subject: Re: IML: Confirmed, I have flashchromed
> stainless on my '60!
> > 
> > 
> > Very interesting Richard. I guess that must mean
> that all of us who have 1960 Imperials have the same
> problem that you do if we wish to have our stainless
> trim match our pot metal chrome plated pieces. Come
> to think of it, why would they have only applied
> this previously unknown process to only the 1960
> model. It must apply to most other years as well.
> Keep us informed about your progress please. It
> sounds like we will all have to cross this same
> bridge sometime in the future if we are to correctly
> restore our cars.
> > 
> > Paul
> > 
> >  In a message dated 1/8/2004 7:32:56 PM Eastern
> Standard Time, lecrown60@xxxxxxxxx writes:
> > 
> > > Dear IML members,
> > >  
> > > Chris Hawkins and I went to Southern bumper here
> in Atlanta today and the answer was yes!  The
> stainless steel on my car was flash-chromed.  From
> my experience with sanding and buffing out repairs
> on multiple parts I know that this applied to all of
> the exterior stainless on this car.  I have found no
> exceptions so far.  I was so elated to know that I
> was not crazy, well not as much crazy anyway!  I
> will just use a hand applied creme metal polish and
> use as many original parts as possible.  Fortuntely
> most of my trim is in excellent condition and I will
> just have to live with some of the finer scratches.
> > >  
> > > I had a few parts that were extremely nice but
> had been hit by an orbital sander as they were
> adjacent to poorly executed bodywork.  When I took
> 600 grit wet and dry I immediately noticed a
> difference in the color of the metal.  White/blue to
> yellow/grey.  The parts polished beautifully but
> didn't look the same.  The guy I spoke with at
> Southern Bumper said to strip all the chrome off
> with muratic acid and buff the parts.  However, the
> flash-plating is so thin that it doesn't take any
> more work to just buff it off.  This though leaves
> chrome in the recesses and if you only repair a
> small spot you end up with a piece of trim that is
> two colors.  Brilliant but of different depth and
> color.  So, now I have a few parts that need to be
> rechromed.  
> > >  
> > > Southern Bumper will not plate stainless.  They
> say that nickel will not adhere to stainless so the
> chrome was applied directly to the stainless. 
> Apparently this is a specialty process.  Anyone know
> a good specialist?  Of course I didn't already have
> enough stuff to search for and enough chrome to
> replate.  I called a few local plating shops and
> some asked why while others just told me it was not
> something they did.  Great huh?  Got any ideas on
> this new conundrum?  I left my six pot metal
> headlight brow pieces which were estimated at $285
> for restoration.  Gosh, only 40 more pieces of pot
> metal to go....
> > >  
> > > The technician at Southern Bumper told me that
> even Ford was known to flashchrome stainless.  It
> aparently is uncommon but not unheard of.  He should
> know as they were working on everything from Edsel
> grills to Buick ornaments.  Let me know if anyone
> hears of a plating shop that will do stainless.  I
> have 6 pieces so far that I have restored and would
> like to 
> > > have done.
> > >  
> > > Richard Burgess
> > >  
> > > '60 "LeCrown" Sedan  
> > >  
> > >  
> > > 
> > > 
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> > 
> >