Chrome vs Stainless Steel

As promised from the last post we have got around to unpacking and labelling up some new stock. We have had a few enquiries about polished stainless steel instead of chrome in the past. We have ordered in one of items on a bespoke arrangement, so we though we would try some various items. There are two camps and very much sit on each side of the fence. Chrome will or won’t get you home as the saying goes. Many manufacturers make claims for their chrome work some are better than others should we say. At the end of the day chrome finish is just a thin layer on the outside of the part, like paint in fact. For that reason chrome plating tends to be brittle and gets chips and scratches on it over time. On the other hand stainless steel is not as shiny as chrome plating, but the appearance lies somewhere around shiny chrome plating and dull aluminium. Stainless steel is just steel that has about 20% chrome mixed with it which prevents most rust. As a result stainless steel is far better at maintaining its appearance over time scratches and dents don’t affect it. If the part gets some rust spots in it, just buy some stainless steel polish and buff the rust out, simple as that. Areas where the car can be weathered are prone to the chrome pitting if not cared for, so the areas that can be abused are the engine, such as the alternators etc need to be looked after.

As a result of the enquiries we have got our first small batch of stock for our stainless steel line to see how the sales go, we have already sold a few bits and like the dip stick we recommend these in places instead of chrome. The initial sales look promising, polish the parts up well and you will hardly notice the difference, except that it will keep its appearance a lot better. The first batch of products is the Dip Stick for a ’65-’67, hood latch for a ’67-’68 and a battery hold down kit for ’67 – ’70. Let us know if you want any particular parts and we will see how they go. We have added a section under the new parts for Stainless Steel.  Give us a call for prices and dispatch.

’65 – ’67 Dip Stick

’65 – ’67 Dip Stick full

’67-’68 Hood Latch

’67-’70 Battery hold down kit