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tb03830
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2009
Posts: 1045
Location: Leavenworth, KS
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 Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 11:16 am Post subject: Croming the Engine |
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Now I know a lot of people are against Chroming but I am not so save it. I recently decided to chrome my engine but wanted to make sure I have plenty of air flow and started to research fan shroud and discovered that none of the ones I found were as good as the factory originals. Either they had thin metal, were missing all kinds of vents and holes or were just a POS. Locally I have a company that said they would try to chrome my factory original Fan Shroud but made no promises. I liked the idea n had the time so for $150.00 They chromed it. It was learning experience. Here is listing of issues we found and photos I was given and taken to describe the process.
1. I had to prep the metal so I sand blasted it with fine grain glass bead.
2. We than had it buffed and buffed.
3. We then discovered that any oil left on the inside of the shroud would contaminate the nickel bath so we had to clean it better. We used a power washer and a radiator bath to get it real clean. I was not aware that the engine had had a bad oil leak in the past which filled the inside with caked on oil.
4. It then came out of a Nickle and looked great but I was told the nickel is too soft and a Chrome would still need to be applied. I still think it looks good.
5. We then discovered that the chrome would not take and diodes needed to be added to draw the chrome to certain areas. It also took several plastic bolds to keep the chroming process working. If you need details I can get you in touch with the guys that did this. The issue they had was when they tried to brush it the Nickel bubbled on them so they had to strip it and start all over.
6. In the end it looked great. The following are photos of it after chroming and as it is installed. I love this tower and how it is correct and works properly. Yes I know it has a few dents in it but original is origional.
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"Sic Vic Pacem, Para bellum - Pray for peace, prepare for war."
1964 Convertible Bug - 1600cc SP engine with a stock H30/31 Carb and SVDA Distributor - Swing Arm Highway Flyer Tranny, Gene Berg's Temperature Dipstick, 2.5" drop spindles, 2" narrowed adjustable front end. Chromed OEM fan tower. |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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Dr OnHolliday
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2012
Posts: 1215
Location: was Escondido now San Berdoo
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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Nice! Chrome don't get ya home but I'd be a traitor to my hot rodder roots if I didn't love well done chrome plating...
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1965 Type 1 sunroof Baja / about 70k miles on self-rebuilt '74 1600 and counting / SP heads and aftermarket valve keepers / non-doghouse shroud with external cooler and filter / 1.5 qt extended sump / Weber 32/36 DFAV progressive carb / 009 dist with Pertronix / 1.25 ratio rockers and ball adjusters / 1.5" stainless steel J-pipes and carbon steel baja exhaust |
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tb03830
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2009
Posts: 1045
Location: Leavenworth, KS
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Lingwendil wrote: |
Wow. I'm not a huge fan of chrome but that looks clean! Very nice that you kept with the german tin. Do the rest of the tin to match and I bet that would kill at shows. |
Normaly I am not a big fan of chrome but I am on this one bug. I am not sure I want to chrome it all due to heat issues with reflecting heat on the heads.cylinders due to being a daily driver. I am talking to the Chromer and he thinks he can chrome one side only which might work on the tin that covers the cylinders.
_________________
"Sic Vic Pacem, Para bellum - Pray for peace, prepare for war."
1964 Convertible Bug - 1600cc SP engine with a stock H30/31 Carb and SVDA Distributor - Swing Arm Highway Flyer Tranny, Gene Berg's Temperature Dipstick, 2.5" drop spindles, 2" narrowed adjustable front end. Chromed OEM fan tower. |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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tb03830
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2009
Posts: 1045
Location: Leavenworth, KS
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Lingwendil wrote: |
| Oh, also, get yourself an oil bath air cleaner chromed to match. That cheesy cleaner you have isn't fancy enough now. |
I was thinking about that but with a Convertible and the stuff that goes on it under the lid it can be tight fit. I do need to see if I can get the bath back on.
_________________
"Sic Vic Pacem, Para bellum - Pray for peace, prepare for war."
1964 Convertible Bug - 1600cc SP engine with a stock H30/31 Carb and SVDA Distributor - Swing Arm Highway Flyer Tranny, Gene Berg's Temperature Dipstick, 2.5" drop spindles, 2" narrowed adjustable front end. Chromed OEM fan tower. |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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Bob Loblaw
Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2008
Posts: 865
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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$150 is a great deal for chrome. Back in the day, my buddy and his brother worked in a chrome plating shop. It was great. A bottle of Crown Royal would get me anything plated. Anything.
Tie rods, Herrod Helper, knives, glove box doors, ashtrays, exhaust, shifters etc.
What a shitty environment to work in though. Their clothes would actually rust to their bodies, with all the metal dust in the air, and the sweat.
Nasty.
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sent from a phone using poor grammar and spelling |
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tb03830
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2009
Posts: 1045
Location: Leavenworth, KS
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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I think they now charge $250.00 for it if it is clean but that is after using me as an experiment. Appearently it is hard to Chrome this item due to all the wholes.
_________________
"Sic Vic Pacem, Para bellum - Pray for peace, prepare for war."
1964 Convertible Bug - 1600cc SP engine with a stock H30/31 Carb and SVDA Distributor - Swing Arm Highway Flyer Tranny, Gene Berg's Temperature Dipstick, 2.5" drop spindles, 2" narrowed adjustable front end. Chromed OEM fan tower. |
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Jon Schmid
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2012
Posts: 2037
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 2:29 pm Post subject: Croming the Engine |
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| Bob Loblaw wrote: |
What a shitty environment to work in though. Their clothes would actually rust to their bodies, with all the metal dust in the air, and the sweat.
Nasty. |
Metal finishing can be a nasty business. The plating salts will corrode just about anything over time that's outside the baths. |
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Joel
Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2006
Posts: 11099
Location: NSW Australia
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 6:27 am Post subject: |
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| tb03830 wrote: |
I am not sure I want to chrome it all due to heat issues with reflecting heat on the heads.cylinders due to being a daily driver. |
The cylinder tins are only directing air, it doesnt matter what colour or finish they are.
The cylinder tins I used on several of my engines were original German ones chromed dipped in the early 90s and are still working perfectly on my fathers engine.
I never noticed any temp difference, its because aftermarket chrome tin fits like shit that it doesnt cool well not because they are chrome.
The black aftermarket ones cool just as badly.
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Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle |
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