Has anybody used The Bumper Shop. Appears to be in los angeles, Ca. Prices seem pretty good.
They've been discussed several times on the HAMB with mixed results. Do a search over there you will be enlightened.
Seriously chrome shops are probably one of the hardest things to recommend. The more guys that are doing prep work complicate the finish results. Its really an art that not all in the craft master.
Zap- :unitedstates:
I just bought a front bumper from them at the Fort Worth swap meet. According to the guy I talked to, they are the only chrome shop left in the L.A. area, and they are the ones that actually do the chroming for the other places, like the Bumper Boys. The bumper I bought, even after a real close inspection after getting it home looks cosemetically flawless, and I am just tickled to death with it. There is no pitting on the backside that would indicate a heavily rusted bumper that had been replated.They had three at Fort worth, and the one I bought had had the Guard holes welded closed. It had been done that way at the request of a customer who never picked it up, and was exactly what I wanted and would have paid extra for, but they actually took $50. off because of it (go figure, but made me happy). I did not look at the other two they had there.
With that said, let me say this is the third year I looked at a front bumper from them or guys they apparently plate for, and have passed on all the previous ones I saw because of issues. One bumper last year had numerous bubles on the backside. So, from what I've seen, they are certainly capable of doing an excellent job cosmetically. Obviously I can't vouch for the longevity of the chrome since I just got mine, but I think some of their work shows added effort and some doesn't. jmho.
Rich
Wish I had known you were there Rich. I was at pate all 3 days. I may look them up at the next goodguys. I had no cores with me on this trip.
l would have liked to meet..I did a reply to your's in the events listing with my cell #..guess you missed it. I had info on that reply about someone else you could have met with there also.
I had the rear bumper on my car done by Big D's shop three years ago. He is part of that whole group that travels the swap meet circut. A friend who knows Dan fairly well tells me all those shops are actualuy one familly . Brothers, sisters and cousins so one shop may ,in fact be doing the plating for all of them. Anyway, last spring, I found two rust spots on the bumper and a close inspection showed two small blisters in the surface.
the bumper has to be replaced for this conversion and I really don't know where I am going to go for plating this time.
Pauls or Graves plating is about the best I would think. Graves is in Alabama, pretty expensive but from what I gather, the best.
The polishing process is very important in plating. My rear bumper is at the polishing
shop now and I'm sure it'll be excellent. Expensive, but right. :001: