So on my silver /6, the PO was a fan of blacked out chrome. I'm not exactly in that camp, so I'm looking to make some changes. The front bumper is black and in visibly good shape. The rear, which when it arrived at my house had a mid year bumper painted black, has been upgraded to a proper chrome unit, but there are a couple of small dings in it.

So I'd like to look at redoing my bumpers.

Option 1 -- Sell the black early front and buy a chrome early front, and live with the back.

Option 2 -- Send both out to a rechroming outfit.

l've been sort of looking for an early chrome bumper -- they don't come up too often. The early back bumpers don't show up all that often either.

So I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with btdt experince in getting bumpers re-chromed. Bonus points for a pointer to a good bay area rechromer.

tia

kim.

Can't help you on the plater, but you can.. oh wait... you can't..

I was going to say you could cover all the holes, but you are in California, and you need front plates..

DAMNIT!

If I were you, I'd go the plater route with prepared versions of what you want. (what you have?)



M

Paint them the same color as the car....I did it on mine and it gave it a more modern look.

BTDT, It has been my experience with bumper chroming, that the black ones if not already chromed under the black can have a bunch of bondo and paint on them, worthless to try and chrome plate.
You are best to start with a chrome bumper with out the bumperette holes and as straight as you can get.
It cost $500.each to get my bumpers triple chrome plated and to have them straight and holes filled.
Platers tell me that people bring in a rat piece of metal to be plated thinking it is going to magically be perfect. NOT!
The cleaner and straighter item you give them the better it is going to look.
When all is said and done, $1500 for newly chromed front and rear bumpers and top rubbers.
CCLRODCHILD

Mike: I like the look of your car. Some of that is the flares. (ok, I'm partial to the GT look, particularly on the front end) Blending the bumpers in puts more emphasis on the flare/wheel area, and that's cool. I'm after a more stock look though.

Chris: thx for the btdt! It's true -- I've no idea what's under the black paint on the front. (Now, I have a second early chrome front, in good shape except someone welded the mounting bracket on incorrectly - I suppose I could give them a choice betweeen the two...) The rear is actually in pretty good shape (1 or 2 minor blemishes in the chrome) and is probably a reasonable candidate.

kim.

There are two versions of the rear chrome bumper (70-73), and the one very early ones are getting very rare. If you have a nice early one, hold onto it.

My recommendation: Go with option one. When you get the throw-away cash, get the rear fixed.

-Rusty

P.S. My rear bumper has a small ding, too. Someday I'll get it repaired.

Valley Plating in Santa Clara (Perry Ct, I think) does chrome bumpers, they start at $300

Santa Ana plating had a set of early bumpers on ebay for sale. looked good

Speaking of nice early bumpers... this one looked pretty good... I'm thinking about backdating my car but I'm not there yet.

Early Chrome Bumper

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...gory=33640&rd=1
looks like an early rear and front but I could be wrong

yup early-

I had my 74 front bumper rechromed two blocks from Partsheaven in Hayward. It cost me $325 and turned out great! PM me if you want directions!

Jeff

Yeh, I saw the ebay bumpers -- and they are early as far as I can see -- but you can't see all that much from one low res pic -- and that's what jogged my move to get my current bumper situation more on a front burner.

My ebay experience tells me that I need way more pics than ONE to tell me that I'm gonna cough up 3-400/per unit, sight unseen. At least, when I deal directly with someone, I usually get the straight goods.

kim.

ask the seller for pics. im sure if he really wants to unload them hell be happy to snap a few pics for a buyer.

When I bought the 72 part of the deal was they were to deliver it (per dolly). They hooked a chain to the corner of the rear bumper to pull it out of the muddy field it was in and bent the corner back. I took it off and took it to the local chromer. He said can't be fixed and sold me a rechromed one for $225 US ($330 CDN)

He told me that these types of bumpers need someone who has done this type of work before. Only one guy in his shop could do it and this is a big place, been around longer than I have.

Kim,

I'm about to use a chroming place in San Jose that does 90% of the Harley crap in our area (Jesse James send crap to them for his chopper shop)

I have already seen some of their bumpers... flawless.


B

Brad,

Your timing is prefect! May save me ! lol.

kim.