Phil writes:
I have a beautiful 1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria Town Sedan. I would like to get the car re-chromed, but cannot locate a service provider in Maryland. Iām trying not to drive the car too much, because I am not interested in adding a huge amount of mileage to something with 31,000 original miles and great paint.
Sajeev asks:
What a beauty!Ā Sedans donāt get enough love in my book, and I am glad you are caring for this one. Would you be comfortable removing the chrome and shipping it to a business? That might help me with your answer.
Phil answers:
My current mechanic is dealing with health issues, so Iām not sure he could help remove parts and ship them off for re-chroming. The car is in phenomenal condition, and perhaps Iām just being picky.
Iām happy with this car so please do not spend a huge amount of your time on this.
Sajeev concludes:
Hereās the perk about emailing pistonslap@hagerty.com with your automotive questionsāitās my job to spend a huge amount of time on this! And if there ever was a car to go out of my way for, this is definitely it!
But the term āhuge amount of timeā is relative. Iāve already discussed the need for auto enthusiasts to embrace the Google Near Me search, and Chrome Plating Near Me is no different. When I click on the second link in my last sentence, my preferred plating shop in Houston shows up first on the Google Maps, and is the second website in its list of suggestions. The reviews are overwhelmingly good (but not five stars, as thatās often a red flag). Their website gives you the right amount of insight into the work they do, the company history, and how they operate as a business.
So I did the same search, except for a chrome shop in Maryland. One company ranked as high as my shop in Google search, so I was immediately intrigued. Their website has the right amount of content, and they seem willing to get the ball rolling (i.e., send pics of your chrome issues) via their contact page.
Another good website served up to me by Google was this one. While they have five stars, thatās not really a red flag because they only have six reviews collected. So you have at least two options in your area, but you can scroll down the ānear meā search and see if other shops work better for you.
In case it needs to be made clear, I am not specifically naming or recommending any shop, as I canāt verify their work from my position as an armchair quarterback. This is where I pass the ball to you, so you can send them photos of the trim, and see what vibes you get back. Tell them your needs and concerns, and see how good they are at reassuring you. My biggest concerns would be quality and turn-around time, so you might ask pointed questions about those in particular.
If these two businesses arenāt as rock-solid as youād like, expand your search by using the zoom feature on the Google Map or enter a different location in the āchrome plating near (location)ā search.
Now you need to find someone willing to remove the parts from your Ford that you can trust. Is a Classic Car Mechanic Near Me search also in order? (Same principles apply, quality and turn-around time is important, because you donāt want your classic put on the back burner while they work on newer cars.)
Best of luck in your hunt! Or maybe just āhappy motoring,ā if these flaws arenāt worrisome enough to address? Sometimes they arenāt, especially on a car so original.
Have a question youād like answered in Piston Slap? Send your queries toĀ pistonslap@hagerty.comāgive us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.
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