I'm rebuilding my doors and am about to reassemble. I ordered all the parts required to make the vent window latches look good, but the latch bases are awful quality chromed steel stampings.

I took a moment to wire wheel the originals and surprisingly the rust and crud came right off.

Are the originals made from stainless steel?

 

They may well be, did you use a stainless wire wheel? A carbon wheel will inpregnate particals which will rust and look like you never cleaned them up after awhile. I have learn this lesson slowly over time.

 

Of course not

 

I can confirm that they are stainless steel. I was able to sand out the rough spots and polish to a mirror finish.