Want to prepare 33-34 grille for plater

[epw1949]

What's the best way to remove chrome and remove pits,on the grille bars of 33-34 pass.grille? I want to prepare the grille for replating.This grille was just plated,but never prep,so now I want to remove the chrome,and sand some pits.Thanks,Ed

[thirt4]

I simply took mine to the plater and they did all that work. That is what I paid them the BIG $$$$ for anyway.
And a beautiful job they did for me.

[tubman]

Unless you really know what you're doing and are experienced with the entire plating process, leave it alone. You will probably do more damage than good, and it will probably cost you more rather than saving you anything.

[roadster36]

Tubman has it right. I have been there and done that.
I don't pull my own teeth or represent myself in court. Some things are left to the pro's.
If you really feel that you need to be involved you might ask the folks who are going to be doing the plating if there is anything you can do to make their job easier.
There is nothing you can safely do at home to remove the old plating.
You can however damage a plateable grill.

[john worden]

Post #2 #3 #4 X2

[DavidG]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

You can however straighten the grille bars as your plater is not likely to do that for you.

[cas3]

a new one from drakes will be a thousand dollars cheaper, and your old one on ebay will bring half or better what a new one cost

[john worden]

Originally Posted by cas3

a new one from drakes will be a thousand dollars cheaper, and your old one on ebay will bring half or better what a new one cost

The question is will the repop fit?
If the OEM grill is repairable I highly recommend using it instead of a repop.

[roadster36]

I have used 3 of Drakes grilles and so far they all fit well. I would still prefer to use an OEM grill if it is of high enough quality. Sherm's Plating wanted 5,000 to repair one of my "good" grilles. Plating costs are in the stratosphere and only going higher. At some point they will probably outlaw plating shops too.

[koates]

Hi there, I don't necessarily agree with just handing over a valuable 34 ford grille to a plater to do all the work. There are very good plating/repair shops and absolute butchers. I do all the prep work I can before sending out for plating. Have all plating stripped by a plating shop, Bring it home and start work. K

[koates]

Continue my above post. Knock out and polish out all dents and blemishes as required. Straighten grille bars. Many are pitted on the sides and so require draw filing on the sides with a fine file. Copper plating and draw filing several times so that the copper fills in those pits. Only the front of the bars have a high polish finish, not the sides. When you are satisfied with your work return it to the platers and have it polished. Check that job result before allowing them to copper, polish, nickel, polish, and finally chrome. A lot of work but usually worth the effort. A cost saving is here because you have done most of the work. Kevin.

[Juergen]

Instead of copper plating the pits, which may require taking to the plater, you can fill the pits with silver solder. Do not use lead based solder as it will be removed during the plating process. You can do this at home and file/sand away to get a good finish. I did this on my 37 grille and it saved me a lot of money.

[FrankWest]

Originally Posted by epw1949

What's the best way to remove chrome and remove pits,on the grille bars of 33-34 pass.grille? I want to prepare the grille for replating.This grille was just plated,but never prep,so now I want to remove the chrome,and sand some pits.Thanks,Ed

Make sure it is free of dents, bends but as far as the finish goes...Don't touch it. Just send it to the chrome plater as you have it. Anything you do may actually prevent the proper application of the new chrome layer. Wire brushes and the like may actually burnish the metal that will prevent it from accepting the deposition of the plating layers of the metalization layers needed for the chrome to apply properly.

[PeterC]

I sent mine to Jon Wright - Grafton, Ohio - sent him the original grill (1935) - he is an expert with these delicate complex grilles - did a perfect job. see pics - click to enlarge

[tubman]

"koates" and "Juergen"; If you are on a first name basis with your plater, I'll go along with what you say. Otherwise I stand by what I said earlier. In any case, I wouldn't touch anything until after I conferred with the guy doing the plating.

[Bob NH]

That sure is one "perty" 35 grill . I have read the comments and for what its worth, I bought a 34 grill at Hershey one year in pretty tough shape. Brought it back home and started in filing and filing with all kinds of tools. Took it back to Hershey the following year and I think I left it with Qual Chrome to do it up. I had to keep after the plater to get it done but eventually it showed up here and was just a great job. I don't think they realized how much work it was to make the bars good. It went on a street rod and I see it quite often and it appears to be holding up quite well.

[carguybill]

I am under the impression that the original '34 grille bars were somewhat of a brushed finish not high polished chrome finish. Am I wrong?

[Newc]

hi all; These grills require a special Anode or jig for proper electrical current during plating. The real pros understand this and have that equipment. Newc

[bill3337]

When I did my '33 grille, I took it to the plater and had them remove the existing plating (by reversing the process). I then took it back repaired any damage, took it back and had it copper plated and then brought it home, soldered all the pits and sanded it ready for re coppering. Then I brought it home again and blocked all the copper to 320 grit, then returned it and let them finish it up. Turned out great, but still pretty expensive.

[Charlie Stephens]

Remember if you mess up the prep you own it. If they mess it up, and are a reputable
company, they will fix it.

Charlie Stephens