R1 Air Cleaner Original Finish

[Luma]

I see in the Excellent Originality Manual that an R1 Air Cleaner top half has a "hard to duplicate" finish on it originally. Does any one know what that finish is or how or who can duplicate it?

Thanks, Luma

[mfg]

Not saying it would be original, but a quality chrome plate job would really 'pop' some eyeballs!

[Rob Dudley]

It was a kind of textured chrome. Kind of like a very fine wall spray-on texture that was chromed. Re-chroming it fills the low spots and is much more reflective than the original.

[avantifred]

when I owned a 1931 Ford there were several parts that were chrome plated BUT not polished to a high finish. These were called "buttler chrome finish" they were actually scratched the Avanti air cleaner probably could be chrome plated with a steel wool scratch finish!?

Perhaps your plater can remember & help you out!

[studegary]

I think that it is called a flash chrome process.

[GlennW]

On 11/24/2018 at 5:59 PM, avantifred said:

when I owned a 1931 Ford there were several parts that were chrome plated BUT not polished to a high finish. These were called "buttler chrome finish" they were actually scratched the Avanti air cleaner probably could be chrome plated with a steel wool scratch finish!?

Perhaps your plater can remember & help you out!

Great answer, if you are trying to reproduce a chrome finish that isn't perfectly smooth, a good plater and polisher can usually prepare the surface of the metal so that it is not the normal mirror smooth. Chrome will always reflect the surface of what is on which is why a good Chrome job depends on great base metals and polishing. I imagine that something similar could be done by using the correct media on the bare metal but I don't have a clue what media would be best. You would probably have to have the part dechromed, first and absolutely a good player is the only way to go because if they don't understand how to do what you are asking for they are never going to achieve it by accident ?

Edited November 29, 2018 by GlennW