TheSamba.com :: View topic - Re-chrome Cost Examples

Sat Aug 13, 2011 11:07 am

I used the search function and got jumbled mess of only partially germane results. So I thought I would solicit input from others.

Would you post a description of pieces you have had chromed or re-chromed, the cost (per piece if you can), and where you had it done?
Before and after pictures would also be great.

I know that each piece has its own price, but it would still be nice to have an information resource on re-chroming costs. Take, for example, the show-quality headlight buckets at cip1.com, they are $200 each, and still not originals. The only part of restoring an original that most of us cannot do is re-chrome the ring. We can all paint the buckets, fix the hardware, and polish the glass. Hub caps are another good example. I would gladly pay $50 a cap to re-chrome an original over $20 for a new cap that pits out in 2 years. I might pay $80. But as the price gets closer to $100, I start waffle. So how does the price of re-chroming an original compare to buying a new show-quality item?

If you have information you are willing to share, please do. Also, please post the year that you had the work done so we can evaluate that cost in today's dollars.

Sat Aug 13, 2011 11:56 am

This is work I had done in 2011 by Cambridge Custom Chrome- Ontario, CANADA.
-pair of original headlight rings for a 60 beetle(screw holes at 5 and 7 o'clock) - a few dings and some pitting - $175
-2 original German hubcaps - noticeable pitting and a few dings -$175 Not cheap but compare an original hub cap with a repro for weight and fit. No comparison at all.
This includes return shipping by courier. They have a very good reputation for their work. Turnaround time is 3-4 weeks. These prices were in Canadian $.

Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:46 pm

wayne1230cars wrote: These prices were in Canadian $. Which is exactly equal to the US$ at the moment.

Sat Aug 13, 2011 9:38 pm

Exterior handles (hood, decklid & door handles) $40-$50/ea
Shifter base $30
Gas cap $30
hub caps $75/ea
vent window frames $50/ea
license plate frames $80
headlight rings $75
fog light casing $50/ea
bumper blade $125
bumper upright guards $50/ea
towel rail, rears $50/ea
towel rail, front $90

This is for triple plate (Copper, nickel, Chrome) show finish

Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:50 am

The cost for rechroming can get expensive, but in my opinion it is worth the effort. Some parts vary from year to year and are hard to find plus the quality differences between original and most* aftermarket stuff. Recently there have been a number of companies that are doing parts repros that are worth looking at. WW bumpers are nice from everything that I've seen of them as well as their vent wings and other bits and pieces. I rechromed all my original parts minus the vent wings which I just got replacements from WW and swapped in sekurit glass. I did it mostly because I have a 58 that needed some very specific parts like the dash trim and the front blinker housings...

bumpers $800 (blades, overiders and towel bars)
door handles $160 for both
dash chrome $80 for all pieces
headlight rings $100 for two
mirrors $120 for both
small bits like interior screws and whatnot were an additional $40

I did it all at once so they gave me breaks here and there, but it was pricey to get everything done. Little stuff like the tailight trim rings, speedo trim ring and other odds and ends I just bought from WW. If you want to see pics they are in my build thread in my signature.

Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:51 pm

Thanks. This is all good information. I think a good re-chrome (or re-plate if that is the correct jargon) on original parts is better than most aftermarket pieces. Even when you buy "show quality" aftermarket pieces, you are still taking a gamble because quality control is so poor. It seems like some places use the customer as quality control -- i.e. if the customer sends it back, it fails quality control, if not, it must be good. I bought "show quality" aftermarket pop-out latches. One was nice, the other was junk and broke on install. Did I sent it back? Nope. That is problem with customer-based quality control.

Sun Sep 15, 2013 2:21 pm

Simple ? I have a 58, were the door handles originally metal, or chromed plastic.

Sun Sep 15, 2013 5:17 pm

Metal.

Sun Sep 15, 2013 8:31 pm

Jameshogarth wrote: Simple ? I have a 58, were the door handles originally metal, or chromed plastic.

Pot metal. Not as straight forward to replate as Steel. If it were steel, handle rechrome price would be only about $30/ea