Morris Minor Owners Club

Anyone know if it can be done? Just wondering if later M1000 door glass frames can be treated to cosmetically match the original Lowlight ones without the corrosion issue. I could polish them but wondered if chroming was an option. There is hard chrome, Nickel chrome and flash chrome so there are differing processes.

Ideally I'd like to hear from anyone who has done it rather than the usual stuff I've read on google. Nobody local to me who plates stuff has replied to my messages.

Ta.

Rob

I'd be surprised if many people, if any, have chromed stainless. In which case replies will probably be from folk like me, simply giving an opinion. Mine, for what it's worth, is to actually visit one of these plating companies, and talk face to face with someone, at least you'll get a response. Chroming is not cheap.

Stainless steel can be Nickel/Chrome plated although the process will be expensive and will show up any marks on the base metal so thorough polishing beforehand is essential.
Do a search on Woods Nickel Strike process for more info.

Ta.

I've got enough bits, drawings and diagrams to make a set of stainless replicas of the Lowlight frames with their internal hinges, so long as I can make them look correct visually. Even a set of NOS rubbers.

Too bleedin' cold to go driving all the way to the Platers in Cardiff with that piddly little 1950's heater.

They did a few sets of headlamps for me for £5 each so they aren't overly expensive if I do all the prep and polishing.

Rob
Have been meaning to reply to this for some time.
Chroming stainless commercially is really rather pointless. Stainless is relatively expensive and one is just adding more cost for not much reward. The decorative effect is the difference in "colour". If you put plated chrome next to stainless you will see immediately the contrast. As long as the two are kept apart you will barely notice. So a stainless hub cap will not be obvious on its wheel compared to a plated one on another wheel but a door handle in a chrome frame will be.
Years ago I worked with wear resistant plated coatings for hot areas in jet engines, we plated a cobalt (similar to nickel but much more expensive!) composite for high temperature use and we regularly plated onto stainless, but colour was not relevant. You do need hairier chemicals to get any adhesion on the stainless, these can be expensive to use and get rid of.
So stainless can be plated with chrome but commercial platers are not likely have great success, and it will be expensive and may well not adhere (stick) too well.
Hope this helps
Colin

I have access, not personally, but through a mate who restores motorcycles, to a very good plating shop in Holland just over the border from D'dorf. During the summer I had them re-plate the stainless steel petrol tank cap on my MG TD in chrome as well as other bits and it turned out lovely and wasn't expensive at all.
Regards
Declan

Thanks for the info. I have a little Weld-a-thon planned for the new year. Several bits to repair and hopefully I can finish my Tourer rear glass sidescreens and get them to match the Lowlight front window frames.

I did wonder about plating stainless window frames for my MM as the originals are badly pitted. I know a lot of people would just fit the stainless and say "its shiny" but itsa very different look and not the same. Could use painted steel frames I suppose and have those plated....