I hope all is well! I have a 1955 F100 and I am looking to purchase a 1955 F100 chrome grille or have my existing 55 grill chromed. The grille that I have has pitted metal and needs some work. I am hoping that someone knows of a company that manufactures or sales a reproduction grille. Midfifties has a reproduction 1956 grille, but I am looking for a 55. Does anyone know of a company who manufactures 53-55 grilles or a reputable company that can chrome my grille? You wisdom and suggestions are appreciated.

Respectfully,


Young Grasshopper (Lance Hogan)

 

I suggest looking for a very good original painted grille that you can tell does not have repairs done to it so you know it is all metal without any bondo. Then have it bead or soda blasted and then chromed. You will spend alot of money on repairing pits and dents before chrome if you use the one you have. Also, add what part of the country you are in so others can suggest a chrome shop close to you. Your location can be added by going to your User CP.

 

If you can afford them, Advanced Plating in Tennessee does some dynamite restorations on pitted metal. Off the subject slightly, I just saw a 55 with the original grille turned upside down and set back an inch, it was BITCHIN'

 

55's in chrome are very hard to find. You might try these guys. I can't vouch for the quality of work. www.bumperboyz.com/main.htm

 

<FONT size=3><FONT size=3>Thank you for the quick response. I live in east central Illinois</ST1l and the closest plater that I am aware of is in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com[img] /><st1:State><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = [/img]<st1[img] /><st1:City>St. Louis</st1:City>. My father, who lives south of <st1:City>St. Louis</st1:City>, contacted two well-known area St. Louis platers yesterday to find the grille was too big for their dip tanks. I plan on contacting Advanced Plating and BumperBoyz to see what they say. </FONT></FONT></P><P style=[/img]
On another note, I wonder if it would be advantageous for me to purchase the 1956 reproduction grille from Midfifties. I say this because it sounds like having my current grille will cost somewhere between $750-$1000 (estimate from St. Louis plater for another plater who was capable to do my grille). To me, that is a lot of money. The 56 reproduction grille is only $450 plus the new 56 air deflector at $79 a piece. Just a thought.

 

AFA buying the 56 grill, it depends if you like the look of the 56 grill. It does get rid of some of the frog eye look prominent on the 53-55. Plating is a very hand labor intensive process if done right thus expensive. The finished plating is only as good as the underlying metal surface (a smooth highly reflective chroming requires the part be perfectly smooth and straight first), the rougher the original part the more work there will be required to prepare the part prior to plating. The quoted price is not outrageous for a used pitted part, especially if there is a middleman in the equation (the first shop will expect a profit on handling it to the second).

 

was that price quote with the pits included, or a smooth grill to start with?

 

I didn't think of it before but Custom Chrome Plating in Grafton, Ohio did some pretty nice plating for me in the 80's. Parts still look new, are still on the car. They are on the net under ''custom chrome plating''

 

Havi, the quote was for my grille with some pitting. I thought the quote was high because my father had his 55 grille chromed in the mid 90’s for $500 and it still looks great today.

Fatfenders56, I will give Custom Chrome Plating a call as well.

Thanks for all the information.

 

advanced wants 1400 big ones if my grille is perfect , to plate it . somehow being repainted in heritage white has become rather appealing !!!!!!!! oh and this is for the 53 . shiny isnt a necessity for me !!

 

The Bumper Boyz come to the swap meet in Louisville KY which I didnt get to go to this year ( another rant) anyway if you'll call them ahead of time you can get them to bring you one to the show. Which is a good idea, cause some of their work Sucks! Some of it's real good, but alot of it aint.


My experience is chromers want to take the '55 grilles apart at the welds and chrome them apart and then bolt them back together. At least thats what I'm told about them?? If I were you and goin to spend that kind of money, I'd want to see it before hand!! Or at least see some of their work. These danged hippy tree huggers are regulating chromers to death and they cant do some of the things they were able to do before.

Good luck!!

 

I'd have to look the name of the joint up, but the co. that did mine was located in Elizabethton, Tenn.They did a very nice job.....bumpers too....
Last time I was down,the town closed Main street for about 6 hours,and had a big Cruise-In...those people take they're Hot-Rod's seriously!..probably 300 cars!

 

Much of the larger chrome plating is now outsourced to shops in Mexico because of EPA regs and high labor costs here. Not too many citizens want to smooth and buff bumpers and grills as a career any more... Some of the new powdercoatings are getting quite close to chrome, more like polished aluminum, but a lot more cost effective.

 

Goggle the name " Cambridge Custom Chrome" . They are located in Cambridge, Ontario but also have a location somewhere in the North USA.

My neighbour and I have both had work done by them and it was top notch. They do a lot of vintage automobile work and are well respected in these parts.

 

I had all my dash pieces plated by Advanced Plating.They did an out standing job.