Doing this build I went total utility. Tried to buy the best parts for the application. I put my money IN the motor, not on it.

Now, I'm thinking perhaps to get a couple pieces plated so I don't have to take it apart agian.

The AC compressor bracket, and the air pump eliminator bracket.

Does anyone know the price of doing this? Is plating expensive?

Thanks.

Isn't the A/C compressor bracket aluminum or pot metal? I have no clue as to what your smog pump eliminator bracket is made of. You can't chrome plate aluminum or pot metal. They can be anodized or painted/powder coated.

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I can powder coat it. Maybe I'll get it done shiny black..It is aluminum.

PC is cheap too. I think chrome plating is expensive.

Here's the bracket I purchased. It's aluminum...

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Maybe PC is the ticket.

You can buff the Aluminum, the pot metal does not polish / buff well

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I am fairly certain that the bracket is aluminum...I don't have the tools to polish AL. Is that expensive?

My wife is giving me crap about the money at this point...and I still have to get the exhaust done. She doesn't get putting $5k into a perfectly good car. Then there's the boat, and the other boat, so price is the issue for now.

Go to a good chrome shop and you can get aluminum chromed, I already did it.

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Otherwise there would be no chromed sawblades.

Aluminum can be chromed.

Aluminum CAN be chromed, I just had my fuel rails done, along with the base of the AFPR. I had other things done but these were the only aluminum parts.

What's the cost say relative to powder coating?

As a wild ass guess I would say at least double the powder coating price due to the labor involved. You can get powdercoat that closely resembles chrome.

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That's not too bad. Under $100. I can get it PCd for under $50 for both pieces.

Good chrome plating is 3 to 4 times the cost of PC.

Chrome plating aluminum is slightly different than plating steel. First, we should define what a "show chrome" finish is. Show chrome is a three to four step plating process. That is why show chrome (or decorative chrome) is sometimes called "triple chrome." OK, show chrome is: copper plating, then nickel plating (sometimes two layers of nickel) and finally chrome plating. When you look at chrome, you are actually seeing mostly the nickel plate. Chrome is thin and transparent, and really serves to protect nickel from corrosion. So really you don't see the chrome although chrome does slight;y "color" the final product.

Aluminum is zincated because it deoxidizes the aluminum and insulates it so it cannot oxidize before and during plating. When the part is plated, as it is lowered into the solution, the zinc is dissolved and the bare aluminum is plated.

OK, so back to the original question. Why don't you see chrome on aluminum. Outside of the above explanations, aluminum requires an extra plating step in that it must first be plated with zincate (Zinc) so that copper plating will bond, then nickel, then chrome.

Long story short, plating aluminum is more expensive than chrome plating steel, and aluminum can be treated cosmetically with cheaper methods.

I stand corrected. Sorry.

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There is Bare Aluminum and Clad Aluminum (sheet stock). The Clad Aluminum can be buffed to a very smooth and shiney surface. Almost chrome like, little different in color and depth.

I think I'm going PC, shiny black. The valve covers are chrome, and the Super Ram is polished to a chrome like finish. Some black in there wouldn't be the end of the world.