Re-plating chrome plated plastic

So I've been looking around for a place that refinishes chromed plastic.  The "C" pillar trim is peeling pretty badly.   I did a search and got in touch with a company down in California and got a quote of $1500 EACH........

Now, I'm not aware of the difficulty, or the costs involved, but $3000 for 2 trim panels does seem excessive.

I don't really want to do this (restore the trim panels) on my own, I'd rather this be done professionally, but $3000 is a lot.   Anyone know of another company offering similar service???

Not sure if it will help restore something that big, but we did some chromed plastic restoration over at Classic Motorsports.

You can spray Molotow Liquid Chrome through an airbrush FYI. You can even buy it already in a bottle. Strip the old chrome, paint the pieces gloss black, chrome spray, done.

I have this exact problem on my FJ62. Grille plastic chrome is peeling as are the mirrors. No new OEM pieces. Ended up getting Taiwan pieces, total of $550. Was cheapaer than local places trying to fix it for me. 

These guys are local to me though I don't have any experience with them

Vacuum Orna-Metal

(Sorry, can't get link to work for some reason)

Any kind of plating is expensive these days, but you could call around to get more quotes to see if anyone will do the job for less than $1500 each.  There are any number of places that can plate plastic parts.

http://www.mmmetalizing.com/contact.html

I do not know these guys but they have car stuff on the Company website

I would also look in Hemmings motor news ,

No experience, but I've always heard the go-to for this was Mr. G's Rechromed Plastic. Or is that the $550 per side quote you got?

I had Mr. G's rechrome the dash bezel in my '66 Ford pickup and it came out pretty nice.  However, that was many years ago so I don't remember the cost, and it wouldn't be relative today anyway.

We had the plastic headlight bezels on a Fiat chrome plated by Ogden Chrome a few years back

They smoothed off all the texture, sprayed them with a conductive copper paint and then chrome plated them just like they would have a metal part

It was not at all inexpensive, but it was what the owner wanted so......

californiamilleghia said:

http://www.mmmetalizing.com/contact.html

I do not know these guys but they have car stuff on the Company website

I would also look in Hemmings motor news ,

These were the folks that said $1500 each...........

Is there a way to wrap them? Thinking of those cars wrapped with incredibly shiny vinyl made me think of that.

Neither Odgen, or Mr G still offer plastic plating.....  I'm waiting to hear back from Vacuum Orna-Metal.

oldeskewltoy said:

Neither Odgen, or Mr G still offer plastic plating.....  I'm waiting to hear back from Vacuum Orna-Metal.

Vacuum Orna-metal can do it for a significantly lower amount then the other, BUT they are not the same durability.  Vacuum Orna-metal is much thinner, and likely will only last 3-5 years....  they primarily do interior plastics.