Torque and Chrome

Severe Rust..?

What would be the best thing to do with some chrome parts that are severely rusted, I mean well beyond cleaning up!! Without buying new ones.. Parts like the exhausts, fenders, levers, wheels etc. I was looking at nickel plating or electroplating? Is this suitable for these kind of things? Is it cheap or costly? What kind of prep. would i have to do before as i doubt they would have them in the state they are in but im not sure? Heres a pic of the extent of it.. http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m62/ant-147/Rusty.jpg Cheers.

Public Comments

1. From the looks of it you should use it as a boat anchor.
2. Buy the time the rust has been removed, there won't be enough metal left to re-plate. The plating process will destroy what's left. Sorry, but you've got no choice - buy new parts.
3. Gawd, that's awful. Having that done will FAR outweigh the value of the bike.
4. If u want to save the parts and get the bike lookin ok you probly cant re plat it but you could paint it a different color or paint it crome or silver. Strip it down and if u have grinder prferaby one for a compressor get a spung sand paper pad for it and slawly and carfully take of the high edges of the rust. You wont get it perfect because its to far gone to save honestly. But you coul do that and rustolium it and paint it a different color. If it comes out good you could get it powder coated. I had a bike like this and thats what i did it was a little lummpy looking in the wrigth light bacause i could not grind down to mutch but it came out good and didint cost mutch. use smoth sasndpaper to start and then when it looks ok go to the smothest available. Sry i cant type or spell for shit but good luck som epeople will probly think im dum but it will save u some money and make it look ok.
5. there are companies that can rechrome your parts for you. If you look on the net or the local diectory, classic restrers or simular
6. you can get them stripped and re chromed very reasonably,by the way is that an old Honda 175 benly?
7. Some of this rusting seems beyond recovery by any means Why not consider sand blasting and powdercoat or paint finish to the parts that are not heat sensitive I restore bikes for pleasure and some parts I do this way if money or availability prevents new ones being sourced Purists normally critisize but I restore bike to be used on the roads not put in glass cases and it does allow them to be put back into use Those parts that blasting destroys will have to be either re-worked or replaced Good luck with it
8. Well, nothing is beyond salvaging! It all depends on how much, skill,time and money is available. Firstly, wash the bike down and then totally strip it, No need to strip down the engine just yet but at the least strip down the chassis to all its component parts. This way at least you can see the extent of the corrosion and it gives you a chance to see what you taking on. This bike will not be a simple unbolt, re plate, re bolt job, it needs good solid work. Most parts can still be sourced for Honda's from www.davidsilverspares.co.uk You will have to replace the spokes for definite as those will be severely weakened by the rust. Good luck and take your time over it, you should have a nice looking classic by the end of it!
9. If the metal is solid underneath the chrome with no holes and not rusted right through, you'll be able to get that stuff rechromed. It's really the only way you're going to save it and get the original finish. It can be a bit costly depending on what you want doing. You can get home-chroming kits for about £150, good for small parts but I don't know how they'd cope with bigger stuff. If moneys an issue, you'd be better off rubbing it down and painting it. You might well find it cheaper to replace some stuff than to restore it. You've got a job on your hands there. You're going to have to respoke the wheels if you want to rechrome those rims. What's the bike anyway?
10. As it's RUSSIAN Steel underneath, it should still be quite strong and suitable for resurfacing.. First. Try using a Brillo pad, Honest it can't make it worse than it already is. Then use wads of Aluminium foil, BACO FOIL or pie cases or alloy wool to rub over the surface, the alloy is softer than the steel or the chrome but harder than the rust.. Also if you use a mild acid like vinegar a chemical reaction takes place between the aluminium and the base metal causing the aluminium to corrode and the rust to be broken down.. Wash wipe and dry.. Use an electric drill and a cotton mop wheel with french wax and chalk to buff the surface clean.. This won't restore the chrome but Will make it look better, then use ordinary chrome polish and soft cotton rags to keep the surface clear of further rust.. Badly damaged parts can be painted once the surface has been keyed with wire wool.. Once polished you could glaze with clear powder coat or pay for re chroming
11. my mate at Acaster Malbis in York is an electroplater and he has quoted you £500 + government pocket tax (GPT) or VAT to the unwise. However you could get someone to cut out a new panel for a lot less, he says just go to a body panel specialist and ask them to make you a new one out of some off cuts. Lot cheaper
12. IF you can strip the chrome wear off everything and take apart the shoccks, take them to a good chrome platers, and they may be able to do something with them Non - chrome items can be de-rusted in an electrolysis bath at home.....