Hi Mike , Some of the other guys can give you an idea on how much the bars cost to re-chrome, what i do know that the prices of chrome plating tripled since 2001. I just sent out a check for $ 1,400 for 2 headlight bezels, two fender birds, and 1 mirror bracket. Granted its a top notch company that i have used before so it was not a surprise to me. But when you tell a non car hobby person they think you are crazy. Since I'm doing the restoration my self i do try other things to see how it will look & if it can save me dollars that i can put towards other parts i need to buy.
Three years ago i pulled a set of taillight bars out of my parts collection and like everyone else they were badly pitted and i knew they would be costly to chrome. so i had an idea, i put 2 pieces into the blast cabinet and gave them a good cleaning, then i wet sanded the sharp edges off blasted them again then made a jig out of scrap steel so 1 bar could be bolted down onto the jig, then i bolted the jig onto my vice. I went to my auto body supply and picked up a can of polyester resin. mixed it up a small batch with hardener applied a very lite coat to the bar with a acid brush, then let it dry over night. Then sanded it smooth and repeated the process till all the pit holes are gone. I let the resin cure for a week. then gave it a prime coat then a light cleaning with a Scotch Brite pad then several coats of high gloss aluminium paint. Its not a chrome finish, but the pits are gone and it looks good.
To see how it will stand up to heat & cold it's been on a shelf in my non-heated garage ever since, and i check them every spring. So far no cracks.. The supplies should not cost more than $20. I plan on putting these on the GS after the paint goes on and i get it on the road. When i have the extra cash i will have a set plated...
If anyone wants to see how they look let me know and i can take some photos and post them.
Tony
